Power of Literature
Understanding the power of the written word and following its discipline and various pathways is literature. It does not matter what the subject of a literary piece is. It does not make any difference whether the subject of a piece of literature is religion, philosophy, fiction, an idea or a doctrine; literature is one of the most effective ways of communication and transfer of human knowledge throughout the ages (Gulen, 2010). Literature has developed and transferred us not just the stories of civilizations and their philosophies, it is an excellent research material for the development of humanity, their ideas and thought processes throughout the centuries. The English language, due to its widespread usage has communicated more than many other languages. Literature has been written inexhaustibly for this particular language. It is through the written word of this language that we have material that speaks of history, romance, fiction and so much more. The English language today is the most spread and understood language in the world, every other person is aware if not well versed in the language. According to Maria Freund,
"Reading and writing, the basic principles involved in the study of English, serve as the gateway to a deeper level of thought. Reading, writing, comprehension, analysis, and interpretation increase efficiency in multiple...
I believe there is no area of study that English and communication skills do not influence" (Freund cited in Nowell 2015).
Emily Dickinson (1830- 1886) was almost invisible in her time, no one recognized her poetry; a then less understood form of the written word. Today, she is hailed as one of America's greatest poets. Many literary critics view her lyrics as one of the best of all time. Emily and her work has been extensively studied and scrutinized in the last fifty years or so. Several papers and researches have been produced trying to explain her life and her work.
As Emily herself says, "I know nothing in the world that has as much power as a word. Sometimes I write one, and I look at it, until it begins to shine" (Dickinson, 2016). Very few forms of poetry can and do speak as powerfully as Emily's work:
"If I read a book and it makes my whole body so cold no fire can ever warm me; I know that is poetry. If I feel physically as if the top of my head were taken off, I know that is poetry. These are the only ways I know it. Is there any other way" (Dickinson, 2009)?
American literature in its current developed form owes greatly to the words of Emily Dickinson. American literature as it is today, is much more stable…
