Emily Dickinson

American poet "The Belle of Amherst", Emily Dickinson wrote hundreds of poems. Few were actually published while she was alive. Dickinson is one of the most widely read and well known American poets. While she doesn't exactly fall into the category of the Transcendentalists or Anti-Transcendentalists, she was well regarded by Emerson and she read his work thoughtfully. Even though Dickinson brought harsh emotions into her works, I believe she fits better into the Transcendentalists group rather then Anti Transcendentalists. Not only did she believe in Puritanism which allowed her to remain grounded in her faith of God, Transcendentalism permitted her to release herself from judgment and to view herself as an individual with her own passions and thoughts. Transcendentalism involved a rejection of the strict Puritan religious attitude that was the heritage of New England. Emily Dickinson was influenced by romanticism, especially such elements, as the relationship between nature and humankind. Dickinson expressed feelings toward nature and saw a connection between the outside world and her own soul.

In the poem, "There's a certain Slant of the light" it is directed toward a snow storm, alluding to nature. Although the poem has many anti-transcendental words, for example, oppresses, hurt, scar, internal difference and despair, the overall point of the poem is what nature feels during a snow storm. In Emily Dickinson's second poem "'Tis not that Dying hurts us", the nature element is brought out once again. "Tis living-hurts us more" alludes back to Bryant, although he wanted us not to fear death and enjoy life. In the poem Dickinson refers to "The Shivers" or birds which allude to nature and the outside world. She feels depressed though because she wants death so that someone will be kind to her and respects her, and compares the birds (nature) to her life.