Grieving for War and Arguing with God—On Emily Dickinson’s Belief Crisis
Zhaofeng Wu

Central China Normal University, 430070;

Hubei University of Economics, 430205;

Abstrac0t: The present research in China on Emily Dickinson holds the idea that her belief crisis in God is due to the successive deaths in her personal life. They also deem the Civil War asserts little influence upon her literary creation. However, it has been acknowledged by the western researchers that the trauma of the Civil War puts great pressure on the norms and fundamental faiths that have promised to structure Dickinson’s world. On the other hand, the 18th and 19 centuries are times of doubts. The doubts mainly come from the development of modern science, especially, atomism and astrology. Living in such times, Emily Dickinson’s belief in God has also been shaken. Therefore, it could attempt to conclude that except the successive deaths from her personal life, the Civil War has directly triggered Dickinson’s doubt in God, while the influence of her age, the 18th and 19th century, aggravates her belief crisis, which is left unresolved in her whole life.

Key words: Emily Dickinson; belief crisis; Christianity; the American Civil War

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