UC Merced Undergraduate Research Journal

Sexual imagery, why does it still matter today? Or better yet, why does it still matter in Emily Dickinson’s poetry? Dickinson is one of the many writers that touch up on topics about sex and sexuality. Two taboos that for years have been demonized by western society. Dickinson’s work matters today because it allows discussion on sexual liberation, sexuality in literature, teaching queer studies, and the removal of heteronormativity. Dickinson’s work investigates these societal plagues that started during the 19th century and continue today.