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Why does Emily Dickinson& #39;s (or another historical figure& #39;s) sexuality matter?
(++ a little look at her relationship with Sue) ; a thread
#Dickinson
(++ a little look at her relationship with Sue) ; a thread
#Dickinson
So I wanted to write about this because I see a lot of people saying "She was a lesbian, bisexual, heterosexual or whatever. Why does it matter? She was a great poet & that& #39;s all that should matter."
1) Yes, her sexual orientation or gender identity doesn& #39;t really affect her++
1) Yes, her sexual orientation or gender identity doesn& #39;t really affect her++
being a great poet. She can be queer or not, she& #39;ll remain iconic. BUT, the conversation about her possible queer identity can be relevant to the way we read & relate to her.
2) First, let& #39;s recognize the double standards: people had no problem assigning candidates for the++
2) First, let& #39;s recognize the double standards: people had no problem assigning candidates for the++
& #39;Master& #39; for a century. When it& #39;s a man, people have no problem talking about her love life. When it& #39;s a man, no one says "Why is it relevant to her poetry?" But when it is a woman, you question it?? Smells a lot like double standard to me.
4) Finding relatable figures in++
4) Finding relatable figures in++
history will ofc be important to the LGBT community. So ofc, some people will care even if you don& #39;t give a shit.
5) This conversation can also give us a new understanding of her poetry and shed more light into the world of Dickinson. It& #39;s not so different than discussing++
5) This conversation can also give us a new understanding of her poetry and shed more light into the world of Dickinson. It& #39;s not so different than discussing++
her possible male love interests and the famous but unknown & #39;Master& #39;
6) Which brings us to her relationship with Susan Gilbert Dickinson. In my heart she was romantically involved with her but rationally speaking, no one can know 100%
Let& #39;s see some of the counterpoints:
6) Which brings us to her relationship with Susan Gilbert Dickinson. In my heart she was romantically involved with her but rationally speaking, no one can know 100%
Let& #39;s see some of the counterpoints:
-"No Emily had male love interests."
And? This doesn& #39;t prove anything. Sexuality is a spectrum. She could be interested in men & women. Or she was experiencing comphet, who knows? That& #39;s why I& #39;m against giving her direct labels. Yeah maybe she could be bisexual, if we take her++
And? This doesn& #39;t prove anything. Sexuality is a spectrum. She could be interested in men & women. Or she was experiencing comphet, who knows? That& #39;s why I& #39;m against giving her direct labels. Yeah maybe she could be bisexual, if we take her++
relationship with Otis Lord. I just think & #39;queer& #39; or & #39;sapphic& #39; could be better terms to use for her. And since we don& #39;t know her exact gender expression, even sapphic could be too limiting. And yes, there is no way we can know this because she didn& #39;t know these labels either.++
-"Even homosexual was coined in 1868, so how could she know if she had feelings for Sue or another woman?"
My favorite. Yes, she wouldn& #39;t be able to label herself in a modern sense. I acknowledged this above. But does that mean queer people didn& #39;t exist in the past?? Come on+
My favorite. Yes, she wouldn& #39;t be able to label herself in a modern sense. I acknowledged this above. But does that mean queer people didn& #39;t exist in the past?? Come on+
lesbian & sapphic literally come from Sappho (and the place she lived in:Lesbos)
You know the Greeks. If you want a contemporary of Dickinson, Oscar Wilde, who went to jail for being gay, is there for you.
The lack of labels doesn& #39;t mean one cannot feel the way they feel+
You know the Greeks. If you want a contemporary of Dickinson, Oscar Wilde, who went to jail for being gay, is there for you.
The lack of labels doesn& #39;t mean one cannot feel the way they feel+
or recognize the feeling.
-"But it was normal for friends in 19th century to show affection. They shared beds, kissed and wrote affectionate letters and it wasn& #39;t regarded as romantic."
Yes, true. But did you watch every single of those friends? Maybe some of them did more++
-"But it was normal for friends in 19th century to show affection. They shared beds, kissed and wrote affectionate letters and it wasn& #39;t regarded as romantic."
Yes, true. But did you watch every single of those friends? Maybe some of them did more++
when they shared a bed at night? Maybe they felt more but had to bury their feelings? I just find it amusing how they reject the possibility so certainly. Maybe Emily & Sue were just friends but how can you be so sure there was nothing more? This argument is just so generalizing+
imo. Also Boston marriage was a thing. Anne Lister& #39;s diaries give away so many details about how two women can be partners (and if I remember right, she even mentions sex which this argument dismisses saying women couldn& #39;t know how to have sex without a man. Lol.)
Now, time to+
Now, time to+
do a tiny queer reading of Emily Dickinson& #39;s correspondence with Sue.
This letter is often quoted, some say it& #39;s about missing childhood etc. But the thing is, Sue & Emily weren& #39;t childhood friends. It ends with Emily adding "a kiss" shyly & asking Sue not to let anyone see.+
This letter is often quoted, some say it& #39;s about missing childhood etc. But the thing is, Sue & Emily weren& #39;t childhood friends. It ends with Emily adding "a kiss" shyly & asking Sue not to let anyone see.+
Dickinson could be goofy, childish but why does she need to hide the kiss? If it& #39;s so common for girls to kiss back then???
Look at this one, doesn& #39;t it sound too romantic for just a friendship? Emily& #39;s feelings could be one sided or not. But even she recognizes them here "As+
Look at this one, doesn& #39;t it sound too romantic for just a friendship? Emily& #39;s feelings could be one sided or not. But even she recognizes them here "As+
if my absent Lover was coming..."
A poem that was written after Sue & Austin& #39;s marriage:
"Sue" was removed from the verso, so she was the original recipient of the poem. "Her breast is fit for pearls" Emily says, "But I was not a diver"
Diver probably means "a man" so she+
A poem that was written after Sue & Austin& #39;s marriage:
"Sue" was removed from the verso, so she was the original recipient of the poem. "Her breast is fit for pearls" Emily says, "But I was not a diver"
Diver probably means "a man" so she+
isn& #39;t a man, therefore can& #39;t provide her beloved whatever a man can give, but she still can give her a warm home or her love. See, keeping an open mind about her sexuality can be useful in analyzing the poems.
"Egypt - thou
knew& #39;st" -
Doesn& #39;t the last "-" stop the note at a++
"Egypt - thou
knew& #39;st" -
Doesn& #39;t the last "-" stop the note at a++
perfect time? Just before Antony reveals Cleopatra& #39;s effect on him, Emily stops the quote. It& #39;s also like saying "Sue you know." to her. MN Smith still warns that it could be just a game they played, it& #39;s still interesting. Check out this essay for more
https://www.jstor.org/stable/25679386?seq=1">https://www.jstor.org/stable/25...
https://www.jstor.org/stable/25679386?seq=1">https://www.jstor.org/stable/25...
"At a word from her, Emily would forfeit Righteousness"
"Whatever Realm I forfeit, Lord continue me in this"
Why would she forfeit a Realm (which could be heaven) because she owns/loves Susan? Emily puts Sue in a dangerous place & don& #39;t forget Sue burnt some stuff that she++
"Whatever Realm I forfeit, Lord continue me in this"
Why would she forfeit a Realm (which could be heaven) because she owns/loves Susan? Emily puts Sue in a dangerous place & don& #39;t forget Sue burnt some stuff that she++
considered too adulatory & private for publication.
So this was a short analysis just to show how considering this possibility can let us have a better understanding of her poems, letters and life in general. It matters.
So this was a short analysis just to show how considering this possibility can let us have a better understanding of her poems, letters and life in general. It matters.
