Blog Seventeen

Emily Dickinson wrote a set of poems on the topic of nature. I chose part two, Nature, The Gentlest Mother. This short poem is about mother nature. Dickinson talks about how nature is beautiful and has "infinite affection and infinite care" (Dickinson). One stanza,

"NATURE, the gentlest mother,
Impatient of no child,"

really stuck out to me (Dickinson). I think that this stanza represents nature as a loving and caring mother. According to Sandra McChesney, nature was a foundation of Emily's family life. She greatly respected nature and loved it (McChesney).

Emerson and Thoreau each respected nature. In Emerson's essay on Nature, he wrote that "the beauty of nature reforms itself in the mind, and not for barren contemplation, but for new creation" (Emerson). I think that Emerson loves nature just like Dickinson. Emerson also wrote that "nature never wears a mean appearance" (Emerson). I think that he means that nature is always beautiful, even when some consider it bad weather. Emerson always saw the beauty in nature. It is a reoccurring idea in his work. He believes that nature can never be ugly or negative unless it doesn't have the "spirit" (Emerson). I think that Emily Dickinson would agree with this. Emerson and Dickinson's work does differ from each other. Emily Dickinson wrote nature as a mother that made everything beautiful while Emerson wrote that it was the spirit of nature that made nature beautiful in every single way. They both believed nature was loving and beautiful, but they had different reasons as to why. Emerson defines spirit as "the essence of both mind and nature" (Emerson). Dickinson views nature as a source of joy and beauty. She believes that nature is, at times, connected with death (McChesney). McChesney also said that Emerson cut herself off from people and spent time alone. She probably liked being alone with nature to absorb all of its beauty, as did Emerson.

Dickinson, Emily. "1. “Nature, the Gentlest Mother.” Part Two: Nature. Dickinson, Emily. 1924. Complete Poems." 1. “Nature, the Gentlest Mother.” Part Two: Nature. Dickinson, Emily. 1924. Complete Poems. Web. 07 Mar. 2012.

McChesney, Sandra. "A View from the Window: The Poetry of Emily Dickinson." In Harold Bloom, ed. Emily Dickinson, Bloom's BioCritiques. Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishing, 2002. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= BCED03&SingleRecord=True (accessed March 7, 2012).

Emerson, Ralph W. "EMERSON - NATURE--Web Text." Virginia Commonwealth University. Web. 08 Mar. 2012. .