Emily Dickinson – Unravelling her 20 year Seclusion | Biographical Documentary

Emily Dickinson is now regarded as one of the most important figures in American literature. She broke all the accepted rules of writing but in doing so, she developed a unique and haunting personal voice, that seems very modern and relevant to our lives today.

However, she is almost as well known for her unusual behaviour and reclusive lifestyle as for her poetry and there has been rampant speculation about what might have caused her to isolate herself from the world – everything from epilepsy to autism.

In this biographical documentary, a professor of psychiatry explores her life and all the various theories about her to try to unravel the complex reasons why she hid herself away for over twenty years and published only 10 of 1800 poems during her lifetime.

Emily Dickinson – Unravelling her 20 year Seclusion | Biographical Documentary

#Emilydickinson #biography #biographicaldocumentary

Finding Out More:

Academic References;
Hirschhorn, N. (1999). Was it tuberculosis? Another glimpse of Emily Dickinson's health. The New England Quarterly, 72(1), 102-118.
Hirschhorn, N., and Longsworth, P. (2013). Was It Epilepsy?: Misdiagnosing Emily Dickinson (1830–1886). Perspectives in biology and medicine, 56(3), 371-386.
Mackowiak, P. A., and Batten, S. V. (2008). Post-traumatic stress reactions before the advent of post-traumatic stress disorder: potential effects on the lives and legacies of Alexander the Great, Captain James Cook, Emily Dickinson, and Florence Nightingale. Military medicine, 173(12), 1158-1163.
Ray, L. J. (1981). Models of madness in Victorian asylum practice. European Journal of Sociology/Archives Européennes de Sociologie, 22(2), 229-264.
Schöberlein, S. (2015). Insane in the Membrane: Emily Dickinson Dissecting Brains. The Emily Dickinson Journal, 24(2), 46-70.
Wells, A. M. (1962). Was Emily Dickinson Psychotic?. American Imago, 19(4), 309-321.
Winhusen, S. (2004). Emily Dickinson and schizotypy. The Emily Dickinson Journal, 13(1), 77-96.

Copyright Disclaimer:
The primary purpose of this video is educational. I have tried to use material in the public domain or with Creative Commons Non-attribution licences wherever possible. Where attribution is required, I have listed this below. I believe that any copyright material used falls under the remit of Fair Use, but if any content owners would like to dispute this, I will not hesitate to immediately remove that content. It is not my intention to infringe on content ownership in any way. If you happen to find your art or images in the video, please let me know and I will be glad to credit you.

Images:
Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons
Wellcome Collection
Emily Dickinson Museum
Emily Dickinson Archive
Emily Dickinson Electronic Archive

Music (via Wikimedia commons)
JS Bach: Toccata and Fugue in D minor BWV 565, Norbert Schenk. CC4.0
L v Beethoven: Piano Sonata No 14 (Moonlight) Bernd Krueger CC3.0
WA Mozart: Concerto for Flute, Harp, and Orchestra in C major, K. 299, played by Alexander Murray, flute and Ann Yeung, harp, with the Sinfonia da Camera of the University of Illinois and Ian Hobson, music director. CC2.0
C Saint-Saëns: The Carnival of the Animals. Pianos: Neil and Nancy O'Doan, Seattle Youth Symphony, conducted by Vilem Sokol. CC2.0
H Villa-Lobos: Trio for Oboe, Clarinet and Bassoon. Members of the Soni Ventorum Wind Quintet: Rebecca Henderson, oboe; William McColl, clarinet; Arthur Grossman, bassoon. CC2.0.

Video produced by Graeme Yorston and Tom Yorston.

[sandybrown]

Her reclusive life, I believe, was chosen. It's emotionally exhausting to be sensitive and compassionate. I don't believe she was mentally ill. She simply wanted and needed peace in her life.

[purplealice]

I wrote a term paper about Emily Dickinson when I was majoring in English lit in college. It was obvious to me that Emily felt emotions a whole lot more strongly than other people, and isolated herself to avoid the unbearable intensity of life.

[marym]

She was a highly sensitive artist who saw the world as it is, cruel, unforgiving and insane. She was sane, the world is not!

[chrish]

As someone on the autism spectrum, with ADHD and a chronic illness, I can relate to Emily's desire to recluse and hyperfocus on writing. If I had servants and others to keep house and buy food it would be very tempting. I love that she is still an enigma.

[twhite]

I like this one. Thank you. It's not radical for a woman to withdraw from a hostile society. It is peaceful.

[qozzie]

I envy her. She had the luxury of living her life as it suited her, and did just that. I kinda hate the modern need to explain everything by mental illness. She didn't cut off anyone's ear.

