Emily Dickinson, one of the most influential poets in American history, lived in virtual isolation for the duration of her life. She had few personal relationships, but she produced a remarkable body of work that changed the course of literature forever.

Living in Isolation

Dickinson was born in 1830, and she spent the majority of her life in the house she grew up in, in Amherst, Massachusetts. As she got older, she became more and more withdrawn, preferring to communicate with the outside world through letters. Dickinson's self-imposed isolation is a defining characteristic of her character and a common theme in her writing.

A Distinct Poetic Tone

Dickinson's poetry is well-known for its unique style, innovative punctuation, and profound examination of mortality, the natural world, and the human mind. She defied conventional poetry conventions by, among other things, capitalizing words in unusual ways and writing in an irregular meter.

Afterlife Reveal

Fewer than a dozen of Dickinson's poems were published during her lifetime, and even those were typically published without her permission and heavily modified to conform to modern literary rules. Her sister didn't learn about all of her sister's poetry till after her death in 1886. Over the decades that followed its publication, Dickinson rose to prominence as one of the country's preeminent poets of the modern era.

Long-Term Impact

Despite Dickinson's solitary existence and the relative obscurity of her work at the time of her death, her poetry has had a significant impact on the canon of American literature. Her unique voice and subject matter broke the mold of traditional poetry and made way for new, daring styles. She has become one of the most celebrated writers of all time.