Introduction to Emily Dickinson (02:05)

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Emily Dickinson was a highly intelligent, sensitive, and passionate person who wrote strikingly original poetry. Her poems have had a profound influence on American poetry, and she is considered one of the greatest poets America has ever produced.

Emily Dickinson's Early Life (02:16)

Emily Dickinson was born on December 10, 1830, in Amherst, Massachusetts. Emily Dickinson was the middle child of three. Her grandfather was one of the founders of Amherst College.

Emily Dickinson's Invisibility (03:47)

Emily Dickinson was a reclusive poet who avoided the public eye. She was conscious of the power of her words but chose not to publish them while she was living. Her poems were published posthumously.

Amherst College Part of Emily's Life (08:20)

Emily Dickinson's education was very rigorous and she was an excellent student. After finishing her seventh year at Amherst Academy, she was admitted to Mount Holyoke Female Seminary. There, she came under the tutelage of an impressive female model, Mary Lyon. Dickinson left Mount Holyoke after two years.

Rebelling Against Social Convention (02:23)

Writing at her kitchen table, Emily Dickinson was a poet who rebelled against society's expectations.

Emily Dickinson's Influencers (05:39)

Emily Dickinson was a lively and engaging young woman who, with her younger sister Lavinia, participated in local social events with a circle of friends of both sexes. They both remained spinsters.

Unusual and Abnormal (01:48)

Emily Dickinson was an eccentric poet who had a private literary career.

Themes of Love, Loss, and Grief (05:25)

Emily Dickinson wrote many poems, but only published a few during her lifetime. The early 1860s were a time of emotional turmoil for her, which is reflected in her poetry. She corresponded with Thomas Wentworth Higginson, who was less impressed by her work than others.

Reclusive Emily Dickinson (03:16)

Emily Dickinson became increasingly reclusive in the years after 1865, although she remained very involved in the lives of her friends and neighbors. She considered marriage late in life, but the proposal was forestalled by several factors, including the death of her suitor. In the last years of her life, Emily suffered several personal losses that took their toll on her health.

A Mass of Poems (01:34)

An amazing number of Emily Dickinson's poems were discovered after her death.

Unpublished Emily Dickinson's Poems (03:53)

Lavinia Dickinson gave some of her sister Emily Dickinson's poems to Susan Gilbert Dickinson who did nothing with them. Lavinia then gave the rest of the poems to Mabel Loomis Todd who published them.

The Poetry of Emily Dickinson (06:04)

Emily Dickinson was a great American poet whose work is difficult to understand but highly respected.

Credits (00:26)

Credits