[audiobooksalice]

The thought of Emily sneaking out by moonlight to view a new church is so endearing.

[kauffrau]

Some people simply are happier being alone. They are often regarded as though there is something wrong. We should make space for people like her. ❤

[sheilahard]

I'm astonished that no one has mentioned agoraphobia as a possibility. It also should be noted that there could likely be more than one physical malady playing a role here

[karencreighton]

As an extreme introvert, 20 years of isolation and writing sounds lovely.

[BOMBAY_CAT]

I had a mother just like Emily's. I have nearly every symptom of Emily's. I was diagnosed at age 35 with a mental disorder. I had a rough childhood and an abusive marriage. Now I am 70 years old and I've been alone for 32 years. Progressively I have almost gone into total seclusion. Like Emily I am overly sensitive and an artist. The longer I stay to myself the happier I am and feel very secure. People say not to isolate but in my case it is my medicine. Thank you for this wonderful video!

[huntersdeerwife]

Being sensitive is enough to make anyone drop out and the older you get the less energy you are able to spare...every person you are around takes energy from you and if you have none to spare because it's never given back you tend to hide from human interaction until the boredom of isolation brings you back out but if something bad happens every time you go out, forget it most will stop going out

[ak]

Or maybe she was just an introvert who liked to be alone? Honestly I never found her actions to be odd, as a fellow introvert I completely understand not wanting to socialize and just immerse yourself in nature.

[north_star_yt]

The day I heard that the famous poet, Emily Dickinson, became a recluse and spent her days writing…I sobbed tears of relief. I thought “omg, finally, someone like me!” I can’t help but see her behavior paralleling my own. I am highly sensitive to disorder and chaos. It is hard to go out in public for all the sensory overload I experience from the hot summer heat while I drive, the congested roads, the lights, signs and hoards of people at stores. Over the years I have developed a mysterious anxiety and paranoia of driving the interstate even. I have borderline personality disorder but I’ve always known myself to be a highly sensitive person. My early life and environment cause me to be empathetic to people and surroundings to protect myself and it has only increased with time. The world just doesn’t seem to be pleasant for a soul like me so I keep to myself mostly and soak up the peace, quiet and solitude all I can. It keeps me balanced mentally, emotionally and spiritually. My home is my world. It provides all I need and allows me to create an atmosphere suited just for my needs. It’s a place of beauty, harmony and creativity. Why would I leave it for the world? 😅 And yes, I catch a lot of criticism and flack for how I choose to live. I question everything and I think for myself above all else. I like who I’m discovering and I hope to find others like me online.❤

[tamararutland-mills]

I live in Amherst, MA, just a couple of miles from Emily’s home. We have the best collection of her belongings in our library. I just ❤Emily and her writing.

[kimmccabe]

She was an artist, independent. SHE DIDNT WANT A HUSBAND. That's all folks. And thank God she stuck to it and her parents let her be in her beautiful attic, otherwise she'd be too busy a slave in the kitchen and we'd never have her poetry today-which is awesome!

[pammcclung]

I take issue that depression is rejected so soundly because of a few examples such as she likes nature and children etc. There are more than one type of depression. I have suffered from depression for 30 years and tend to isolate, yet I have things I do enjoy like nature, pets and children. Anxiety often accompanies depression and it sounds like Emily experienced both. People can have what is called dysthymia which is less severe than a major depression but is more chronic and lasts many years and even a lifetime. Depression can also have physical symptoms as well. It sounds like she likely had several things going on, both physical and mental.

[anonview]

I'm an "isolater" who also fixates on writing (and cats). The only time you'll see me outside is when I have to go for groceries. I prefer chatting with people I know through emails, which I fondly call digital letters. It seems weird from the outside, but living this way is what makes me feel safe and cozy.

[Shineon]

I love this rush to describe “loners” as being somehow, “psychologically damaged “….Rubbish. I’ve known lots of true loners (mainly writers, truth be told) who spend months at a time without seeing a single face (hermits run in my family)…..I’ve often felt that they “had the Secret, ” and were some of the most contented people I know….

[rodniki]

I listened to this podcast today and decided to read her poetry for the first time in about 50 years. The first one I came upon was Wild Nights, written in 1861 at a time when her seclusion was setting in. What I see here is great yearning and hopelessness, the futile winds, no compass or chart. Very moving and sad.  

Wild nights - Wild nights!
Were I with thee
Wild nights should be
Our luxury!

Futile - the winds -
To a Heart in port -
Done with the Compass -
Done with the Chart!

Rowing in Eden -
Ah - the Sea!
Might I but moor - tonight -
In thee!