Description
In this Emily Dickinson poetry study, students analyze three of Dickinson’s poems along with a short author biography, then compare and contrast the techniques and poetic devices used across each text. This lesson helps students understand Dickinson’s distinctive style while building strong close reading and analytical writing skills.
Emily Dickinson is widely regarded as one of America’s greatest poets, writing during the Romantic Era of American Literature. In this study, students examine how Dickinson transforms abstract ideas and emotions—such as hope, death, and devotion—into concrete, physical imagery, deepening their appreciation of her craft and voice.
The literary analysis questions focus on the poems “It’s All I Have to Bring Today,” “Hope Is the Thing with Feathers,” and “Because I Could Not Stop for Death.” Students closely read each poem and then complete a constructed response that asks them to compare and contrast two of the three poems using textual evidence.
Throughout the lesson, students analyze key literary and poetic devices, including personification, alliteration, theme, mood, tone, imagery, symbolism, language, style, repetition, irony, metaphor, extended metaphor, and consonance. This repeated practice across multiple texts strengthens transfer and deeper understanding.
Perfect for middle school and high school ELA, this Emily Dickinson poetry lesson supports close reading, comparison, and analytical writing while helping students engage with one of the most influential voices in American poetry.