Character Analysis
(Avoiding Spoilers)
Grew Up… in the mid-19th century. There are a lot of rules in their society for women like Emily. But Emily is a rule-breaker.
Living… in her family house in Amherst, Massachusetts, with her parents and sister Lavinia. She is expected to live with her family until getting married, but that’s not going to happen anytime soon.
Profession… poet. Emily is a self-taught writer, as girls are not allowed to attend universities. She spends countless hours crafting her perfect poems, many of which are inspired by the hallucinations she has. Although Emily's poems are excellent, her parents won't let her earn any money from publishing her work.
Interests… the outdoors. Emily is never one to say no to an adventure and doesn’t mind getting her dress dirty.
Relationship Status… single. Emily has her share of male admirers, but her heart longs for her childhood friend Sue. It’s an impossible relationship for a few reasons, not the least of which is that homosexuality is taboo in their social circles. There’s a bigger issue with Sue: she is married to Emily’s brother Austin.
Challenge… constantly disappointing her family. Although Emily is extremely talented, her father disapproves of women being writers and forbids her from publishing anything. And she is constantly butting heads with her mother who forces her to meet new suitors. Emily couldn’t imagine anything worse than the life her parents want for her. She funnels the frustrations and passions she has into her poems. As Emily writes, “I write for you, my Sue. I write for you. For you alone. That’s enough.”
Personality… quick-witted, sarcastic, and idealistic. Emily is forging her own path, no matter the consequences. She could care less what other people think and would rather be alone writing than with people she doesn’t respect. Emily isn’t close with many people, but the lucky people who know her realize what a truly remarkable woman she is.
