‘Dickinson,’ a comedy-drama created by Alena Smith for Apple TV+, focuses on Emily Dickinson’s personal, artistic, and social life. The show combines history and fiction to debunk the stereotype that Emily was a sad, melancholic, and introverted person by addressing feminist ideas, cynical humor, and LGBTQ identities. The program, set in nineteenth-century Amherst, explores fundamental themes of gender, racism, and politics.
Season 3 follows Emily as she tries to figure out what her poetry’s purpose is as her country is torn apart by the Civil War. In the meantime, personal conflicts and family drama abound in the Dickinson household. On the other hand, Henry has left Amherst and is moving South. So, how did everything turn out? Here’s all you need to know about the season 3 finale and recap of ‘Dickinson.’ WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD.
Dickinson Season 3 Recap
The season begins with a voiceover noting that, despite the fact that Emily Dickinson is not known as a war poet due to her solitary lifestyle, the American Civil War was the most productive period for her writing. The Dickinsons are next shown in Boston attending Aunt Lavinia’s funeral. We learn that Sue is expecting a child and that Austin has turned into an alcoholic.
Edward gets a mild heart attack after Austin accuses him of killing his children’s dreams; he recovers quickly, but his son “secedes” from the family. Austin, on the other hand, is enjoying a relationship with Jane Humphreys. Jane, on the other hand, remarries and relocates to Vietnam with her kid and new husband. Austin’s drinking worsens, and Sue gives birth to their first child. Then, before Frazar Stearns departs to fight in the war, Emily reads him a poem.
Vinnie laments the loss of all her lovers during the war, and her mother resents Sue for not allowing her to spend time with her grandchild. Then we see Henry arrive at a South Carolina camp. George offers Emily the most recent issue of ‘The Atlantic’ in Amherst. He brings her a letter from Thomas Wentworth Higginson, a poet, abolitionist, and soldier, in which he offers guidance to poets. We understand Henry will meet Higginson, the commander of the Union’s first African-American regiment.
Soon after, Emily writes to Higginson, inquiring if her “verse” is still alive. Emily then travels to New York to visit Walt Whitman. Whitman brings her to Pfaff’s, a gay club, and encourages her not to worry about her poetry; instead, she should get out of her head and into her body. As a result, Emily comes out and admits that she loves Sue.
Because Edward is in contact with his confederate brother in Georgia, the town quickly turns against him. He is told by Ithamar Conkey that he must select a political side. Meanwhile, Austin decides to open his own law firm and files for divorce from Sue. Sue feels deceived when she discovers Emily’s letter to Higginson later.
Emily’s mother begins to worry about her duty as a mother and a wife after the Dickinsons visit a mad asylum. After Emily frees a group of women imprisoned in the asylum, Edward appears to fully appreciate Emily’s rebellious spirit. Emily now feels accepted after choosing her father’s side over her brother’s. Later, Emily’s mother, who is overwhelmed by her domestic responsibilities and misses the simplicity of her youth, resolves to sleep until the war is finished.
In the meantime, Sojourner Truth encourages Betty to resume dating because she has yet to receive any letters from Henry. Betty, on the other hand, learns that Henry is fighting in the South and is upset since he didn’t notify her and is likely to die, leaving their daughter, Helen, alone. Sue and Emily then had a fight about Emily’s poetry fixation and her tendency to ignore her boyfriend at times. In a strange turn of events, Emily and Vinnie travel back in time to 1955 and encounter Sylvia Plath. Emily learns that her country regards her as a recluse who happens to be a wonderful poet. However, the catastrophe brings Emily and Vinnie closer than they’ve ever been. Emily also communicates with Death on a regular basis.
Then we learn that Frazar Stearns has died in battle, precisely as Emily had predicted in her dreams. Emily pays her respects during Frazar’s funeral and subsequently converses with a vision of him. Emily is later asked to be the executor of Edward’s will. He claims, however, that he will leave all of his belongings to Austin because women are too emotional and weak to be trusted with such duties. As a result, an upset Emily informs Austin that he was correct about their father. Emily later encounters her own own kind of hell, owing to Frazar.
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Dickinson Season 3 Ending: Does Thomas Wentworth Higginson Finally Meet Emily? Why Does Emily Refuse to Come Out of Her Room?
Emily soon assists her mother in coming to terms with the death of her sister Lavinia. Conkey offers Edward the opportunity to redeem himself by joining the Massachusetts Republican Party; when Edward declines, Conkey labels him a “Whig coward.” Meanwhile, because George has been drafted, Austin and his pals arrange a farewell party for him. Emily learns that one of Sue’s poems was sent to the Drum Beat, Abraham Lincoln’s favorite newspaper.
Higginson finally arrives at Amherst in the closing scene to see the young poet who has inspired him during the battle. When he arrives at Emily’s house, he is instantly treated by her family. Our protagonist remains locked up in her room upstairs as Austin, Sue, Vinnie, Edward, Emily’s mother, and Maggie tell Higginson about Emily’s unusual genius.
