Historical Context
Emily Dickinson, born in 1830, lived during a highly tumultuous yet flourishing era in American history. The mid-nineteenth century was marked by both literary blossoming and a drive to establish a distinct American literary identity. However, this period also witnessed a society teetering on the edge of violence due to escalating debates over slavery and the ongoing displacement of Native Americans. Ultimately, these tensions culminated in the Civil War, which devastated the nation and left a legacy of strained race relations for future generations.
Despite spending much of her life secluded in her home in Amherst, Massachusetts, it is a misconception that Dickinson was detached from contemporary events. In reality, she was an avid reader who kept herself informed about current events and the world around her. Scholars Peggy McIntosh and Ellen Louise Hart note: “We know that Dickinson was a cosmopolitan and eclectic reader. Her letters indicate that she read newspapers and periodicals, following closely local and national events and reading contemporary poetry and fiction as soon as it came into print.” Although only a few of her poems were published during her lifetime, Dickinson was a dedicated poet who constantly wrote, revised, shared her poems with friends, and read the works of other poets as soon as they were available.
The nineteenth century saw a surge in the publishing industry, fueled by rising literacy rates and the proliferation of printed materials. Literary critic Paul Lauter points out that the number of newspapers in the country grew from about 200 to over 1200 in the first third of the century. The number of novels also increased, with serialized "popular" novels often appearing in weekly or monthly publications. As the country expanded westward, literacy rates climbed. Lauter states: “It was in the early nineteenth century that writing first became an available profession, not only for white gentlemen, but for others.” Although Dickinson did not achieve the same level of fame as contemporaries like Whitman and Poe during her lifetime, her poetic sensibilities and feelings of fragmentation were crucial to the literature of the nineteenth century as it transitioned into the modern era.
In the early nineteenth century, America was still a fledgling nation. As a relatively new country, it was important for America to develop a distinct identity separate from England. Thomas Jefferson promoted an agrarian society, envisioning a nation of independent farmers—a vision that was more feasible in eighteenth-century America. However, the urban population continued to grow throughout the 1800s as more immigrants arrived in search of a better life. Consequently, America needed to establish its own identity on the global stage.
During the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, America had several notable literary and intellectual figures, including poets Phillis Wheatley and Anne Bradstreet, as well as writers like Thomas Jefferson, Ben Franklin, Thomas Paine, and storytellers Hannah Webster Foster and Charles Brockden Brown. However, the nation lacked a robust literary tradition it could truly claim as its own. This changed with the “flowering of literature” in New England, led by poets such as William Cullen Bryant, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Oliver Wendell Holmes, and Walt Whitman. Their works celebrated American history and praised nature. Another significant literary and intellectual movement of the nineteenth century was transcendentalism, with figures like Ralph Waldo Emerson, Margaret Fuller, and Henry David Thoreau discussing nature and spirituality, emphasizing “transcending” the modern world by connecting with nature. Emily Dickinson was acutely aware of this literary surge; her poetry was influenced by contemporary styles and yet remained uniquely her own.
Literary vitality was not confined to New England or the intellectual hubs of Harvard and Cambridge. Numerous...
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distinct voices and literary trends emerged. The novel gained prominence mid-century with best-sellers like Susan Warner’sWide, Wide World and Maria Cummins’ The Lamplighter. Women’s literature, often termed “sentimental novels,” grew in popularity. Nathaniel Hawthorne famously referred to this as the “damn mob of scribbling women.” Two interconnected issues, “the woman question” and the antislavery movement, gained significant momentum as white women and both white and black anti-slavery activists joined forces to combat the dual oppressions of patriarchy and slavery. Figures such as Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucy Stone, Frances Harper, Harriet Beecher Stowe, and Sojourner Truth fought for women’s rights, including the right to vote, own property, and divorce, as well as the emancipation from slavery, which subjected women to dehumanizing conditions under their white masters. The nineteenth century was marked by powerful rhetoric that ignited readers and audiences alike.
The mid-nineteenth century was a distinctive period. Despite advancements made by white women and blacks, Native Americans continued to face deplorable treatment. The economy flourished, new inventions emerged, cities expanded, and the world became increasingly modern, even as the nation grew more divided. Daily life became more fragmented as America shifted from the agrarian ideal to a more urbanized society. This was the world Emily Dickinson inhabited. Though often seen as an eccentric of her time, she was very much a product of her era.
