I’m Wife，I’ve Finished That：Analysis of the Feminism Views of Emily Dickinson in a Biographical Perspective

吳悠

【Abstract】The nineteen century in America is in a typical patriarchal society.Women were judged as dependent to the men and their main tasks were taking care of their husband and children.In this paper，I will looking at Emily Dickinsons opinion about feminism through the poem “Im Wife，Ive Finished that” in a biographical perspective.This paper is divided by three parts，the first part provides an overview of reasons for Dickinson to write such a poem.The second part discusses the poem “Im Wife，Ive Finished that” in a biographical view.Mainly to dig out why did Dickinson write such a poem.The third part examines attitude of Dickinson about feminism through the poem “Im wife，Ive finished that.”

【Key words】Biographical criticism； Emily Dickinson； Feminism，

Biographical criticism，derived from the literature criticism，is a way to analyze writers work combined with her lifetime.This longstanding critical method dates back at least to the Renaissance period，and was employed extensively by Samuel Johnson in his Lives of the Poets.The biographical criticism emphasis the work is the projection of writers experiences，personalities and social environments.Believing that using this strategy to make analysis，readers can better understand why the author creatives those characters and what the author want to show through those characters and events.

1.Historical Background

Emily Dickinson was born on December 10th 1830 in a family famous for educational and political activities.In America，society in 19th century is a typical patriarchal century that female was judged as being inferior to man in most of all aspects.Their main tasks is to take care of their husbands and children.The domination of the family shows the popular concept that women were dominated by men.

Dickinson did not publish all her works during her lifetime，so it is unclear about when did Dickinson write the poem “Im Wife，Ive Finished that”.But still，we can see the feminism views through it combined with her lifetime.Firstly，she did not marry to anyone in her whole life.One of the strongest and most affectionate relationship was with her sister-in-law，Susan Gilbert.They have over 300 letters and Susan was describes as the“most beloved friend，influence，muse，and adviser”that influences a lot for her writing.（Matin，53） In that social background，marriage is necessity for every women，but for Dickinson，she did not get married in her whole life.In this point，it is possible that she refused to accept the opinion of the domination of the man in a family and be a wife which was tagged as a normal woman.Secondly，she is not an optimistic people which make her an independent women.Because of her friends and families death.Sewall Richard （1974） indicates that the death of Benjamin Franklin Newton，an attorney who is a friend for Dickinsons family and Emilys tutor，preceptor and master，Leonard Humphrey，the principle of Emilys academy，and her mother make her a pessimistic woman.（Sewall，401） In the fall of 1884，Dickinson wrote“The Dyings have been too deep for me，and before I could raise my Heart from one，another has come.”（Habegger，623） That summer she had seen“a great darkness coming”and fainted while baking in the kitchen.Though it is just a surmise due to the unclear date of this poem.Thirdly，the education in school also bring her some advanced knowledge which may germinate feminism consciousness.On September 7，1840，Dickinson and her sister Lavinia started together at Amherst Academy，a former boys' school that had opened to female students just two years earlier.（Sewall，337） both of her sister and her did not marry in their whole life.Though it is hardly to say if the reason for not getting married is because of the resistant of the traditional family structure at that time，it can be speculated that what they learn in the academy make them aware of the unfair role for women in the society.

From discussions above，though Emily Dickinsons life time is hard to apprised，she had an unusual life which is not unsocial and unpassionate.In the poem of “Im Wife，Ive finished that”，a stereotype of wife did not appeared while a special wife image with the feminism consciousness was showed as an objection to the traditional role of women as a wife at that time.

2.The analysis of “Im Wife，Ive finished that”

The poem wrote the transmission of role and the mood from a women to a wife.Not only did Emily Dickinson not get married，but also seldom contact with others in older age.In the book “My Wars Are Laid Away in Books： The Life of Emily”，Habegger（2001） points out Dickinson started to avoid going out unless it was absolutely necessary as early as 1867，and she began to talk to visitors from the other side of a door rather than speaking to them face to face.As a result，the poem might not be a reflection of her experience but an imagination of the image of wife.The poem mainly claims about the “identify” of a women in a marriage.

In the first stanza，she tried to reflect the complication of the issue regarding of women and marriage.The speaker in the poem was transferring from a woman to a wife.

