Emily Dickinson

After reading Emily Dickinson’s Intro on page 188 I was wondering. Did she never marry because she was gay? Is that what they meant by the love letters to her sister in law, Susan? This is probably why she isolated herself, why she only had a few people she connected with and why she was always in the garden away from everyone. My thoughts when I read it was either that or she had a disability. Also, I am so glad I did not live in that time. I mean I like the mannerisms and the sophistication of the time period, But I could never be the little women who tended to the home. It looks to me, from the readings that the men in her family where very well educated. Her grandfather was a founder of a college. Her father and brother where lawyers. I know that in this time period only males where educated, but it is surprising that this did not rub off on her (when your mother or father says, it’s spoke to; not speakern to). I just figured she would have picked more up since her family was a prominent one. Or maybe she just didn’t care that her poems had these flaws. Maybe it was enough that they where hers, and in that aspect she didn’t want a man’s correction, just (as the reading said) his approval. I wonder if she really wanted these Poems published. She only let four of them be published when she was alive. Maybe she did not want anyone to see these? Or maybe she just wasn’t confident in herself to let anyone see them. Who can say? I cannot comment on the poetry, not with any sort of intelligence. Poetry just sounds like gibberish to me, I guess maybe because I don’t understand the words? “I never lost as much but twice, and that was in the sod.” Page 189. I just don’t understand what that means. And for that, I suffer. : )