How Did Emily Dickinson's Life Influence Her Poetry

Emily Dickinson was born into a religious and proud family. She lived a quiet and solitary life yet is known as one of the best and most original American women poets in history. Her poetry was revolutionary; it did not use the typical form of the nineteenth century, but did use traditional topics such as death and religion to portray her thoughts. Dickinson’s religious upbringing and education had a major impact on her poetry, and her reclusive lifestyle allowed her to focus exclusively on her writing.
Dickinson was born on December 10, 1830 to Edward Dickinson and Emily Norcross. Dickinson grew up with an older brother, William Austin, and a younger sister – Lavinia Norcross. She was born into the changing community of Amherst, Massachusetts.
Dickinson began attending primary school in 1835, where she earned an education grounded in Christian values. She also learned to read and write using the New England Primer, a compilation of Christian nursery rhymes. When her family’s financial situation improved, Dickinson began attending Amherst Academy, a top private coeducational institution, in elementary school. The school was advanced in every area except one; its goal was to instill traditional Congregationalist values in its students, an area in which Dickinson eventually rebelled. Dickinson had previously resisted conversion, but eagerly awaited her year at Mount Holyoke Female Seminary in 1847. Her daily routine was a mixture of academics and religious services. The main goal of the seminary was to convert its students, but Dickinson became even more certain of her decision not to do so. Her father pulled her form the seminary after the 1848 summer term and just one year at the institution (Olsen 26, 33, 44, 47,
Dickinson’s year at the seminary deepened her understanding of religion and the afterlife, although it did not deepen her faith. Dickinson attended the seminary in the hopes of converting to Christianity, but she remained one of the few “without hope” for the duration of her time there. However, her deeper understanding of religion is reflected in her poetry (Olsen 49). Higginson’s essay, “Letter to a Young Contributor”, was published in the Atlantic Monthly. It influenced many young writers, including Dickinson. Higginson and Dickinson corresponded multiple times after his “Letter” was published in 1862, and eventually became friends. Higginson even acted as a mentor towards Dickinson, who sought his advice often (Olsen 14,