Emily Dickinson was born in 1830 in Amherst, Massachusetts.
She lived throughout her life in her father's house.
Near the end of her life, she rarely left her own room.
Aside from a few mostly anonymous verses, she remained unpublished.
When she died, her poems were discovered.
Some of the strangest, most fascinating poems ever written.
Almost 2,000 of them, hidden in a maid's trunk.
Um...
Emily!
Emily, wake up!
Ugh!
You have to go fetch water.
It is four o'clock in the morning, Lavinia.
I'm writing.
Mother says you have to. I did it yesterday.
Why doesn't Austin do it?
Austin is a boy.
This is such bullshit.
Because I could not stop for Death -
Stop...
We needed that water an hour ago.
Where have you been?
Oh, Emily, these buckets are half empty.
You let it all spill out.
You are a useless girl. Useless.
Can't we just get a maid?
Over my dead body.
We own six horses, Mom. I think we can get a maid.
Here, Vinnie. A flower.
For me?
When your father married me,
I said he was getting the best housewife in all of Hampshire County.
No, in all of New England.
I'd rather scrape the skin off my fingers than get a maid.
And I'm bringing you girls up to be just like me.
But I don't really want...
You're gonna make a good housewife one day, Emily Dickinson.
Now, you need to go get dressed.
We have another gentleman coming to see you.
A gentleman?
Mom, no!
This man could very well be your husband.
That's so romantic.
Don't pull any of those stunts like you did the last time.
I made an offering.
You dropped a dead mouse in that poor man's lap.
Yes.
Like a cat.
You are not a cat, Emily.
No.
Tragically, I am a woman.
Those scones are for the suitor.
Why don't I get to have any suitors?
Because I'm not trying to marry you off. You're very good at housework.
So, I have to die an old maid just because I can fetch water?
Life isn't fair, Lavinia.
Hello.
Emily, don't do that.
Hey, Emily.
Oh, come on.
George.
Hey.
You have already made my daughter's acquaintance?
Mom, this is George. He's in the Lit Club with Austin.
We hang out, like, all the time.
Well, I was just telling George here...
...what an excellent wife you're going to be.
How frugal and punctilious you are in all of your duties.
Oh, yeah. I'm a real catch.
Sit like a lady.
George, can I talk to you for a second outside?
- Totally. - Great.
Mom, we'll be on the porch. Try not to spy on us.
Oh. Yeah.
You know I'm not gonna marry you, right?
Never say never, Emily.
Like you wrote in your poem, "I dwell in Possibility."
Nice.
I love when people quote me.
Why won't you marry me?
You don't understand. I'm not gonna marry anyone.
That's not what your mother says.
I have one purpose on this Earth,
and that is to become a great writer.
A husband would put a stop to that.
- I wouldn't. - Mm.
You say that now.
But little by little you would.
I'm madly in love with you.
- Too bad. - Is there someone else?
Yes, actually.
Who is he? I'll kill him.
You can't kill him.
He is Death.
What?
I'm in love with Death.
He takes me out for a carriage ride every night.
He's such a gentleman.
Sexy as hell.
You are such a weirdo.
Why am I so attracted to you?
I'd do anything for you.
Well, there is one thing you could do.
Name it.
You're still editor of the lit mag, right?
Well, co-editor.
But yes.
I want you to publish this.
Whoa.
Okay. You're finally gonna let me publish one of your poems?
Well, I'm not sure it's ready, but yes, I...
This is perfect timing. We have a little space in our newest issue.
- Really? - I can sneak this in.
It goes to print tomorrow.
- Tomorrow? Really? - Tomorrow.
Everyone will know the name Emily Dickinson.
Okay, but wait.
What is it?
You can't print my name.
Why not?
Because my father doesn't approve of women publishing.
Oh, come on.
That's stupid.
You're a genius, Emily. He has to approve of that.
Couldn't you just put my initials or "Anonymous" or something?
No. No way.
You deserve credit.
And you should stand up to your father.
You know what?
Just do it. Just do it.
Publish it with my name and everything.
Thank you, George.
Any time, Miss Dickinson.
That was a disaster.
Yes, Emily.
You ruined it again.
She didn't ruin it. They were kissing. I saw.
Kissing?
My God, what is wrong with you?
You're the one that keeps throwing me at these men.
I'm not throwing you.
Yes, you are. It's humiliating.
You'd pawn me off on a widower, a cripple. Anyone who would take me.
The whole town of Amherst knows how bad you wanna get rid of me.
What's all this fuss?
Mother's trying to disown me again.
I was married at 18, Emily. It's high time for you to get a husband.
And move out, you mean?
Well, yes. That is what happens when a girl gets married.
Why doesn't anyone care if I get a husband?
Emily doesn't have to marry anyone as far as I'm concerned.
- Thank you, Dad. - Mm.
Jesus, at least somebody around here isn't trying to kick me out of the family.
So, you would just have her stay here in our house till kingdom come?
- Doing nothing all day? - I do plenty.
Oh. Like what?
I'm the one that found all those birds' nests.
