But How Do You Know? Immateriality, Improvised Play, and Emily Dickinson

Abstract: Scholars of Emily Dickinson make extensive use of manuscripts and other extant, material-culture objects. Immaterial culture, activities that leave few or no material traces, such as musical performance, receive less attention in literary studies or, when studied, prompt scholars to speculate. Such scholarship may face deeper scrutiny or skepticism, potentially foreclosing inquiry into ephemeral or fugitive creative practices. Contemporary play theory suggests an approach for studying immaterial culture. Classical play theory distinguishes between exploratory and serious play, with only the latter deserving critical attention. Jacques Derrida’s writings suggest, however, that play transcends such traditional binaries. Dickinson’s writings, like the improvised music she played and heard, are occasions for play, not following rigid rules but flexible, self-defined guidelines. Their ontological ambiguity creates a gap in which play is possible for the scholar, too, producing scholarship that is both exploratory and rigorous.