There’s a certain Slant of light: Key Quotes

‘There’s a certain Slant of light’: Poet & Context

Emily Dickinson, a 19th-century American poet, lived much of her life in reclusive isolation in Amherst, Massachusetts.
Considered an eccentric by locals, she developed a unique style of poetry, focusing primarily on themes of death and immortality, many of which were not published until after her death.
Her works are often considered ahead of her time.
‘There’s a certain Slant of light’ may reflect Dickinson’s own experiences of seasonal affective disorder, or her reflections on the nature of depression.
Demonstrates Dickinson’s ability to use ordinary events (like the change in light during winter) to explore complex themes such as despair, sorrow, death, and divine presence.

Dickinson lived in an era when religion played a key role in society (New England Puritanism). This religious atmosphere could have affected her views and themes about nature and divine presence.
The poem reflects a very personal introspection into depression, an experience not often openly discussed during the 1800s.
In the 19th century, observation of nature was not just a pastime but a way to understand the world and one’s place in it. The shift in light could be seen as a symbol for the progress of understanding or the lack thereof.

Written during the American Civil War, a period of great upheaval and loss. Dickinson’s life was personally touched by war, as her brother enlisted.
The Civil War caused many to question their faith, which could contribute to the poem’s themes of despair and questioning the divine presence.
This era represented a time of change - both in society at large and in Dickinson’s personal life - which may explain the portrayal of shifting and elusive understanding in the poem.