Style and Technique
Emily Dickinson's Poetic Framework
Emily Dickinson's poetry is renowned for its unique style and structure, often drawing from the rhythmic patterns of nursery rhymes and the hymns familiar in her Protestant upbringing. "A Narrow Fellow in the Grass" exemplifies her adept use of these traditional forms, constructed in six quatrains or stanzas of four lines each, adhering to a rhyme scheme that rhymes only in the second and fourth lines. This structure is primarily iambic, featuring recurring two-syllable pairs where the first syllable is unstressed and the second stressed—an arrangement that some readers compare to a heartbeat, creating a natural flow that is both calming and engaging.Rhythmic Variations and Innovations
In "A Narrow Fellow in the Grass," Dickinson initially utilizes the hymn meter known as common meter, alternating between eight and six syllables per line in the first two quatrains. However, she transitions to a more constrained pattern of seven and six syllables for the remaining quatrains, demonstrating her willingness to deviate from strict conformity and infuse the poem with a dynamic rhythm. This shift enhances the poem’s introspective nature, inviting readers to explore the nuances of her subject.Exploration of Rhyme Techniques
Dickinson's approach to rhyme includes a deliberate departure from the exact rhymes prevalent in her era. The only exact rhyme in "A Narrow Fellow in the Grass" appears in the final stanza with the words "alone/bone," where both the stressed vowels and subsequent sounds align perfectly. Elsewhere, she employs a variety of rhyme techniques. "Me/cordiality" in stanza five exemplifies vowel rhyme, where the vowel sound is the primary connector, while "rides/is" showcases half rhymes or slant rhymes, where the consonant sounds diverge following the vowel. This strategic use of imperfect rhymes, such as "seen/on" and "sun/gone," illustrates Dickinson's innovative style, playing with sound and expectation.Sound Devices and Their Effects
In addition to her inventive rhyming, Dickinson frequently incorporates alliteration and assonance to enrich her poetry. In "A Narrow Fellow in the Grass," the pervasive "s" sound not only enhances the poem’s sonic qualities but also vividly evokes the movement of the subject—a snake slithering through the grass. Alliteration appears prominently in phrases like "Attended or alone" and "breathing/bone," reinforcing thematic elements and providing rhythmic cohesion. Furthermore, the consonant and vowel sounds interwoven in stanza three’s "A floor too cool for corn" exemplify her skill in creating auditory imagery, while the recurring long "o" sound in the final stanza emphasizes the word "zero," amplifying its thematic significance.Emily Dickinson's Legacy
Through "A Narrow Fellow in the Grass" and her broader oeuvre, Dickinson’s command over language and structure challenges conventional poetic norms. Her use of varied rhyme schemes, rhythmic experimentation, and sound devices not only underscores her innovative spirit but also invites readers to engage with her work on a deeper level. Her poetry remains a testament to her ability to convey complex themes with simplicity and elegance, capturing the imagination of generations and securing her place as a pivotal figure in American literature.Compare and Contrast
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1800s: In America, white women are denied the right to vote, own
property, or divorce their husbands. Until the Civil War, black women are
enslaved. The suffrage movement gains momentum in the mid-19th century,
particularly after aligning with the anti-slavery movement. Both white and
black women activists organize conventions, the most notable being the Seneca
Falls Convention in 1849, where they deliver impactful speeches, drawing
comparisons between the enslavement of blacks and the domestic subjugation of
white women. The ratification of the Fourteenth Amendment, which grants black
men the right to vote, eventually causes a split between the civil rights
movement and the women’s movement.
1920: The Nineteenth Amendment grants both white and black women the right to vote.
1960s and 1970s: The women’s movement of the 19th century is now recognized as the first wave of feminism. In the 1960s and 70s, the second wave of feminism emerges, led by figures such as Gloria Steinem, Betty Friedan, and U.S. Representative Shirley Chisholm. Women campaign to end discrimination, secure equal pay for equal work, and dismantle feminine stereotypes that confine women to domestic roles.
Today: Many feminists believe we are in the midst of a third wave of feminism, characterized by the involvement of younger women and the popular phrase “girl power.” While the first and second waves of feminism achieved significant progress, contemporary feminists continue to address persistent issues such as gender discrimination, violence against women, and negative stereotypes.
