Dickinson's Dash: A Technology of Feminist and Queer Resistance,
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51247/st.v9i2.739Keywords:
dash; material feminism; queer temporality; manuscript studies; feminist poetics; syntax; literary theory.Abstract
This paper re-examines Emily Dickinson's distinctive use of the dash, moving beyond its printed appearance to explore its physical creation in her original manuscripts. While past views often saw her punctuation as odd or flawed, this research argues that the dash was a deliberate and complex tool of feminist resistance. We use material feminism and queer temporality to show how Dickinson's dashes work in two interconnected ways. First, as a physical and spatial act, the dash marks a gendered presence on the page, challenging 19th-century male-dominated publishing norms and their push for standardized typography. Second, as a sophisticated temporal device, the dash intentionally breaks up linear narratives and sentence structures. This creates a unique "queer temporality" that disrupts traditional ideas about life, productivity, and death. By closely analyzing I'm Nobody! Who are you? (Fr260) and Because I could not stop for Death (Fr479), and engaging with manuscript scholarship from Marta Werner and Susan Howe, this article highlights the deep political and aesthetic power of Dickinson's experimental syntax. Ultimately, the paper suggests that Dickinson's material poetics, particularly her strategic use of the dash, remarkably anticipates the fragmented, non-linear, and resistant communication styles seen in today's digital world. It offers a lasting model for challenging dominant norms through radical formal innovation.
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