Spirituality of Emily Dickinson for Poetry - myassignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about theSpirituality of Emily Dickinsonfor American Poetry. Answer: Based on the study guide, Emily Dickinson seemed to have defined the American poetry because she focuses on the exploration and enlightenment period. The poet made tremendous contributions in defining her innermost emotions and desires, her spiritual beliefs, and disappointment in love(Scheurich 191). In the Recluse of Amherst, Dickinson's poems gained popularity upon her demise. Her poetry demonstrates that she never embraced an outright skeptic or traditional religious thoughts(Educational Technology Production Team). This reveals the complex and genuine systems regarding her belief defined by her age, intense curiosity, and the atmosphere (Dickinson 1057). Given the complexity of beliefs, she harbored, it becomes critical to examine the ways her poems demonstrate her spirituality. Emily Dickinson struggles to reconcile the emerging scientific concepts with traditional Christian beliefs (Crumbley 1). Dickinson's work reflects the diverse religious movements and new scientific theories. Although she attended the First Congressional Church of Amherst, the young girl had difficulties to understand the concepts in the Bible (Educational Technology Production Team). Throughout her life, Dickinson faced difficulties in demonstrating her dissenting views relating to the traditional Christian beliefs. Her struggles to reconcile the new scientific theories and traditional Christian practices defined her life. Emily Dickinson received the Bible at the tender age from her father. This suggests that her family observed religious practices daily. In fact, Dickinson was familiar with scriptures as demonstrated in her letters and poems (Prior 1). She recalls the moments when people were compelled to declare their faith publicly to allow them to join the church. Unfortunately, the speaker failed to make such official declaration because she was unwilling to sacrifice for Christ (Dickinson 1056). Dickinson's religious beliefs were defined the Puritanism systems including conformism and non-conformism (Kirby 35). Unlike Dickinson, her parents held the Bible as supreme thus making it possible for them to declare their faith publicly. Emily Dickinson could not withstand the strict adherence to the scriptures. Despite her crave for the Puritanism spiritual nourishment; Dickinson rejected the dogmatic and restrictive laws ((Educational Technology Production Team). In the "The Bible is an antique Volume," Dickinson expresses her disregard to the traditional religious practices (Kirby 38). She has demonstrated that the Bible is an old book thus challenges its relevance in the contemporary society. Dickinson expresses her skepticism and opinions relating to the authority of the Bible (Scheurich 194). She implies the book is not holy and specific but a library of books. She has considered the writers of the Bible to be faded men (Educational Technology Production Team). These men were people who were never enlightened. Dickinson has provided detailed information regarding various characters in the Bible including King David, Judas, and Satan (Dickinson 1057). For example, she describes Judas Iscariot to be a defaulter thus suggesting that such characters are never superhero but casts. These individuals demonstrated the facets of human experience like sin. Dickinson has painted the picture of life after death. For instance, she says, "I felt a fun eral in my brain" to imply that when an individual dies, she can hear sounds (Dickinson 1057). Indeed, Dickinson could hear the people walking into her funeral. She further hears her casket lowered down (18-20). She drops in the final line that upon burying, she loses her senses and consciousness. In her poem of "I heard a Fly buzz when I died (591)", Dickinson demonstrates the periods after her demise(Educational Technology Production Team). She describes the atmosphere after dying. For instance, she could see the light, yet she was lying on her deathbed. The family members and friends surround her upon dying. However, she loses the light in her sight because of flies wondering into her vision line (Faleh 102). In this line of thought, it is a demonstration of how the consciousness survives upon a person's death. The temporary survival of the soul after death is important. This view contradicts the widely accepted belief relating to the immortality of the soul (Lee 46). Similarly, it is evident that spirits no longer ascend into Heaven immediately after death. It also emerges that even flies can disrupt the departed soul from ascending