All right, ladies, time to clear out
so I can enjoy my pipe and newspaper in peace, huh?
Very well.
It's time for us to get back to the kitchen anyway.
Girls, come with me.
Do I have to?
You have a bad attitude, young lady.
I just don't wanna do chores 24 hours a day.
And what would you do instead?
I would just... think.
Let her have a break, Mother.
It's all right.
Thanks, Daddy.
You're my hero.
You just love taking her side, don't you?
You're gonna regret it. She's wild.
She doesn't know how to behave like a proper young lady,
and she'll be the ruin of this family.
What up, Sis?
Nothing, Bro. Just chilling.
Heard you turned down another suitor.
Yeah. Wasn't into it.
Well, on the subject of marriage, I have some news.
What news?
I proposed to Sue.
And she said yes.
Yes!
What?
You can't marry Sue!
- Why not? - Austin, she's my best friend.
Look, Emily, don't get all crazy right now.
It's not a good time.
Sue's sister, Mary, is dead.
What?
But... she was the healthy one.
I know. But then she got typhus and died, like all the others.
Jesus. Poor Sue.
Yeah, so just... be respectful of her situation. Okay?
You don't have to tell me to be respectful of my best friend.
Be respectful of the woman who's going to be my wife.
Because I could not stop for Death -
Well, we are very happy for you.
I mean, we're very sorry about your sister, Sue.
But we're very happy you two shall wed.
So, Austin, what are your plans?
Oh, yes, dear, tell us.
Well, obviously, nothing is decided yet, but...
there is a firm in Michigan,
and they have offered me a position.
And Sue has a cousin there, so...
So what?
So we're thinking of moving to Detroit.
I'm pretty psyched about it, actually.
I don't think so.
You shall join my firm and remain here in Amherst.
Wha...
But, Father, like I just said, I wanna go out west.
Nonsense, we can't have you living so far.
This is Amherst. You're a Dickinson.
Your grandfather lived here and his father before that, right here in this house.
So what do you expect? Sue and I will get married and live upstairs?
Of course not. Don't be absurd.
- You shall live next door. - Next door?
What?
What, in the Irish shanties?
With the stable boys?
Austin, collect yourself.
The lot adjacent has come up for sale. I mean to purchase it.
We shall build you a house.
The most modern and most elegant of homes.
You shall oversee the design yourselves.
It shall be built by the fall.
Consider it a wedding gift.
Austin.
Look.
What?
Is this some kind of joke?
You're marrying my brother. Are you insane?
What else was I supposed to do, Emily? My entire family is dead.
Yes, I know, and I feel terrible about that.
But Austin?
You don't even like him!
You told me you don't respect his intellect.
Besides, I thought we were never getting married.
I thought that we were gonna grow up and become great writers together.
That's a stupid promise we made when we were 14 years old.
And even then I knew it was a lie. I'm not like you, Emily.
I didn't grow up with money.
I don't have your perfect life.
You think my life is perfect?
Do you even know me?
I'm all alone in this world.
I'm destitute.
If I don't marry Austin, I will literally starve to death.
I'm sorry about Mary.
I really liked her.
Yeah, I liked her too. She was my favorite sister.
Well, I guess, since you're marrying Austin...
I'll be your sister now.
Promise me something, Sue.
Okay, promise me two things.
One: That you won't move away to Michigan.
And two:
That you'll always love me more than him.
As far as the first one goes,
it's really Austin's decision.
But as far as the second...
Yeah?
Well...
I wouldn't worry too much about that one.
I love you.
- Sue. - Sue.
Excuse me.
Excuse me. Sue!
Where were you?
He kindly stopped for me -
Emily, what are you looking at?
Death.
Um...
Never mind, Lavinia.
Okay. Let's go home.
That was a lovely funeral, don't you think?
Mine'll be better.
You coulda had any girl in town, and you picked Sue Gilbert?
Why?
I think it's because she's the only one who didn't want me.
Well, I can relate to that.
Your sister's still playing hard to get.
"Hard to get." That's a nice way of putting it.
- She's a freak. - She's a genius.
So sick of people saying that.
Hello, ladies.
What are you doin' here, George?
Sue, come here. I wanna talk to you about something.
Well, babe, it's done.
Your poem. It's in The Indicator.
Right next to a thing I wrote about Percy Shelley.
The printers have it. It'll be out next week.
You're a little bit famous now, Emily Dickinson.
Emily? What's wrong?
I'm just...
scared.
You?
You're not afraid of anything.
You're absolutely fearless.
I just don't know how my father will react.
Seriously? Come on.
He has to know how brilliant you are.
And that's not something he'd wanna stand in the way of.
Is it?
Emily!
Come make dinner!
I gotta go.
Thanks again, George.
A wonderful chicken, Mrs. Dickinson.
- Oh. - Oh, yes, it really is delicious, Mother.
Well, thank your sisters. They helped.
One of us did.
- Girls. - Now, now, listen here.
I have a rather exciting announcement.
As you know, in addition to running my successful law practice,
as well as maintaining my position as treasurer of Amherst College,
I have served two terms in the Massachusetts House of Representatives.
