| This thesis compares Emily Dickinson and the Greek god Hades in the sense that they were both showered with the scraps and refuse of others. While other gods glorified in the riches of heaven and earth, the spoils of war in Hades' case came in the form of a prize filled with corpses. The scraps in Dickinson's case came in the form of family, friends, and others who could never fully commit to her intense demand for an all-encompassing bond. This thesis then goes on to show that, in the absence of complete commitment from others, Dickinson turned to her muse to stitch the gaping maw that these relationships left in her life. The thesis focuses on Dickinson's relationships with her mother, her father, her brother, Sue Dickinson, Edward Higginson, and Mary Todd. The ideas of the thesis are crafted through the lens of literary biography, with the belief that what affects an artist's life ultimately affects his or her work. |