into Heaven. The afterlife's image suggests that the speaker's views are different from the assumed Christianity beliefs. Mark Spencer has provided another interpretation regarding Emily Dickinson's poetry. It is evident that her poetical interpretations are beyond the theological assertions. Her revelation of John is evident upon the anticipated coming of Christ (Crumbley 1). Dickinson holds that when an individual dies, the spirit never ascends into heaven immediately, but has a temporary state (Educational Technology Production Team). The ascension into Heaven will be possible upon the second coming of Jesus Christ when the souls will face the Last Judgment. Therefore, her poem demonstrates the aspects of human reconciliation with God (Spencer 1). It has demonstrated that Dickinson never valued the traditional religious practices. For her, the emerging scientific concepts provide relevant information regarding human spirituality. Dickinson has represented the idea about death successfully. For instance, when she says that she has "felt a funeral in my brain," she demonstrates an unexpected end to her consciousness (Ladin 339). The speaker indicates the period when she awaits ascension into Heaven by saying, "I heard a fly buzz when I died" (Prior 1). Her spirit never disappeared but proceeds with the anticipated journey towards Heaven. Emily Dickinson personifies death to suit her poem; "Because I could not stop for death" (Faleh 99) thus justifies her understanding about death and afterlife. In Dickinson's poem, "Because I Could Not Stop for Death," she demonstrates instances when death stopped for her (Educational Technology Production Team). The two entities she refers in this poem are immorality and death. Spencer finds these two entities appropriate because they justify the transition from human life to death or physical to spiritual eternity (Spencer 1). In this two-step process, upon death, an individual ascends into Heaven thus forming a mere expectation of Dickinson. In fact, the use of the horses describes the eternity, where they head. Interestingly, the carriage ride goes beyond eternity. Spencer adds that Dickinson appears to understand the whereabouts relating to the new state (Spencer 1). In fact, the speaker affirms in the poem that she has entered in a temporary state. However, she has avoided speculating about her destination yet is patiently having "a spirit of peaceful repose" (Scheurich 190). It has become impossible for anybody to determine one's spirituality. However, many scholarly findings are evidently chronicling an individual's events in life including birth. The content of one's heart remains a secret affair that another person can never understand. Based on the interpretation, Dickinson's poem on the afterlife can be an expression of her belief in her soul relating to the process of ascending into Heaven, especially after death. This can also be interpreted as her exploration of an immorality experience that remains temporary. Nonetheless, there is an outstanding opinion expressed in her poem that disregards traditional religious beliefs. Indeed, if in her poetry, she expresses her innermost emotions and thoughts, many scholars can describe her beliefs to be exceptionally complex. Emily Dickinson's hopes, speculations, and doubts regarding death, life, and spirituality define her poetry. Works Cited Crumbley, Paul. Emily Dickinsons Life: Modern American Poetry. n.d. University of Illinois. 3 September 2017. Dickinson, Emily. Emily Dickinson 1083 Poems. 2012. Classic Poetry Series. Poem Hunter. 3 September 2017. . I felt a Funeral, in my Brain. Ed. Sandra M. Gilbert and Susan Gubar. Vol. 2. New York: W.W. Norton, 2007. Educational Technology Production Team. ELT372: Topics in American Literature: Study Guide (5CU). Singapore: Singapore University of Social Sciences, 2017. Faleh, Inaam Ali. The Portrayal of Suffering in Selected Poems of Emily Dickinson. Al-Usrath 2.207 (2013): 99-108. Kirby, Alan. "The Death of Postmodernism and Beyond." Philosophy Now 58 (2006): 34-37. Ladin, Jay. Meeting her Maker: Cross Currents. Academic Search Elite: EBSCO 56.3 (2006): 338-346. Lee, Maurice S. Dickinson's Superb Surprise. Raritan 28.1 (2008): 45-67. Prior, Karen Swallow. Christian Faith and Emily Dickensons Doubt. 21 June 2017. The Gospel Coalition. 2 September 2017 https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/christianity-faith-emily-dickinsons-doubt . Scheurich, Neil. Suffering and Spirituality in the Poetry of Emily Dickinson. Pastoral Psychology 56 (2007): 189-197. Spencer, Mark. Emily Dickinsons Because I Could Not Stop for Death' Explicator. 2007. Heldref Publications. 3 September 2017.