Final answer:
Henry W. Wells would likely interpret Emily Dickinson's concern with essence as her focus on the underlying truths in her poetry, which encompass themes of life, death, and consciousness, and often challenge the gender norms and societal expectations of the nineteenth century.
Step-by-step explanation:
Emily Dickinson's concern with essence is closely related to her emphasis on the underlying truth and meaning in poetry, rather than adherence to conventional themes or styles. Henry W. Wells might interpret Dickinson's work as striving to uncover the essential nature of existence, experience, or emotion through her unique and innovative use of language and form. In discussing Dickinson's approach, Wells would likely focus on how her poetry often challenged the norms of her time, including the traditional portrayal of gender roles, the conventions of poetic form, and the thematic expectations of nineteenth-century literature.
Dickinson's poetry uses clever wordplay, innovative syntax, and enigmatic themes to probe deeply into the nature of life, death, and consciousness. In a broader literary context, her work transcends the simple categorization or superficial understanding and urges readers to reach for the intrinsic, more profound truths that lie at the core of human experience.
As Dickinson wrestles with these deep concerns in her poetry, she simultaneously reflects and defies the societal norms of her era. Her poems touch upon themes like mortality, desire, independence, and the soul's relationship to the world, often with a perspective that does not align completely with the expectations for a woman of her time. Therefore, Wells' analysis might encapsulate Dickinson's poetic essence as a blend of personal introspection, existential pondering, and a subtle critique of her society's limitations.