The Woman in White

Before this class, I hadn’t studied much about Emily Dickenson. I find it very interesting that she lived a “normal” life until she was 30 when she became a recluse. I did some research to try and discover why she became a recluse. I don’t know if one single event led to her withdrawing from society, but it seems that from a young age, she was troubled by death. Sophia Holland, her second cousin and close friend grew ill and died from typhus in April of 1844. Sophia’s death caused a deep depression in Emily and distressed her. When she was 18, she met an attorney named Benjamin Franklin Newton. She was close to Newton referring to him as family and he was a great influence on her until his death. He was the second older man to whom she wrote letters referring to him as tutor or master. Leonard Humphrey, the Amherst Acadamy principal died at the age of 25 from “brain congestion.” She wrote to a friend two years after his death saying, “"... some of my friends are gone, and some of my friends are sleeping – sleeping the churchyard sleep – the hour of evening is sad – it was once my study hour – my master has gone to rest, and the open leaf of the book, and the scholar at school alone, make the tears come, and I cannot brush them away; I would not if I could, for they are the only tribute I can pay the departed Humphrey". While in Philadelphia to visit family she met Charles Wadsworth, a minister. She had a strong friendship with him until his death in 1882.Her mother became ill in 1850 and was bed ridden until her death in 1882. Emily stayed home more often to help with domestic duties. While at home, she wrote as a way to escape. She wrote over 800 poems from 1858 to 1865. She is believed to have written the “Master Letters” from 1858-1861. The person to whom the letters are written are unknown and contemplated among many critics. She began writing less some believe because of the loss of help in the house. Many think she didn’t have time to write because she had to take care of the household. After much loss, she began to withdraw in 1867, even talking to people through the door when guests tried to visit. After that, she was rarely seen and when she was it was always in white. That is when she became known as “the woman in white.”

I find Dickenson’s life to be very fascinating. She was known for being rebellious for her time period. She rebelled against the conventional ideas about religion. In her poem, "Some keep the Sabbath going to Church – / I keep it, staying at Home," she discusses the idea of being religious without attending a church. I think it is also intriguing that she never meant for most of her poems to be shared with the public and so they are better read silently to oneself.

We had a thought provoking discussion during the facilitation. One question that they brought up was “do our experiences shape us or do our feelings/emotions? I think that our experiences are mainly what shape us into who we are. It is not only what we go through in life, but how we deal with problems when they come our way. I feel that the experiences that we go through in life help shape our thoughts and feelings about certain things and without those experiences you are missing out on a part of life. Another question was “can we accurately believe what Dickenson is writing about even when she may not have experienced it?” I am kind of torn about this question. My initial answer, not having studied Dickenson before was no, I cannot believe what she says about love if she hadn’t experienced it. But then I stepped back and realized that she had 30 years of experiencing life and society. Who are we to say what she experienced or didn’t. Maybe she did find love, and we just don’t know about it.

The Master Letters are evidence of her “stuff of life,” that she knew love, rejection, joy. In her “Master Letters” she refers to herself as Daisy. In them, she also writes about a need to please the master. She has an intense desire, “I want to see you more – Sir- than all I wish for in this world- and the wish altered a little- will be my only one.” She shows that she is in a great pain, “I’ve got a Tomahawk in my side but that don’t hurt much, (if you) Her Master stabs her more.” When reading these letters the words that came to mind are: dreamer, young, niave, obsessed, waiting, desire, pleading and empty.





In her letters, she makes reference to herself as Daisy. In the Victorian era flowers had meanings and said things that people didn’t reel they could say out loud. They allowed for people to send out coded messages by the type of flower and color. The language of flowers began in the early 18th century first used by Lady Mary Wortley Montague who was the wife of a British ambassador to Constantinople. They were often communicated through Tussie-Mussies or small bouquets of flowers wrapped in a lace doily and ribbon. For example, a daisy meant innocence, and strength. They were wildflowers and one flower could produce over 500 seeds. Different flowers and colors mean different things, red roses mean passion, white suggust virtue and chastity and yellow stands for friendship. A sunflower is a sign of respect and a violet meant seduction, lust and appetite. When discussing the ideas of the language of flowers with regard to the letter a few brought up the idea of an erotic love.

One thought that these letters were intended as a strip tease for the master. She is being forward for a woman at that time, yet submissive at the same time. The woman is showing her devotion and commitment to him. Another idea that was brought up was that parts of these letters sound like “the other woman” writing to her lover. “I waited a long time-Master- but I can wait more- wait till my hazel hair is dappled.-“ Someone else brought up the idea of this master being her lost love that for some reason she had to leave. She tells him that she is going to wait for him forever and will always love him.

These letters also brought up discussion about the s&m relationship played out in them. Who has more power in the relationship? Some may think the dominator would, however the submissive sets the terms for the relationship. They are the ones that say yes or no. Why would someone want to be in this type of relationship? Kristina brought up that it can be freeing to give up all control because it means that you have no responsibilities. Dickenson’s “Im Nobody, Who are you?” shows why someone want to be considered a nobody.

I'm Nobody! Who are you?
Are you – Nobody – too?
Then there's a pair of us?
Don't tell! they'd advertise – you know!

How dreary – to be – Somebody!
How public – like a Frog –
To tell one's name – the livelong June –
To an admiring Bog!

For Dickenson, to be considered a “nobody” means that you can live on your own terms, without having to be held up to anyone else’s standards. It allows you to create your own identity instead of relying on others to create it for you. If you are a “somebody” then you have society’s pressures that you must live up to. By writing Daisy in the letters she is giving a private name and not allowing anyone to set standards for herself. She is writing her own rules.

Source: Gips, Kathleen M. The Language of Flowers. Pine Creek Herbs, 1990.