Document Type
Accepted Article
Source
The Emily Dickinson Journal
Publication Date
2019
Volume
28
Issue
2
Page Range
106-132
Abstract
Emily Dickinson’s “There is a Languor of the Life” hints at her knowledge 1 about diagnostic and surgical approaches to bodymind pain during her time. Although the poem can be read as a metaphorical portrayal of spiritual suffering, it also demonstrates Dickinson’s familiarity with contemporary medical innovations as well as her skillful use of simile to poetically depict complex bodily states. For example, the poem describes a “languor” that envelops consciousness with a “Drowsiness” that “diffuses – / a Dimness like a Fog,” evoking literal sensations one might feel while under the influence of anesthesia.2 The poem goes on to examine the consequences that may result if pain gives way to this “fog”
~Article Excerpt~
Rights
Copyright Johns Hopkins University Press 2019.