Act 2, Section 1 Summary

The scene immediately picks up where Act 1 left off. Emily is eagerly awaiting Professor Higginson's arrival. She excitedly finished sewing together a book of her poems while instructing the servant to be on the look out. She begins to practice meeting him. She tries asking him about his wife and complimenting his humor and wit. She is very nervous and excited about his visit. She hears his coach and grabs her shawl. She tries to decide which poems to take downstairs, and in the end takes the whole box of them.

Emily welcomes Professor Higginson in and asks why he took so long to visit. She doesn't try to make conversation, because her mind is only on publication. She asks what he would like to do with her work as she hands him all the ones she has sent him over...