The selection of poems for 3/26 is a strange yet somehow comprehensive mix. They touch on classic Dickinson themes like death, nature, and religion, but what stood out to me was how frequently she writes about housewives and marriage. We know where Dickinson stood on the topic: she was a proud spinster and generally opposed the concept of marriage (a real feminist). I think it’s easy to see in some of these poems just how passionate she was about the subject. Some of her characteristic humor and sarcasm even come through at times in her satire (I’m specifically thinking of 267). How do you interpret Dickinson’s poems about marriage? What can we infer about her views on gender roles from her writing? What do you think prompted Dickinson to have this view of housewifery?

The poems I’m thinking of when writing this are 185, 194, 225, 267, and 280. Are there other poems from this collection of readings or others we’ve previously read that you think relate back to this theme? Are there any that you interpret as having a positive outlook on marriage? What do you think Dickinson would think of LGBTQ marriage rights? Do you think she’d be less critical of queer marriages?

This conversation starter wouldn’t be complete without mentioning poem 269, “Wild nights – Wild nights!” (ironic it’s 269), because there’s definitely conversation to be had. Dickinson has a number of erotic poems; however, this is one of the most renowned. We discussed poem 121 in class today and noted the use of the metaphor “Her breast is fit for pearls, / But I was not a ‘Diver.'” Wild Nights also makes use of nautical metaphors such as “Might I but moor – tonight – / In thee!” What do you think of this common theme? Why do you think Dickinson relates sexuality to the ocean and things associated with it? At the time, this poem would have been widely disputed due to its sexual nature, especially considering the religious context. There are interpretations of this poem that argue that the speaker’s passion and love are for God and that “Wild nights” refers to moments of spirituality, but I struggle to see that perspective, given what we know about Dickinson’s relationship with religion. Who do you think the poem is addressing? Do you agree more with the sexual interpretation or the spiritual? Why?

There are so many poems in this selection that I love, and I wish I could speak on them all, but alas I only have so much space, so I leave you with this…if “‘Hope’ is the thing with feathers – / That perches in the soul” and Emily is “a sparrow” who builds her “perennial nest” in Sue’s heart, does that make Dickinson the personification of hope? (assuming the soul and the heart are one and the same) Who’s to say? Only Dickinson knows what she meant; she was far too smart for the rest of us.