Vesuvius at Home: The Power of Emily Dickinson

What kinds of evidence does Rich present to deconstruct popular legends surrounding Emily Dickinson’s life? What rhetorical devices does Rich use to refute mainstream interpretations of Dickinson’s poetry?

Before the essay was published in print, Rich delivered “Vesuvius at Home” as a lecture at two universities. Examine Rich’s tone and the structure of the essay; in what ways does she engage readers in her argument the way that a professor would engage a class?

Throughout the essay, Rich emphasizes her personal connection to Dickinson. Read a couple of Rich’s poems and compare these to the Dickinson poems Rich references in her essay. What influences from Dickinson’s poetic language (i.e., literary devices, point of view, tone) do you notice in Rich’s writing?

How does Rich’s allusion to the recurrent symbol of a volcanic eruption in Dickinson’s poetry connect the essay’s themes of Women in Patriarchal Society and The Poet’s Private Versus Public Personas?

On page 192, Rich states that “Dickinson is the American poet whose work consisted in exploring states of psychic extremity.” How does Rich support this claim?

Which literary elements does Rich employ that might be more common in a piece of poetry? In what ways do they strengthen her argument?

What does Rich’s characterization of the social purpose of the poet reveal about Rich’s relationship to her own craft? How does this relate to her political advocacy and activism?

In the last paragraph, Rich acknowledges that the scope of her study is limited—that “There are many more Emily Dickinsons” than Rich has called up and that “Wherever you take hold of her, she proliferates” (194). Though people may never know with certainty what inspired Dickinson, what value does revisiting her poetry from a feminist perspective provide to society? In what ways does Rich’s essay challenge patriarchal assumptions about women writers and artists?