1800s: During the mid-19th century, when Emily Dickinson was writing, American literature was still developing its own identity, distinct from British literary traditions. The early part of the century saw a surge in published works, particularly poetry, in what is often referred to as “The Flowering of New England.” This high-brow movement catered to the growing class of educated, middle-income Americans. However, there was also a consistent flow of popular, or “low-brow,” literature in the form of stories in periodicals and newspapers. As the century progressed, the divide between high-brow and low-brow literature deepened. The best-selling novels and authors were not always the ones most Americans were reading.
Today: The divide between high-brow and low-brow literature persists. There is an established “canon” of literary classics taught in schools and universities. Simultaneously, there is an abundance of popular or best-selling literature, although some authors achieve both best-seller status and a place in the literary canon. Popular genres, such as those by Stephen King, Danielle Steel, John Grisham, and numerous romance, sci-fi, and mystery novels, are often dismissed by academic scholars. Much like the 19th century, the market for popular writers is thriving, especially with the advent of the internet and a renewed interest in reading, evidenced by the proliferation of new bookstores and book clubs.
Adaptations
Julie Harris narrates selections from Dickinson's works in the audiocassette Poems and Letters of Emily Dickinson, produced by Caedmon in 1960.
Norman Rosten's play Come Slowly Eden: A Portrait of Emily Dickinson was produced by Dramatists Play Service in 1967.
Magic Prison is a classical music adaptation inspired by Emily Dickinson’s poems and letters, produced by the Louisville Orchestra in 1971.
Glenda Jackson reads from Dickinson's works in the audiocassette The Mind of Emily Dickinson, produced by Argo in 1977.
Emily Dickinson is featured in Voices and Visions, a production by the New York Center for Visual History in 1988 that explores the lives and poetry of thirteen major American poets.
Bibliography
Sources
Bennett, Paula, Emily Dickinson: Woman Poet, University of Iowa Press, 1990.
Emerson, Ralph Waldo, Nature: An Essay and Lectures on the Times, H. G. Clarke, 1844.
Ferlazzo, Paul J., “Emily Dickinson,” in Twayne’s United States Authors Series Online, G. K. Hall & Co., 1999.
Ingold, Barbara Seib, “Dickinson’s ‘A Narrow Fellow,’” The Explicator, 1996, pp. 220–23.
Lauter, Paul, The Heath Anthology of American Literature, Volume One, Second Edition, edited by Paul Lauter, DC Heath and Company, 1994.
McIntosh, Peggy and Ellen Louise Hart, The Heath Anthology of American Literature, Volume One, Second Edition, edited by Paul Lauter, DC Heath and Company, 1994.
Monteiro, George, “Emily Dickinson’s ‘A Narrow Fellow in the Grass,’” The Explicator, 1992, pp. 120–22.
Oates, Joyce Carol, “Dickinson Constructed Her Own Elusive Image,” Readings On Emily Dickinson, edited by David Bender et al., Greenhaven, 1997.
Porter, David, “The Puzzling Idiom,” in Dickinson: The Modern Idiom, Harvard University Press, 1981, pp. 37–80.
Whicher, George Frisbie, “Literary Friends,” in This Was a Poet, Shoe String Press, 1980, pp. 113–33.
Wolff, Cynthia Griffin, Emily Dickinson, Knopf, 1986.
For Further Reading
Bender, David et al., Readings on Emily Dickinson, Greenhaven, 1997. This collection provides various critical insights into Emily Dickinson’s life and poetry, featuring twenty essays by different authors.
Dickinson, Emily, Final Harvest: Emily Dickinson’s Poems, edited by Thomas H. Johnson, Little, Brown, 1961. A comprehensive collection of Emily Dickinson’s poems, also including biographical details.
Krane, Paul, ed., Poetry of the American Renaissance, George Braziller Press, 1995. This anthology showcases a diverse range of nineteenth-century American poets, from lesser-known figures like Lydia Sigourney to renowned authors such as Edgar Allen Poe, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
Longsworth, Polly, The World of Emily Dickinson: A Visual Biography, W. W. Norton, 1990. This visual biography features an extensive array of photographs and sketches from Emily Dickinson’s life, including images of Amherst, her home, and her friends and family.
