Close Reading emily Dickinson

Close Reading the Poetry of Emily Dickinson

Because I could not stop for Death –
He kindly stopped for me –
The Carriage held but just Ourselves –
And Immortality.

We slowly drove – He knew no haste
And I had put away
My labor and my leisure too,
For His Civility –

— (Dickinson, ‘Because I Could Not Stop for Death’, published 1890)

Emily Dickinson was born in 1830 in Amherst, Massachusetts and died in 1886. She is regarded as one of the greatest American poets of the nineteenth century, though very little of her work was published in her lifetime.

In these 2-hour sessions, we will carry out a close reading of a number of Emily Dickinson poems. Together we will explore the power and originality of her work.

Dickinson’s formal experimentation and her inventive use of the first person are just two of the ideas that we will discuss as we observe, analyse and talk about how the poems use language, sound, form and imagery to marvellous effect.

Course fees (include VAT at 20%)

£86.00 Full price
£80.00 Students on a low income
£80.00 CAMcard holders

Dates

Sundays, 4 January and 11 January 2026, 2.00-4.00 pm British Time (GMT)

Poetry Foundation on Emily Dickinson: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/emily-dickinson

To book, click on the image below.