Emily Dickinson`s Poetry Speaks to the Queer Community in 2013!
Dickinson`s
poem “I died for Beauty-“speaks to her readers of the queer and LGBTQ community
by creating a scene for her audience that paints the picture of forbidden love.
Rainbow Flag - Represents the general LGBTQ community |
I Died For Beauty—But Was Scarce
Emily Dickinson
I died for Beauty—but was scarce
Adjusted in the Tomb
When One who died for Truth, was lain
In an adjoining room—
He questioned softly ``Why I failed?''
``For Beauty,'' I replied—
``And I—for Truth—Themself are One—
We Brethren, are,'' He said—
And so, as Kinsmen, met a Night—
We talked between the rooms—
Until the moss had reached our lips—
And covered up—our names—
In this poem,
Dickinson focuses on what it means to be an “other”
in society by addressing the hardships of being a homosexual. This poem is one that touches on the meaning of queer, a term that
is most popular in today’s culture, and the social hardships that come along with it! Check out the many meanings of the term queer here!
To queer literature, the author brings forward
issues that are seen as uncanning. Dickinson uses the element of the uncanning
in her poem, “I Died For Beauty”, by expressing the forbidden love between two
individuals, perhaps men. This poem challenges the hetero-normative belief that
is present in our culture, that a man and a woman joined together is the only
acceptable form of a relationship and marriage. By Dickinson writing literature
that focused on the queer elements of life in the 19th century, it exposes
how this modern idea of “queer” is a term that has really been addressed much
longer then people
wish to believe; it is not a concept that is only relevant
in the 21st century! In Dickinson`s time, her poems were a way that
one could express thoughts and beliefs that blurred the lines of reality and
challenged authority. Her words such as, “Why I failed”, show how the use of
language allowed for her to represent distress, love, horror, and whatever
emotions that she felt needed to be expressed to her audience. Today, in a new
time period, centuries later, the world is still adjusting to the idea of
queer. Just as in Dickinson`s time, our culture still is centered around the
idea that the best form of family is a nuclear family: one that is made up of a
husband and wife, a man and a woman. In today`s society, people are blessed with
the right to express their own beliefs in forms other than literature. There
are speeches, marches, films, art, and even parades as forms of opportunities
for people who wish to celebrate their individuality or show support and
advocate for others that challenge the norm! Dickinson`s work shows our culture
that to be queer or different is okay and to challenge or “die for” “beauty” or
“truth” is not something to be ashamed of, but something that should be
expressed!
Ways that our culture is representing
change!
The mission of the LGBTQ community- “The mission of the ACLU LGBT
Project is the creation of a society in which lesbian, gay, bisexual and
transgender (LGBT) people enjoy the constitutional rights of equality, privacy
and personal autonomy, and freedom of expression and association”.
Currentcourt cases- Windsor v. United
States: Edie Windsor Challenges DOMA.- A case where two women who have shared
their lives together for over 40 years only wish is to receive the same rights
as heterosexual couples in a time of
death.
Support groups- GLBT Advocacy & Youth Services, Inc.- “Our Mission is
dedicated to engaging in effective advocacy for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and
transgendered people. We are committed to ensuring the physical, emotional, and
spiritual well-being of youth and young adults struggling due to sexual
orientation or gender identity issues”.
Gay pride events- “Pride week NYC”
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