Well, now I have my eye on something bigger.
I've decided to run for Congress.
- Father, that's marvelous. - Way to go, Dad.
Thank you. I appreciate your enthusiasm.
Your mother was quite opposed to the idea.
Well, I just don't want you away from home so much.
Candidates are always moving about.
Well, we've gotta get out the vote, now, don't we?
The vote and the message.
Father, are you an abolitionist?
Oh, no, I wouldn't say that. I don't take any kind of radical position.
I think slavery is wrong, of course.
But I also believe in compromise.
I certainly don't think it's something we ought to go to war over.
Very sensible, dear.
Yes.
Sometimes I feel like a slave.
You are a spoiled girl from Amherst, Emily.
Far from a slave.
It's a messy business, but we must keep the Union together at all costs.
- That's my platform. - Mm-hmm.
That and let's bring the railroad to Amherst. That too.
Oh, the railroad? That's fancy.
Yes, Lavinia, if I'm elected,
you will hear a train whistle outside your bedroom window.
That sounds like a nightmare.
Yes, well, congratulations, Father.
Now, we have an announcement to make as well.
Sue and I have discussed it and we've decided we're not moving to Detroit.
We're staying here in Amherst
- with the family. - Excellent. Excellent.
This is wonderful news.
- Hooray! - Excellent.
You can hold the firm together while I'm off running my campaign.
And we'll have a big, lovely wedding.
We'll invite all the Dickinson and Norcross cousins.
And, Sue, of course, your whole family will come.
My whole family is dead.
Well, it'll still be very nice.
Yes, Emily, what is it?
I also have an announcement.
It's not anything crazy.
You know, compared to Congress and getting married and what have you.
Okay, well, what is it then?
A poem that I wrote...
will be published in the college magazine.
I don't think I heard you correctly.
Would you say that again?
My... My poem...
will be published.
How dare you.
Have I or have I not made myself quite clear
that I do not approve of a woman seeking to build herself
a literary reputation, Emily?
And now you've gone and done it!
Is there any way to stop this?
It's already gone to print.
My God. You wicked girl. Your mother was right.
We have given you too much freedom and now you have taken advantage of our kindness.
And this is a bad time, Emily.
This is a very bad time indeed for you to exhibit such scandalous behavior!
My God!
You will ruin the good name of Dickinson.
Let's go.
The Dickinsons have lived in Amherst for 200 years.
We've made this town what it is.
Everybody knows that.
But your grandfather...
he was a drunk and a debtor.
And he practically squandered everything that my ancestors worked so hard to build.
I've spent my life cleaning up his mess!
I've scrimped and I've sacrificed.
And I will not have my efforts undone by my own daughter, damn it!
This foolishness of yours, we will have no more of it!
You will tend to your duties as your mother does.
You have much room for improvement there.
You see?
You see, this plate is chipped. You see?
You set the table, didn't you?
Do you mean to give the master of the house a chipped plate?
For your punishment, you will clean up in here.
And in the kitchen.
Alone.
Nice to see you.
You were late.
Most people would be glad if I never came.
Not me.
I always wanna see you.
Mm.
So, your poem's gonna get published.
No.
My dad won't allow it.
I thought you said it was too late to stop it.
My father will burn every copy if he has to.
Anything to prevent me from "ruining the good name of Dickinson."
My darling...
you'll be the only Dickinson they talk about in 200 years.
I promise you that.
Even if my poems are never published?
Publicity is not the same thing as immortality.
Immortality is nothing.
All it takes is being very good and well-behaved and then you go to heaven.
See, that's not the kind I mean.
Your type of immortality won't come from you following the rules.
It's gonna come from you breaking them.
When will you come for me?
I come for you every night, my darling.
Not just for a ride.
To take me away from this place.
Not for many, many years.
Why do you always take so long?
I don't know.
I'm busy.
You're always busy.
And soon I shall be more so.
There's a war brewing, you know.
A big one.
One that shall divide this nation.
Another fight with Dad, huh?
Don't be too hard on him, Em.
I know he can be tough, but he only wants to protect us.
Can I tell you a secret?
I'm happy we're not moving to Detroit.
I feel better here, with the family.
Emily, get to bed.
We need you up bright and early tomorrow. Another suitor is coming.
Mm. Great.
Who is it this time?
A pig farmer from South Hadley.
Sexy.
Who is it?
Emily, are you awake?
Yes, Father.
May I come in?
Yes, you may.
You just can't know how I worry about you children.
Oh, yeah. Yeah.
Oh, Father.
Father, what is it? Don't...
Don't cry.
I just don't want to lose you.
Promise me, Emily.
Promise... Promise you what?
Just promise me...
you won't get married and move away.
I won't leave you, Dad.
Keep the family together. That's what I say.
- Hey, Dad? - Hm?
Can you promise me something too?
Oh, yes, what is it, my dear?
Promise me...
that we can get a maid.
Oh, Emily. All right.
All right.
Because I could not stop for Death -
He kindly stopped for me -
The Carriage held
but just Ourselves -
And Immortality.
Nailed it.