Emily Dickinson was born Dec. 10 January, she undergoes a religious crisis. Mother's long illness begins. March 1, the Springfield Republican prints "Safe in their Alabaster Chambers." June 16, father dies in Boston. June 15, mother stricken with paralysis. Mother dies on November 14. October 5, she was affected by death of her nephew, Gilbert. ill during the fall and confined to bed. Emily Elizabeth Dickinson dies on May 15. First edition of Emily's poetry published.

The first edition of Emily's poetry, The Manuscript Books of Emily Dickinson, was published and edited by neighbors Mabel Loomis Todd and Thomas W. Higginson.

Themes include: private life, death, emotional response, consciousness, and the soul. She doesn't care if she’s understood. She focused on loss, suffering, and deprivation. She refused to be comforted and was anti-sentimental.

The relevance between then and now is that her themes still all relate to us today. We all feel these emotions at one time or another in our lives. Everyone interested in her themes should read her work because it is relevant to all of our lives today and in the future.