The Use of Letters as Portraits of Intimacy in Literature Studies

In humanities research, letters are commonly utilised as an amendment, a curiosity, a document, or a source of data about a situation or event. They may feature autobiographical and historical facts, and they are one of the most comprehensive collections of data on women's voices in literature, politics, and science. Letters were used extensively in the past when there were few choices for long-distance communication, and they are still used today. Although private letters are private documents, they are public documents that provide vital insight into human relations not just in the past, but also in the present and future. Letters can be employed in a wide range of fields and disciplines, and they provide several opportunities for interdisciplinary studies. Bergson's understanding of knowing encompasses intuitive knowledge as well as temporal multiplicities. The method of reading and using them interactively and empathically is called organic. Thus, past, present, and future are not in a linear sequence but juxtaposed. The three authors whose letters are presented and discussed to showcase the above are, Lord Byron to his editor, the letters from Lady Mary Wortley Montagu to her former husband, the letters from Emily Dickson to her tutor. By using Bergson’s concepts of time and intuition—the dilemmas of relating to a publisher, to an ex-husband, and a tutor display how intimacy can play an important role in creating bonds across time and space in these masters of literature. The use of letters in research, the habit of writing and reading letters, the reading of previous letters, and the usage of letters from the past are all highly helpful. Personal letters can play a significant role in the development of historical narratives, but they can also teach us about ourselves, highlighting humanity and empathy.