Servants Enhanced Work of Renowned American Poet

How maids impacted the life and language of Emily Dickinson

22 June 2010

Laborer Henry Hawkins, a Native American man, and his African-American wife, Mary Thompson, both worked for the Dickinson family.

When American poet Emily Dickinson wrote the lines, "I'm Nobody! Who are you? Are you — Nobody — too? Then there's a pair of us!", she might have been writing about the women and men who tended her kitchen hearth and household grounds in the quiet country town of Amherst, Massachusetts.

Except that the 19th century poet, who yearned for privacy, became a famous "Somebody," while her maids and stablemen, gardeners and laundry workers were forgotten. But those "nobodies" — long lost to history — are about to be recognized for their contributions to American literature with the publication of "Maid as Muse: How Servants Changed Emily Dickinson's Life and Language."

Courtesy Aife MurrayEmily Dickinson, a prolific19th century writer, is still one of America's best-loved poets.

Maid as Muse

Emily Dickinson wrote almost 2,000 poems and countless letters. Her literary style is instantly recognizable — short sentences, partial rhymes and unconventional punctuation.

"Her language is incredibly exciting, even now," says writer Aife Murray. "So, you can't really just say she was a 19th century writer. She is really still sending literary shockwaves. Her language is that fresh, that exciting."