Forever- Is Composed Of Nows

Crush (2022)

EMISUE + kisses

bonus:

Hailee Steinfeld (as Emily Dickinson) Ella Hunt (as Sue Gilbert) “THERE WAS NEVER ANY HOPE FOR US, WAS THERE?”  From the biopic-comedy series, DICKINSON (2021) [+] SUE & EMILY ❤ [+] ..more on episode eight

But Dickinson isn't just about them - it's so much more than that. The commentary on privilege, queerness, sexism and racism is so well done.

The look of utter disbelief on Emily's face when Edward just casually said "you women" - she really saw her father for who he is. A fake. A fraud, a fence sitter, a spineless centrist.

Like the scene between Betty and Emily?

Betty called Emily out for being a whiny rich girl writing about "hope" and crying about her family when the world around them is literally out to kill "people in Betty's shoes".

Don't even get me started on the deliberate choice of Edward dropping dead and Sue entering the room dressed masculine

Emily, despite being unconventional, can't place Sue in her life. She wants to be with Sue, but she just doesn't know how or where. Sue is a woman, she can't be what Emily needs her to be so they can be together.

It was almost like Emily's inner demons saying - so if Sue was a man - she'd take care of you like a man would. Women need men to live...right?

Then Sue arrives, saying they're safe in HELL because guess what gays we ARE safe in hell

Her exchange with Sue holds obvious meanings - I feel like I'm overthinking this.

Emily's internal homophobia (lol) is stopping her from being physically intimate with Sue - like this is the most physical Emily has been with Sue even in her own head - is it a coincidence that it's because Sue is dressed as a man? i THINK NOT

The sexy/awkward dance scene needs its own analysis BUT it was a weird mix of modernism/traditionalism - which seems like a nod to ED's reputation as a "precursor modernist" poet.

It’s like they don’t even want to touch / kiss each other.

Well, if I’m being honest this 3rd season is amazing except for the ABSENCE of emisue kisses. I miss S1 Emily. Now they only fight / declare their love without ever acting. They look like friends. Not lovers.

I would really appreciate if you shared your views on these thoughts. Thanks

I think I've mentioned this before (maybe I haven't), but one of the most important lessons I learned in theater class was that when the main characters kiss, the show is over. It's trickier with a TV series because the characters have already kissed, but part of building the drama and the tension is coming close to that kiss and then pulling back. I know it's frustrating for everyone, but it is purposefully frustrating. You're supposed to be emotionally feeling what Inferno Sue is feeling in that moment.

First, the epiphany she has when George says: "All I know is this: if I had to choose between you and your poems I'd choose your poems." in episode 3; and secondly the discussion with Sue in episode 7:

Emily: "[...]or worse, when you say you love a line, well maybe all that really means is that you love me"

Sue: "I do love you, Emily, and what is wrong with that?"

Sue wants to be with Emily-the-person and her absence can't be replaced by her words which in turn hurts Emily-the-poet. Sue loves Emily as a whole which includes "the mess". When Sue says "you once told me you wrote for me and for me alone" what she chooses to focus on is the fact that she's the most important person in Emily's life, rather than being the center of Emily's poetic inspiration (in fact, that's the reason she's hurt by the fact that Emily sent her poems to someone else). It's a subtle difference but it's definitely there for Emily during that fight. She wants to separate her work from her relationship with Sue and as much as she was pleased to hear George saying he'd choose her poems over her, she is as much disappointed to see that Sue's feelings get in the way of her opinions on Emily's poems.

Emily is keeping the two selves separate and, after that, she goes on to say to Sylvia Plath: "why are we talking about her private life? Shouldn't we be focusing on her poems?" to which she replies “Do you really think you can pull the two apart?" which is the first step of her change of perspective. The second step comes from Lavinia when she makes her understand that she had already everything she wanted in the present.

Personally, I find it heartbreaking when she says: "I guess sometimes I just find it easier to be in love when I'm writing a poem than when I'm actually, you know, not." It's everything that's been going on this season in one single sentence. She realizes she hasn't been able to make her poems and the feelings behind them coexist completely and indipendently from each other. Poetry is her native language and she doesn't feel like she's been capable of translating it efficiently into reality, a messy second language.