Thomas Wentworth Higginson

     After hearing about Thomas Wentworth Higginson in class I was fascinated by him.  What was the relationship like between him and Emily?  Who was he as a person?  And what was the reasoning behind editing Emily's poems? While this isn't an essay and I'm only scratching the surface, I did come across some interesting information about the man.

     Being one of the very few people that Emily kept in contact with, it must be assumed that Thomas had to be an interesting person, which is accurate.  He was a Captain of a Union regiment during the Civil War. This group was one of the first to enlist African Americans into their ranks.  Being a Minister before the war was another one of his occupations.  He also read a poem by Emily Bronte at Dickinson's funeral.  

     His relationship with Emily was one, as she would call him her, "preceptor."  He was also referred in one article I read as, "her only critic."  He advised her on her writing, and had much to do with her works finally being published.  His reasoning behind editing Emily's poems as far as I found out, is because it couldn't be classified, making them difficult to publish in his eyes.  While at the same time referring to her as, "wholly new and original poetic genius," he chopped up some of the critically best works of poetry in the English language.  I'm not saying that he has bad taste or could not write, quite the opposite in fact, but I find it interesting that he, along with Mabel Loomis Todd, found her works in a way, needing polishing.  After looking at some of the decisions they made when editing in class, I cannot say that they were completely wrong, and I can say any of the poems were completely butchered.  They were just, different.

Does anybody agree with the decisions they made?


Sources:

http://www.emilydickinsonmuseum.org/ed/node/70

http://www.poets.org/page.php/prmID/308