聊城大学外国语学院美国文学史与选读课件 Lecture9.pptVIP

Emily Dickinson (1830-1886) Emily Dickinson (1830-1886) The Dickinson Homestead The Evergreens The Evergreens, the home of Austin and Susan Dickinson which Dickinson sometimes visited, as it appears today A Manuscript of Dickinson Life of Emily Dickinson Born in Amherst, Massachusetts on Dec. 10, 1830 to a successful family Dickinson’s parental grandfather, Samule Dickinson founded Amherst College Young Dickinson well-behaved Young Dickinson troubled by the deepening menace of death (second cousin Sophia Holland’s sick death of typhus) (to be continued) Life of Emily Dickinson Beginning study at Amherst Academy from 1840 entering Mount Holyoke Female Seminary (later Mount Holyoke College) at South Hadley. Going home 10 months later for the possible reason(s) that either she was in poor health, her father wanted to have her at home, she rebelled against the evangelical fervor present at the school, she disliked the discipline-minded teachers, or she was simply homesick. (to be continued) Emily Dickinson’s religiosity In 1845, a religious revival took place in Amherst, resulting in 46 confessions of faith among Dickinsons peers. Dickinson wrote to a friend the following year: I never enjoyed such perfect peace and happiness as the short time in which I felt I had found my savior.“ She went on to say that it was her greatest pleasure to commune alone with the great God to feel that he would listen to my prayers. The experience did not last: Dickinson never made a formal declaration of faith and attended services regularly for only a few years. (to be continued) Four Men in Emily Dickinson’s Life Leonard Humphrey, Dickinson’s Young “master” school principal at Amherst Academy, one source of wisdom, advice and love who died suddenly of brain congestion at age 25. Benjamin Franklin Newton, a follower of Dickinson’s father. Although their relationship was probably not romantic, Newton was a formative influence and would become the second in a series of older men