Dickinson (2019-2021): Adaptation as a Vehicle for the Audio-Visual Exploration of the Life and Poetry of Emily Dickinson

In recent years there has been a rise in tv-shows, movies and books which present an innovative approach to fictionalizing history, approaching period-drama through a more self-aware and contemporary lens. One of such works Dickinson (2019), created by Alena Smith, adapts both Emily Dickinson’s life and poetry in a genre-bending literary biopic for the silver screen. The show follows Emily, portrayed by Hailee Steinfeld, as she navigates life and her love for writing in an extremely constraining society. In addition, every episode engages with a different poem, which is included in the title and is used as a thematic template for the narration. This essay explores the different ways the show presents and engages with Dickinson's poetry thematically and visually, while drawing connections between the struggles faced by Emily as she finds her way as an artist and the society we live in today.