My two most recent posts focused on Dickinson’s interest in geology, and I also shared two of her poems about volcanoes (and one of the two also included an “earthquake”).
What about other geological terms in her poetry?
Well, none of the specific types of rocks are mentioned, i.e., igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic; but the word “rock” appears in 13 different poems. However, in only five of those poems does she use “rock” to mean “stone.”
Oh, by the way, Dickinson used the word “stone” in 32 different poems.
What about other geological terms in her poetry?
Well, none of the specific types of rocks are mentioned, i.e., igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic; but the word “rock” appears in 13 different poems. However, in only five of those poems does she use “rock” to mean “stone.”
Oh, by the way, Dickinson used the word “stone” in 32 different poems.
| In addition, the word “granite” appears in 8 different poems, and still other poems include names of other specific rocks, gems and minerals (for example, chrysolite, opal onyx, anthracite and more). She even used the word “stalactite” in two different poems, and “cave” appeared in one poem. The word “mountain” appears in 23 different poems, and in one case she even named a specific mountain: Ah, Teneriffe - Receding Mountain! Purples of Ages halt for you - |  |
In exploring all of this, I found this article called “Deep Mapping in Edward Hitchcock’s Geology and Emily Dickinson’s Poetry,” by Joan R. Wry. Edward Hitchcock was an American geologist, author of “Elementary Geology,” the third President of Amherst College – and Dickinson’s geology teacher at Amherst Academy.
Wry wrote of her article:
Wry wrote of her article:
“My essay proposes that Dickinson understood the incipient technique of deep mapping that Edward Hitchcock and other nineteenth-century geologists embedded into their texts, and she engaged in a similar process in select geological poems that reflect — with ‘artful braiding’ (Maher 2014, 10) and skillful soldering — her own unique inquiries and perceptions of both human and natural history.”
RSS Feed
