“This World is not Conclusion: Poet & Context”

Emily Dickinson’s Background:

Emily Dickinson (1830-1886) is a famous American poet known for her unconventional and original style. She led a relatively reclusive life in Amherst, Massachusetts and only a small fraction of her poems were published during her lifetime.
Her poetry is typically marked by her deep sensitivity to natural beauty, fraught relationship with faith, and exploration of mortality and absence.
Scholar’s knowledge about her personal life is limited, but letters and drafts suggest that she grappled with existential questions and the mysteries of the afterlife frequently.

Poem’s Historical Context:

The themes of death, the afterlife, and faith in “This World is not Conclusion” reflect the broader preoccupations of the 19th century America. This was a deeply religious society, but also a time of scientific and intellectual revolutions.
There was growing tension between established religious orthodoxy and the new scientific ideas. Dickinson’s poem could be seen as a response to this tension, presenting an exploration of faith that rejects certainty in favor of mystery and questioning.
While this poem does not dialogue explicitly with any particular events or debates of the period, it is deeply embedded in the broader cultural and philosophical environment of 19th century New England.

Poem’s Literary Context:

“This World is not Conclusion” fits well within Dickinson’s oeuvre both stylistically and thematically. It shares her characteristic slant rhyme, unconventional punctuation, and deep introspection.
In this poem, as in much of Dickinson’s work, she uses abstract concepts like faith, death and the afterlife. But the illustration of these concepts is rich with concrete and often unexpectedly domestic imagery.
Dickinson’s poetry often deals with the inner life and the mysteries that remain beyond the grasp of human understanding. Her poems rarely offer neat conclusions or clear moral messages, opting instead for ambiguity and open-endedness. This marks her poetry as distinctively modern and ahead of its time.

Revision Strategy

Key takeaways for understanding the poet and context of “This World is not Conclusion”:

Consider Dickinson’s biography and the broader historical and cultural context when interpreting her poems.
Look for the typical Dickinsonian stylistic features such as slant rhymes, unconventional punctuation, introspective voice etc.
Observe how she uses concrete, often domestic images to illustrate abstract philosophical concepts.
Remember the way Dickinson’s poems dwell in mystery, uncertainty and open-endedness, offering space for multiple interpretations.