Dickinson

Hm?

Mm, mm.

Mm-mm.

- Ah! - That's it! I win.

- Old maid, you're the old maid. - I suppose I am.

Poor Dad. Just an old spinster.

Oh, lonely me, lonely me.

It's your own fault, you know?

There were plenty of men who wanted to marry you, but you said no to them all.

- I did. - Mm.

You know, I think I'd rather be a spinster than a wife.

Really?

Why is that?

I think a spinster has more independence.

Edward, don't encourage her.

I'm saying it implicates us, makes us a part of their disgusting system.

Oh, I completely agree with you that it's disgusting.

But what can we do?

We can't have two separate countries with two separate systems of law.

Of course not. That's why they need to wake up and make it illegal.

What are you talking about?

Another fugitive.

Some southern fat cat,

who probably owns 200 slaves, loses one and claims he's somewhere in Amherst.

And if any of us happens to see the poor fellow

and don't hunt him down and turn him over, then we get slapped with a fine.

Or sent to prison.

They call that a compromise?

I won't do it.

Good for you. It's horrible.

We should be helping slaves escape.

Not catching them and sending them back.

That's absolutely right.

Don't you agree, Dad?

Unfortunately, our southern brethren have organized their society around it.

So we need to have a certain amount of respect for their rules. Hm?

That's the point I was making.

- Hm. - Gross. You were?

I always thought you were more of a radical, George.

Look, I have relatives in the South. And they're not bad people.

- They're just... - Stupid?

- Backwards? - Old-fashioned.

And what am I supposed to do? Just not talk to them anymore?

No, you should talk to them.

Talk to them about how their way of life is an abomination.

Oh, okay. Well, that'll make for a nice Thanksgiving dinner.

All right. Good luck figuring all this out today.

Um, hey...

Mr. Dickinson, um...

there's something I wanted to talk to you about.

- What? - Fundraising stuff.

- Well, what kind of fundraising? - For the new chapel.

I can get into all the details...

in private.

Hmm. All right. My office.

George, don't forget, we have Shakespeare Club this afternoon.

Oh, I know. Brought my copy of the collected plays, ready to go.

And we can't spend the whole time fighting over

- which play to read like we usually do. - I'm not the one who starts those fights.

Because you always wanna do Hamlet.

- Who doesn't wanna read Hamlet? - Me.

Did Maggie get back from the post office yet?

Maybe.

Was there any mail?

- Maggie? - Maggie?

- Ah, Maggie, you're back. - Did you miss me, dearies?

- Terribly. Was there any mail? - Yes, was there any mail for me?

No mail for either of ya.

Miss Sue ain't much of a correspondent.

- She still hasn't written to me once. - She's written to me, though.

Twice.

- Twice isn't that impressive. - Hm.

Look at the green-eyed monster over here.

- Jealous? - "Green-eyed monster..."

Hey!

I know what play we should read today.

Othello.

- Why don't you ever wanna read Hamlet? - Oh, come on, Othello is so much juicier.

"O, beware, my lord, of jealousy;

It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on."

Meat! Consarn it. I was supposed to pick up a ham.

This isn't about fundraising, is it?

No, sir, it's not.

- It's much more important than that. - Mm.

Well, out with it.

Um, well, as you probably guessed...

I'm here to ask for Emily's hand in marriage.

All right. I see.

Mr. Dickinson,

I love your daughter.

She is the most brilliant girl in all New England.

And nothing could make me happier than to have her as my bride.

And you and Emily have discussed this?

- Um. Well, kind of. - Mm-hmm.

Well, I mean, she never actually said yes.

We communicate on pheromones, pretty much.

But I think she likes me.

And I know I'd be a great husband for her.

I'm gonna become a professor.

We'll have a happy life together, we'll have children,

and I'll always keep her safe.

A professor, you say?

- What department? - The English department, sir.

I'm quite devoted to the English language.

Well, you're the one who published her poem.

- Aren't you? - Um.

Well...

I wanted to make her happy.

But, from what I've seen, you only seem to encourage her wildest impulses.

Hm?

A father worries, you know?

Morning, Maggie.

Oh, Henry, you finished raking those leaves already.

Well, you can never really finish raking leaves.

- Why's that? - Because God made too many of them.

Exactly right.

Well, then I suppose you can go to the blacksmith's now

to collect the horseshoes.

The thing is, the blacksmith, he's on Main Street, right in the middle of town.

That's right.

What's the matter?

Well, see, I've been trying to keep myself away from town for a while.

Oh, Henry, did you get yourself in trouble with a woman?

He can't go into town because of the fugitive.

Right, Henry?

I'm afraid so.

Oh, those thugs are dangerous.

They could try to kidnap you. I wouldn't put it past them.

But you're a free man, aren't you? You got your papers and everything.

Papers don't mean much to these folk.

There's a big reward, you know? And papers can be torn up.

It's ridiculous. And they say that we don't respect the law.

It's horrible.

They break families apart, they tear children away from their mothers...

Is there anything you need around the house?

I could do something like that today and go over to the blacksmith's tomorrow.

I'll go to the blacksmith's.

No, you don't have to do that.

I don't mind at all. You stay right here.

- Be back in time for Shakespeare Club. - "Exit, pursued by a bear."

- Sorry to cause all this fuss. - Don't worry about it.

I'm sure there are chores to do around the house. There are always chores.

Well, the piano needs tuning.

- But I don't suppose you could do that... - I can.

I've tuned it before.

Have you, now?

- Henry is a musician. - Really?

Oh, yes. He's a man of many talents.

But you might say pianos are... my forte.

Ah!

That's a good one.

Oh, my God.

Henry, have you ever done any acting?

Not that I can recall.

Well, this could be your big chance.

We're reading Shakespeare today. Othello. You could play the lead.

I don't think so.

But you'd be so perfect.

And you love Shakespeare, I know you do.

Miss Emily, do you really think your father would approve?

As a matter of fact, my father is very progressive when it comes to Shakespeare.

It may surprise you, but he even approves of women reading parts.

And the plays are so much better when you can actually cast the parts

- as they're meant to be played. - If you don't mind,

I think we'd better not.

Your mail, Susan.

Thank you, Mr. Keillor.

How many times must I tell you?

Call me James.

You do get a lot of letters.

So... the children are sleeping?

- Mm. - That's a nice break for you.

Well, let me know if... you need anything.

Okay, everybody, today we are going to read Othello.

Wait. I thought we were doing Taming of the Shrew.

Come on, Taming of the Shrew?

That's just a dumb story about a girl who wants to get married

but has to wait till her sister gets married off first.

It's not even interesting.

Yeah, who could possibly relate to that?

Let's not waste time on comedies.

Tragedy, my friends.

We must confront life's darkness.

We must stare into the abyss.

- Abyss. - Um...

Are you sure your father will approve?

What? Why are you bringing him up?

It's just that I've read Othello, and parts of it are kind of inappropriate.

There's nothing inappropriate about Shakespeare.

And my father says I can read any play I want.

He has problems with other books, but not Shakespeare.

At the very least, maybe Austin and I could go through the script

beforehand and cross out anything that might be controversial.

Great, that way we can pay extra attention to those parts.

Who put the stick up your ass today, George?

I'm just trying to be responsible.

Not everyone agrees that Shakespeare is suitable for...

For who?

For...

young ladies.