Emily Dickinson's Capitalization: A Unique Poetic Choice

Emily Dickinson's distinctive style often features a choice that stands out the most: the capitalization of words. This choice reflects her unique approach to poetry and serves various functions, enhancing the emotional, structural, and thematic depth of her work. This article explores the reasons and effects of this stylistic choice and its impact on the reader's experience.

Reasons for Capitalization

Emphasis and Importance: By capitalizing certain words, Dickinson emphasizes their significance, inviting readers to pay closer attention to them. This can create a sense of urgency or importance, highlighting particular ideas or images. For example, in the line 'Hope is the thing with wings,' the word 'Hope' is capitalized, drawing the reader's attention to the central theme of the poem.

Personification: Capitalization can also lend a sense of personification to abstract concepts, making them feel more tangible and relatable. For instance, the word 'Memory' might be capitalized to emphasize its presence and significance, such as in 'A Word made Flesh is Memory.'

Uniqueness in Her Poems

Ambiguity and Interpretation: The use of capitalization allows for multiple interpretations. Readers may see different meanings based on which words are highlighted, leading to a richer engagement with the text. This ambiguity encourages a more active reading process, where the reader must consider various possibilities.

Symbolism: Capitalized words often symbolize larger themes or concepts, creating layers of meaning that invite deeper analysis. For instance, the word 'Heaven' might be capitalized in a poem about the afterlife or spiritual journey, adding a mystical connotation.

Play with Structure

Personal Voice: This stylistic choice contributes to Dickinson's distinctive voice, setting her apart from her contemporaries. It reflects her individuality and her challenge to conventional poetic forms. As stated by Dickinson herself, 'A Narrow Fellow in the Grass' begins with 'Feeling a?? / A Narrow Fellow in the Grass'—the word ':'/ is capitalized for emphasis.

Emotional Resonance: The capitalization can evoke a sense of emotion or intensity, enhancing the reader's connection to the poem's themes. In 'Because I Could Not Stop for Death—,' capitalizing 'Death' draws attention to this central theme and the looming presence the character faces.

Common Practice During Dickinson's Era

What I find unusual is that you have an unusual copy of Ms Dickinson's poetry. In my copy, only the first word of each line or a proper noun is capitalized. This common practice of poets and publishers during her lifetime reflects the conventions of the time. Proper nouns, such as 'Helen,' 'Democracy,' or 'the White Light,' are capitalized as a standard reading practice.

However, Dickinson's playful and unconventional use of capitalization goes beyond these conventions, adding a layer of artistic freedom and individuality to her work. As scholars and readers, we can appreciate the depth and complexity of her poetry by recognizing both the conventional and unconventional aspects of her writing style.

Overall, Emily Dickinson's use of capitalization is a hallmark of her poetic style, contributing to the emotional depth, thematic richness, and visual uniqueness of her work. It is a powerful tool that enhances the reader's experience and invites multiple interpretations.