Emily refuses to go down to meet Higginson despite finishing her white dress with Betty in her room. When Emily confesses that she didn’t describe herself accurately in her letters, Maggie calls her a catfish. However, it soon becomes clear that Emily does not want to meet Higginson because she has finally come to terms with her poetry and its purpose. She’s also preoccupied with her white gown and too afraid to meet a stranger.
Throughout the season, Emily is concerned about the relevance of her poetry. She feels relieved after writing to Higginson and hearing from him that her lines “give the impression of an entirely unique and original poetry.” As a result of his encouragement, she begins to believe in her poetry.
Emily’s refusal to meet Higginson in the finale demonstrates that she no longer needs his approval to feel good about her poems. It also reflects her proclivity for avoiding strangers. Furthermore, Emily never expresses a desire to see Higginson in person; it is Higginson who thinks that the younger poet will have no trouble conversing with him in person.
It’s possible, however, that Emily will run into him in the future. Emily met Higginson around 1870 at the age of 39, according to historical documents. Emily also requests that Maggie inform Higginson that he should “come back another day.” Emily, now older, walks her Newfoundland dog to the shore in the season’s concluding scenes. She rows out there to meet the mermaids of her dreams. As a result, we know Emily’s true love is poetry, and she no longer doubts its worth. Clearly, she doesn’t require the help of others when her mind is capable of creating a new world based on her own.
Do Emily and Sue End Up Together? Do Austin and Sue Get Divorced or Fix Their Problems? Does Austin Reconcile With Edward, his father?
Emily and Sue struggle throughout the season because the latter is married to the former’s brother and being queer is not socially acceptable. Additionally, Emily’s poetry creates a problem for Sue, who feels like she is nothing more than a muse who can’t get near to her.
Sue and her partner become even more apart after she has baby since they have opposing views about motherhood. Meanwhile, Austin and Sue begin to have troubles as a result of the former’s drunkenness and the latter’s infidelity history (in season 2). Austin is even unsure if the child is his, and Sue believes he is incapable of being a decent father. Sue recognizes that Austin will be an unconventionally good father after he quits drinking and admits that he delayed going to war because he truly wants to be there in person to raise his son.
As a result, Austin and Sue avoid divorce, find happiness in their home, and even embrace the former’s two orphaned relatives. Austin appears to forgive his father as well, asking for his assistance in fighting the legal battle for Angeline Palmer, a freeborn woman whose brothers were arrested for attempting to prevent her from being sold into slavery. Austin convinces Edward that the Dickinsons should stand up for what’s right, despite Edward’s reservations; his father agrees and accepts the notion that things need to change. In honor of the Dickinson father, Austin and Sue name their kid Edward.
In episode 9, Emily and Sue have love after the latter anonymously publishes the former’s poem; it’s clear that they’re still in love. Despite the fact that they are not together in the traditional sense, it is clear that the two women will continue to be with each other in secret. Emily explains that all of her poems are for her best friend and lover, and Sue has welcomed Emily and her overpowering poetry. As a result, the women will most likely try to make the best of their unusual circumstance. Emily and Sue will have an easy time concealing their romance because everyone assumes they are just pals.
Do Henry and the Black Union Soldiers Survive? Do They Win? Does Henry Finally Write to Betty?
We see Henry go to Beaufort, South Carolina, to join the first Black Union regiment, as Emily experiences visions of troops at war throughout the season. Higginson assigns him the responsibility of educating the soldiers, but Henry quickly sees that they have more pressing concerns. Because they must wait for Lincoln to sign the Emancipation Proclamation, the Black men are not given proper uniforms or weapons, despite the fact that they are soldiers. While some white leaders are abolitionists, it is clear that they are also fearful of arming emancipated Black men.
As a result, Henry assists them in repairing their uniforms and even in stealing weapons so that they can fight. He informs Higginson that they have no choice except to illegally obtain weaponry because the colonel appears to be too afraid to go against his superiors and help the Black Union soldiers. Higginson, embarrassed, agrees to turn away.
We see Henry and his army fighting the Confederates in episode 8. Henry is wounded, but the Union men quickly overcome their foes. Higginson congratulates his warriors on winning the “skirmish” in episode 9 and announces his sabbatical. He makes Henry the sergeant in his stead. Higginson is well aware that he is unfit to be the Black soldiers’ commander. As a result, Henry and the Black Union warriors not only survive but also triumph in their minor but crucial combat.
When Higginson arrives in Amherst at the end of the story, he hands over all of Henry’s letters to Betty, who cries when she learns that he is still alive. We learn that Henry had been writing all along but hadn’t sent any letters because he didn’t think he’d make it; he didn’t want to leave Betty and his daughter Helen with painful reminders of his own mortality. Henry has gone out to Betty with all of his love and words now that things are looking good, even though the war isn’t done. After effectively using his actions in conflict, Henry — after all, he is a writer — returns to his words.
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