“Im “wife”—Ive finished that—

That other state—

Im Czar—Im “Woman” now—

Its safer so” （line 1-4）

“Safer” is an irony here，it indicates the identity of the female at that time which was dominated by men in their life that Dickinson was objected.She herself is not “safe” for lacking the identification as a wife.Safe can means the protection of women.Most women at that time did not have stable income，a place to live and some civil rights such as the vote right.Getting married with a man could make woman feel safe.The emphasis quote for the woman ingeniously indicates the different identification for the women.As I mentioned before，America was a paternity in nineteenth century，the orthodox stereotype for women were doing chores and all their work were taking care of their husband and families.For Dickinson，she indicated the unique idea to show women not equally with wife.Being a wife is not the only way to be a integrate women and the only way to fell security.Another interesting phrase is the “Czar”.Czar as the imperial in Russia which means the power and the domination of a country，is opposite to the stereotype of women.But in the poem women felt themselves as “Czar” after being a wife，implying the deep rooted paternity ideology.

In the second stanza，Dickinson describes from the perspective“behind this soft eclipse.”（line4） Wife felt odd about girls life like “folk in heaven” looked in “earth”.This is an inferior perspective from wife to girl while ironically，husband was inferior to wife in a family.Those “safe” and felt like “Czar” is illusion for wives.For Dickinson，place that can secure her was her home rather than having a husband.

But then in a flippant ending，as if to quash any challenges and questions – from her own mind as well as from others – she says，“Im ‘Wife！ Stop there！” This is nicely ties to the title “Ive finished that”.This poem shows the feminism view from Emily Dickinson.She satirized women who were lack of independent awareness but sought the security in a man to over emphasize becoming a wife.In her life，she had relationship with several men but just was intimate friends with them.But none of them become her boyfriends or fiancé.As a result，the poem might be written to inspire other women to be independent and claimed the right choice about the marriage.Habegger examines in “The Life of Emily Dickinson” that despite her physical seclusion，however，Dickinson was socially active and expressive through what makes up two-thirds of her surviving notes and letters.When visitors came to either the Homestead or the Evergreens，she would often leave or send over small gifts of poems or flowers.The security of her is not the income，house and a person can be relied but the spirits.

3.Feminism views from Emily Dickinson

Whether women should be educated is a hotspot in America from independent and it was also the right struggling by feminist.Emily Dickinson was well educated due to the emphasis for education in her family that gave her a boarder view to the world.But in opposite with other feminist，she stayed at home doing chores rather than making a living by herself or tried to gain works or rights unfairly to women.Moreover，she proficient in gardening.That shows her feminism view is being judged freely.In the last stanza of the poem “Im wife，Ive finished that”，Dickinson uses “comfort”，“pain” and “compare” to indicates the imprisonment of thoughts.

“This being comfort -- then

That other kind -- was pain --

But why compare？” （line 9-11）

What women really need to do is changing their minds rather than feel “safer” to be subordinated.Adrienne Rich described it in this way，in Vesuvius at Home： The Power of Emily Dickinson that Dickinson's identity as a woman poet conveyed power to her： “[she]chose her seclusion，knowing she was exceptional and knowing what she needed...She carefully selected her society and controlled the disposal of her time...neither eccentric nor quaint； she was determined to survive，to use her powers，to practice necessary economics” （Rich 34）.

Like Dickinson wrestles with complex notions of God，giving no consistent view of religion，so does she wrestle with gender，giving no consistent feminist views.Her work is paradoxical： her style is terse looks like the verse of a male rather than chatty sentimental women style.With all the dashes and ellipses and telegraphic lines，her poetry seems a far cry from anything from this planet.All in all，her great theme in her poetry was that of mystery.

From Emily Dickinsons Life，we can better understand the poem “Im wife，Ive finished that”.She gave up her social life to pursued liberty in deep spirit.In her love，she bravely sought love until die but gave up marriage imprisoned with other women.She opposite to the domination by men through her works rather than supporting any feminism protests.In the poem “Im wife，Ive finished that”，she used irony to satire people deep rooted the ideology in patriarchy society.On the one hand，this poem conveys a history stereotype for women at that period，on the other hand，it performs the feminism at that time which is not strong enough but firmly.

Reference：

[1]Habegger， Alfred.2001.My Wars Are Laid Away in Books： The Life of Emily Dickinson.New York： Random House.

[2]Martin， Wendy （ed）.2002.The Cambridge Companion to Emily Dickinson.Cambridge： Cambridge University Press.

[3]Rich， Adrienne.Vesuvius at Home：The Power of Emily Dickinson， by Adrienne Rich.Parnassus Poetry Interview 5.1 （1976）： 34.Print.

[4]Sewall， Richard B.1974.The Life of Emily Dickinson.New York： Farrar， Straus， and Giroux.

[5]Samuel Johnson's Lives of the Poets （1779–81） was the first thorough-going exercise in biographical criticism， the attempt to relate a writer's background and life to his works.http：//encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/criticism.