“Hope is the thing with feathers.” Instantly recognizable and easily quotable, this is the poem most associated with one of America’s most well-known poets, Emily Dickinson. An optimistic message, one of hope that “perches in the soul,” is what many people think of when they remember this talented writer, aside from ideas of her being an eccentric recluse. What many fail to consider is her anonymity during her lifetime, the fragile state of her mental health, and the relationship between her and her best friend, Susan Gilbert. Read further to learn interesting facts about the “Because I Could Not Stop for Death” poet.
Only eleven of her poems were published throughout her lifetime
It is unknown whether Emily Dickinson wanted her poetry published or not. Most seem to claim the latter, given that she directly told her sister, Lavinia “Vinnie” Dickinson, to burn her papers after she passed. Media surrounding the poet suggest the opposite. The Apple TV series “Dickinson” has singer and actress Hailee Steinfeld portray a young Emily, headstrong and determined to get her work published. This version of the famous writer is stopped by her father, Edward Dickinson, who thinks it unproper for young ladies to write such evocative work (or any work at all for that matter). Regardless of Emily’s intentions, the fact remains that she, as a writer, was unknown during her 55 years of life. It is a bit ironic, given the posthumous fame her work has now. The poems that did end up being published were done so anonymously, many of which were printed in Samuel Bowles’ Springfield Republican, including “The Snake” and “I taste a liquor never brewed.” In her later years, she allowed Helen Hunt Jackson, author of A Century of Dishonor, to publish one of her poems in A Masque of Poets, once again, anonymously. After Emily Dickinson passed, her sister found roughly 1,800 poems in a trunk in her room. The first volume of these writings was published in 1890, four years after Emily died.
it is believed that she suffered from anxiety and depression
Many speculate that Emily Dickinson was mentally ill and struggled with her mental illness for the majority of her life. Evidence can be found in her poems, one being “I Felt a Funeral in My Brain.” In this work, Emily describes a mental breakdown in which her mind is in mourning, “going numb” even. Her train of thought is broken off at the end, signified by a dash, more proof of her potentially undergoing a depressive episode while writing such a beautifully tragic piece. Another poem, “Because I Could Not Stop for Death,” shows the author’s fascination with death. In this piece, she describes her carriage ride with death, holding “just [their]selves and Immortality.” Once again, though the show “Dickinson” is not an accurate depiction of Emily Dickinson’s life and takes much creative liberty, Emily asks the personification of Death when he will take her with him, essentially asking when she will die. She is melancholic, yearning for death. This adds on to the case that she was struggling with her mental health. She was also known as a recluse throughout Amherst, residing in her father’s home from birth to death. Towards the end of her life, she rarely left her home, if at all, instead relying on correspondence for communication.
there is strong evidence that she and sue gilbert were lovers
Emily and Sue were best friends since childhood, sharing a close bond. Sue was only nine days Emily’s senior. Sue was a primary supporter of Emily’s writing, often editing her work. In Wild Nights with Emily, a movie starring Molly Shannon as the famous poetess in her later years, the producers make a case that Sue was a great inspiration for Emily’s poems, her muse. Evidence supporting this claim can be found in the writer’s work. “To Own a Susan Of My Own,” a short poem, describes Emily’s desire to never part with Sue, to always be near her. Other works, including letters between the two, point to the same answer. In one, Dickinson writes, “Susie, forgive me Darling, for every word I say- my heart is full of you.” One of the most prominent, and dare I say malicious, reasons that most people don’t know about Emily and Sue’s relationship, besides homophobia and heteronormativity, is Mable Loomis Todd. She, alongside T.W Higginson, published a set of Emily’s poems. In Wild Nights with Emily (which shows a more accurate depiction of the author), as Mable analyzes the poems, she sees Sue’s name on several pieces of scrap paper Emily wrote her work on. One of the last scenes of the film is Mabel erasing Sue’s name from Emily’s poems. A New York Times Article, published in 1998, discussed software that was able to return Sue’s name to its rightful place in Emily’s work.