History, Misrecognition, Allegory

Part One: Dickinson, Longfellow, and Arab Nationalism

Part Two: a Whip lash / Unbraiding in the Sun

Part Three: Emily Dickinson’s “Suez” Crisis

(I wanted to think through Dickinson’s use of history in her letters and chose one of the late, cryptic notes as my example. But as often happens with Dickinson, I came to a conclusion that I had to reject, or at least reconsider. The end result was an essay in three parts, though I’m not sure the synthesis is sufficient to justify the word “essay.” A record of thinking, anyhow. The second part was written last, as a bridge between the two readings of the letter. What interests me most, in fact, is the relationship between the two readings. I need to theorize that more fully for some other work I’m doing on Dickinson and history.)