Did Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman ever meet in person? For more than a hundred and fifty years, literary scholars and biographers have been debating this question, trying to determine if these two influential American poets ever encountered each other.
Emily Dickinson (1830-1886) and Walt Whitman (1819-1891) are widely considered the two most important American poets of the 19th century. Both of them are noted for their original and innovative use of language, although the styles of their work are often considered to be diametrically opposed. Dickinson is known for her reclusive, introspective and lyrical poetry, while Whitman is celebrated for his expansive, all-encompassing and often frank writings, which address social and political issues with a strong sense of moral urgency.
It is not known for sure if the two ever met in person. The one account given by Mabel Loomis Todd, an associate of Dickinson’s and a literary editor for the Atlantic, who claimed that the poets had met. Todd’s assertion, however, is not backed up by any other sources, and biographers and archivists have suggested it is either a legend or a misunderstanding. Unfortunately, there are no written records of any meetings between the two.
There is evidence, however, that Dickinson read and was inspired by Whitman’s work. She is known to have requested a copy of Whitman’s Leaves of Grass from a friend in the mid-1860s, and there are several poems written by Dickinson throughout her career that bear a close resemblance to Whitman’s poetry. Additionally, while Dickinson is generally known as a reclusive writer, there is a catalogue of letters that she wrote to correspondents over the course of her life wherein she assesses Whitman’s writing in great detail. In them, she reads his work critically and offers praise—indicating that she was deeply familiar with his work.
Despite the lack of solid evidence, it is clear that Dickinson was at least aware of and inspired by Whitman’s work. The two poets have become immortalized within American culture, but we may never know for certain if they ever crossed paths in person.
Influence of Walt Whitman on Emily Dickinson’s Writing
It is understood from the evidence present that Walt Whitman had a considerable influence on Emily Dickinson’s writing, and studies continue to this day to chart the extent of the impact that Whitman had on Dickinson and vice versa.
While Dickinson is more renowned for her more introspective and confessional pieces, material from her later years indicate that there were some similarities in the topics addressed in her writing to the topics of works written by Whitman.
Whitman is renowned for how he wrote about most aspects of life, concluding on themes such as death and mortality in his later works. These similar topics and her comprehensive study of Whitman’s work proves that Dickinson was influenced by the poetry of Whitman and adapted some of his techniques in her own writing.
Whitman’s poetry, while not of the same lyrical quality as Dickinson’s, was known for its powerful use of metaphor and realism. Dickinson’s poems reflect some of those same themes of realism, suggesting that Whitman influenced her writing, and that many of her more powerful and emotive pieces are, in part, an homage to Whitman’s work.
It is also believed that Dickinson and Whitman shared a similar approach to the idea of death and mortality. While Whitman’s work explored themes such as those of divinity and resurrection, Dickinson’s work focused on the idea of life’s eternal cycles and her acceptance of death. Both of these ideas are lightly sprinkled throughout their respective works.
Comparison between the Lives and Writings of Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman
Despite the fact that it is not possible to confirm whether or not Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman ever met, it is evident that the two poets have some similarities in their lives and work.
Both of them experienced a period of reclusion, during which time the majority of their writing was done in private. Despite this, both of them experienced great popularity in their time, and their works have become renowned and celebrated in modern times.
Both poets are known for their innovation in literature. Both Dickinson and Whitman broke standard conventions in their poetry, striving to create something new and original. Whitman’s pioneering verses, sprawling and pressing against traditional standards, serve as an obvious influence on Dickinson.
Dickinson and Whitman shared a fascination with death and mortality, both in life and in their writing. To Whitman, death was a sign of beauty and life’s own cycle, while Dickinson wrote of death as an ultimate comfort and a peaceful release from life. This exploration of the themes of death and mortality is the hallmark of their writing, and the two poets are often compared against one another in this regard.
Emily Dickinson’s Opinions on Walt Whitman’s Writing
While Emily Dickinson is widely known for her introspective and evocative poetry, she was also an astute critic. Dickinson’s opinion of Walt Whitman’s writing has been widely documented within her journal and correspondence, which she wrote with vigor in the later years of her life.
Dickinson praised Whitman’s writing for its daring and innovation, citing it as something of a departure from the more conventional works of most contemporary poets. Despite this, Dickinson’s first impression of Whitman’s work was a negative one, considering it to be too preoccupied with sexuality in contrast to the more austere view of the world present in her own writing.
In later works, Dickinson was known to admire Whitman’s bravery in creating something new and daring. She also praised his singular use of language that was noted by many within the American literary world. Her later writings indicate a growing admiration for his work, and it is in this period that we can see the influence of Whitman on Dickinson’s writing.
The Overlapping Worlds of Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman’s Writing
Most readers of Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman are aware of the parallels in their writing, even though the two never met in person; to that effect, it has become commonplace to compare their works and influences on one another.
It can be asserted that Dickinson and Whitman overlapped in certain aspects of their literary production. Most notably, the themes of death, confessional writing, and innovative language are found in both their works. Furthermore, the similarities in their writing have resulted in numerous studies and comparisons of the two poets.
Both Dickinson and Whitman’s works continue to influence modern literature. They have become two of the most renowned American poets, and it is likely that their works will be studied and explored for many years to come.
Retrospective Analysis of the Impacts of Walt Whitman and Emily Dickinson’s Writing
It is widely accepted that Walt Whitman and Emily Dickinson were two of the most influential American poets of the 19th century, and the works created by these two creative minds have left an indelible mark on literature.
Whitman’s pioneering verses, which urged readers to think independently, stretch the boundaries of language and literature, and explore topics related to social and political issues with a strong sense of morality, have been highly celebrated and admired remain influential to this day. His use of language, metaphor and realism have inspired many other authors and poets, including his contemporary Emily Dickinson.
Dickinson’s use of language is often considered to be one of the most original and innovative of her time. Her works explore topics of death, love, loss, and faith with a vividness unparalleled by most writers. Her reclusive and introspective nature, as well as her unconventional approach to writing, has made her an icon in American literature and led to her becoming one of the most celebrated American poets of all time.
Because of the influence of these two poets, the works of both Whitman and Dickinson have gained a level of permanence and relevance that will likely never fade. The generous and literary legacies left by
