Abstract
This thesis explores the intricate landscape of metaphors of love in Emily Dick-inson’s poetry collection Seaweeds and Pearls through the lens of cognitive linguistics. By constructing a focused corpus and employing corpus analysis techniques, the study delves into Dickinson’s distinctive metaphorical portrayals of love, categorizing these portrayals into Natural Elements, Precious Stone, Auditory Experiences and Religious & Emotions Concepts. Through a meticulous examination of selected poems, the analysis reveals Dickinson’s subtle understanding of love, underscoring the connection between metaphorical language and cognitive processes. These metaphorical patterns reveal that, for Dickinson, metaphor served as the fundamental cognitive bedrock for constructing her worldview and articulating the architecture of human emotion. Dickinson’s metaphors not only illustrate the complexity and multifaceted nature of love but also bring to light the underlying gender dynamics and traditional views present in her poetry. This research contributes to the understanding of how cognitive linguistics can illuminate the meaning of poetic metaphors, offering deep insights into Dickinson’s metaphorical landscape and its implications for love’s conceptual-ization.
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