The public is familiar with the Emily Dickinson stereotype—an eccentric spinster in a white dress flitting about her father’s house, hiding from visitors. But these associations are misguided and should be dismantled. This work aims to remove some of the distorted myths about Dickinson in order to clear a path to her poetry. The entries and short essays should open avenues of debate and individual critical analysis. This companion gives both instructors and readers multiple avenues for study. The entries and charts are intended to prompt ideas for classroom discussion and syllabus planning. Whether the reader is first encountering Dickinson’s poems or returning to them, this book aims to inspire interpretative opportunities. The entries and charts make connections between Dickinson poems, ponder the significance of literary, artistic, historical, political or social contexts, and question the interpretations offered by others as they enter the never-ending debates between Dickinson scholars. Instructors considering this book for use in a course may request an examination copy here.

Ann Beebe is an associate professor in English at the University of Texas at Tyler. She specializes in pre–1870 American literature and has published articles on the works of Henry David Thoreau, Ralph Waldo Emerson, E.D.E.N. Southworth, and Phillis Wheatley.

Laurence W. Mazzeno, president emeritus of Alvernia University, Reading, Pennsylvania, is the author or editor of 20+ books and more than 300 articles and reviews on literature and history. He lives in Arvada, Colorado.

Sue Norton, a lecturer of English at the Technological University Dublin since 1999, previously taught in University College Dublin, University College Cork and New Jersey City University.

Ann Beebe

Series Editor Laurence W. Mazzeno

Associate Editor Sue Norton

Format: softcover (7 x 10)
Pages: 294
Bibliographic Info: appendices, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2022
pISBN: 978-1-4766-7657-9
eISBN: 978-1-4766-4611-4
Imprint: McFarland
Series: McFarland Companions to 19th Century Literature

Acknowledgments  vi
Abbreviations  viii
Preface  1
Biography  3
Introduction  9
The Textual History of Emily Dickinson’s Poetry  15
The Companion  23
Appendix A: Emily Dickinson’s Letters  263
Appendix B: Selected Bibliography of Digital Resources  269
Works Cited  271
Index  281

“Even passionate devotees of Emily Dickinson are bound to learn something new from this engaging literary compilation…will be of interest to teachers, researchers, and Emily’s legions of fans”—Booklist