Historical Context:
Backround Information:
The famous Emily Dikinson was regarded as a reclusive, and somewhat morbid poet. But more importantly, she was known for her unique use of syntax.
Born in Amherst, Massachusetts, on December 10, 1830 Dickinson lived a secluded life with her family at the homestead having left school as a teenager. Her inspirations came from various sources; some of which included the principle of her former school Amherest Academy, and a family friend and her father’s lawyer, Benjamin Franklin Newton, who had given her a poetry book by Ralph Waldo Emerson.
It was during the late 1850s to mid-‘60s when she was the most productive, but even so, less than a dozen of her poems were published in her lifetime.
She died at the age of 55, from kidney disease. Only after her death were her 1800 poems discovered by her sister, Lavinia.

Description/Summery of Overall Themes:
This poem in particular elucidates distinct themes. The theme of literature and writing are praised in this poem. “There is no frigate like a book”(line 1) might even suggest that reading is better than travelling in real life. In addition, the contrasting themes of freedom and confinement are also implied. The implication is that though our everyday lives may seem limited, there are ways of escaping and venturing out into the world.

Overall Style and Tone:
Emily Dikinson’s poems tend to have an enigmatic tone. In ‘There is no frigate like a Book’ the speaker is unclear, and the only clue there is, lies in the word “us” in line 2. The subject of Dickenson’s poems tend to be, and are seemingly disembodied. As for the formation of this poem, it is in ‘Ballad stanza’.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Kn7P2J5n_A

Citation:
- “"There Is No Frigate Like A Book” Emily Dickinson Poem How Frugal Is the Chariot…“ YouTube. YouTube, n.d. Web. 20 Mar. 2016.

• Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 20 Mar. 2016. http://www.biography.com/people/emily-dickinson-9274190.