Spirituality of Emily Dickinson - Doc
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Added on 2020-02-18
Spirituality of Emily Dickinson - Doc
Added on 2020-02-18
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Surname 1Student’s nameProfessorCourseDateSpirituality of Emily DickinsonBased on the study guide, Emily Dickinson seemed to have defined the American poetry because she focuses on the exploration and enlightenment period. The poet made tremendous contributions in defining her innermost emotions and desires, her spiritual beliefs, and disappointment in love[CITATION Nei07 \p 191 \l 1033 ]. In the Recluse of Amherst,Dickinson's poems gained popularity upon her demise. Her poetry demonstrates that she never embraced an outright skeptic or traditional religious thoughts[ CITATION Edu17 \l 1033 ]. This reveals the complex and genuine systems regarding her belief defined by her age, intense curiosity, and the atmosphere (Dickinson 1057). Given the complexity of beliefs, she harbored, it becomes critical to examine the ways her poems demonstrate her spirituality.Emily Dickinson struggles to reconcile the emerging scientific concepts with traditional Christian beliefs [CITATION Paund \p 1 \l 1033 ]. Dickinson's work reflects the diverse religious movements and new scientific theories. Although she attended the First Congressional Church of Amherst, the young girl had difficulties to understand the concepts in the Bible [ CITATION Edu17 \l 1033 ]. Throughout her life, Dickinson faced difficulties in demonstrating her dissenting views relating to the traditional Christian beliefs. Her struggles to reconcile the new scientific theories and traditional Christian practices defined her life.Emily Dickinson received the Bible at the tender age from her father. This suggests that her family observed religious practices daily. In fact, Dickinson was familiar with scriptures as demonstrated in her letters and poems [CITATION Kar17 \p 1 \l 1033 ]. She recalls the moments when people were compelled to declare their faith publicly to allow them to join
Surname 2the church. Unfortunately, the speaker failed to make such official declaration because she was unwilling to sacrifice for Christ (Dickinson 1056). Dickinson's religious beliefs were defined the Puritanism systems including conformism and non-conformism [CITATION Kir06 \p35 \l 1033 ]. Unlike Dickinson, her parents held the Bible as supreme thus making it possible for them to declare their faith publicly. Emily Dickinson could not withstand the strict adherence to the scriptures. Despite her crave for the Puritanism spiritual nourishment; Dickinson rejected the dogmatic and restrictive laws ([ CITATION Edu17 \l 1033 ].In the "The Bible is an antique Volume," Dickinson expresses her disregard to the traditional religious practices [CITATION Kir06 \p 38 \l 1033 ]. She has demonstrated that the Bible is an old book thus challenges its relevance in the contemporary society. Dickinson expresses her skepticism and opinions relating to the authority of the Bible [CITATION Nei07 \p194 \l 1033 ]. She implies the book is not holy and specific but a library of books. She has considered the writers of the Bible to be faded men [ CITATION Edu17 \l 1033 ]. These men were people who were never enlightened. Dickinson has provided detailed information regarding various characters in the Bible including King David, Judas, and Satan (Dickinson 1057). For example, she describes Judas Iscariot to be a defaulter thus suggesting that such characters are never superhero but casts. These individuals demonstrated the facets of human experience like sin. Dickinson has painted the picture of life after death. For instance, she says, "I felt a funeral in my brain" to imply that when an individual dies, she can hear sounds (Dickinson 1057). Indeed, Dickinson could hear the people walking into her funeral. She further hears her casket lowered down (18-20). She drops in the final line that upon burying, she loses her senses and consciousness.In her poem of "I heard a Fly buzz – when I died (591)", Dickinson demonstrates the periods after her demise[ CITATION Edu17 \l 1033 ]. She describes the atmosphere after dying. For instance, she could see the light, yet she was lying on her deathbed. The family members
Surname 3and friends surround her upon dying. However, she loses the light in her sight because of flieswondering into her vision line [CITATION Ina13 \p 102 \l 1033 ]. In this line of thought, it is a demonstration of how the consciousness survives upon a person's death. The temporary survival of the soul after death is important. This view contradicts the widely accepted belief relating to the immortality of the soul [CITATION Mau08 \p 46 \l 1033 ]. Similarly, it is evident that spirits no longer ascend into Heaven immediately after death. It also emerges that even flies can disrupt the departed soul from ascending into Heaven. The afterlife's image suggeststhat the speaker's views are different from the assumed Christianity beliefs.Mark Spencer has provided another interpretation regarding Emily Dickinson's poetry. It is evident that her poetical interpretations are beyond the theological assertions. Herrevelation of John is evident upon the anticipated coming of Christ [CITATION Paund \p 1 \l 1033 ]. Dickinson holds that when an individual dies, the spirit never ascends into heaven immediately, but has a temporary state [ CITATION Edu17 \l 1033 ]. The ascension into Heaven will be possible upon the second coming of Jesus Christ when the souls will face the Last Judgment. Therefore, her poem demonstrates the aspects of human reconciliation with God[CITATION Mar07 \p 1 \l 1033 ]. It has demonstrated that Dickinson never valued the traditional religious practices. For her, the emerging scientific concepts provide relevant information regarding human spirituality.Dickinson has represented the idea about death successfully. For instance, when she says that she has "felt a funeral in my brain," she demonstrates an unexpected end to her consciousness [CITATION Lad06 \p 339 \l 1033 ]. The speaker indicates the period when she awaits ascension into Heaven by saying, "I heard a fly buzz when I died" [CITATION Kar17 \p 1 \l 1033 ]. Her spirit never disappeared but proceeds with the anticipated journey towards Heaven. Emily Dickinson personifies death to suit her poem; "Because I could not stop for death" [CITATION Ina13 \p 99 \l 1033 ] thus justifies her understanding about death and afterlife.
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