"Learned Gem Tactics": Exploring Value through Gemstones and Other Precious Materials in Emily Dickinson's Poetry
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2012
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| Online Access: | http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1353271001 |
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ndltd-OhioLink-oai-etd.ohiolink.edu-akron13532710012021-08-03T05:27:07Z "Learned Gem Tactics": Exploring Value through Gemstones and Other Precious Materials in Emily Dickinson's Poetry Fontaine-Weisse, Marlia E. American Literature Emily Dickinson Gemstones Pearl Gold Silver Diamond Global Interpretations Antebellum Periodicals Geography Civil War Weapons Reading Emily Dickinson’s use of pearls, diamonds, and gold and silver alongside periodicals available during her day helps to build a stronger sense of what the popular American cultural conceptions were regarding those materials and the entities they influenced. After looking at pearls in “The Malay – took the Pearl –” (Fr451) in Chapter II, we discover how Dickinson’s invocation of a specific kind of racial other, the Malay, and the story she constructs around them provides a very detailed view of the level of racial bias reserved for the Malay race, especially in relation to their role in the pearl industry. Most criticism regarding her gemstone use centers upon the various layers of interpretation fleshed out from her work rather than also looking to her poems as a source of musings on actual geo-political occurrences. Chapter III weighs Dickinson use of diamond in “Reverse cannot befall” (Fr565) against her established diamond strategy to uncover a historical power exchange between Bolivia and Peru. Through an examination of the context of war surrounding “A Plated Life – diversified” (Fr864) and “Luck is not chance –” (Fr1360) and what she does with gold and silver in Chapter IV, it is evident that these poems are heavily influenced by Dickinson’s reaction to the American Civil War. Through this examination of her use of gemstones and other precious materials, it becomes clear that Dickinson’s work is as much a source of history as it is a contribution to it. 2012-12-13 English text University of Akron / OhioLINK http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1353271001 http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1353271001 unrestricted This thesis or dissertation is protected by copyright: all rights reserved. It may not be copied or redistributed beyond the terms of applicable copyright laws. |
| collection |
NDLTD |
| language |
English |
| sources |
NDLTD |
| topic |
American Literature Emily Dickinson Gemstones Pearl Gold Silver Diamond Global Interpretations Antebellum Periodicals Geography Civil War Weapons |
| spellingShingle |
American Literature Emily Dickinson Gemstones Pearl Gold Silver Diamond Global Interpretations Antebellum Periodicals Geography Civil War Weapons Fontaine-Weisse, Marlia E. "Learned Gem Tactics": Exploring Value through Gemstones and Other Precious Materials in Emily Dickinson's Poetry |
| author |
Fontaine-Weisse, Marlia E. |
| author_facet |
Fontaine-Weisse, Marlia E. |
| author_sort |
Fontaine-Weisse, Marlia E. |
| title |
"Learned Gem Tactics": Exploring Value through Gemstones and Other Precious Materials in Emily Dickinson's Poetry |
| title_short |
"Learned Gem Tactics": Exploring Value through Gemstones and Other Precious Materials in Emily Dickinson's Poetry |
| title_full |
"Learned Gem Tactics": Exploring Value through Gemstones and Other Precious Materials in Emily Dickinson's Poetry |
| title_fullStr |
"Learned Gem Tactics": Exploring Value through Gemstones and Other Precious Materials in Emily Dickinson's Poetry |
| title_full_unstemmed |
"Learned Gem Tactics": Exploring Value through Gemstones and Other Precious Materials in Emily Dickinson's Poetry |
| title_sort |
"learned gem tactics": exploring value through gemstones and other precious materials in emily dickinson's poetry |
| publisher |
University of Akron / OhioLINK |
| publishDate |
2012 |
| url |
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1353271001 |
| work_keys_str_mv |
AT fontaineweissemarliae learnedgemtacticsexploringvaluethroughgemstonesandotherpreciousmaterialsinemilydickinsonspoetry |
| _version_ |
1719420274935332864 |