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Symbolism and emily dickinson
Analysis of emily dickinson because i could not stop for death
Theme of death in American literature
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Throughout the poem, Dickinson describes Death as a male that keeps coming for her while she is trying to escape him. In the first two lines, she uses personification, giving Death human characteristics. “Because I could not stop for death, He kindly stopped for me,” emphasizing death as a male and how he has stopped for her at this point. In lines 9-12, Dickinson uses imagery to create a picture for the reader to emphasize what she and Death are witnessing as they are passing through the area. Imagery is used throughout the poem to illustrate what she is seeing such as children at recess and passing the Fields of Gazing Grain and watching the Sun Set as they take a walk.
Whitman and Dickinson share the theme of death in their work, while Whitman decides to speak of death in a more realistic point of view, Dickinson speaks of the theme in a more conceptual one. In Whitman’s poems, he likes to have a more empathic view of individuals and their ways of living. For example, in Whitman’s “Song of Myself”, the poet talks about not just of himself, but all human beings, and of how mankind works into the world and the life of it. Even though the poem mostly talks about life and the happiness of it, Whitman describes also that life itself has its ending, and that is the theme of death. For Dickinson, she is the complete opposite of happiness.
Death is an unknown, no one has ever died and come back to tell the tale, instead people have to imagine and come up with what they think it will be like. The poets, Emily Dickinson and William Cullen Bryant, both had very different perspectives when it came to writing about death. In Bryant’s “Thanatopsis”, the speaker emphasizes that one joins nature and should not be afraid because they will be with everyone else as equals when they die. This is different from Dickinson’s poem, “Because I could not stop for Death”, where the speaker takes a ride in a carriage with death for eternity. Whether or not these authors believed that their poems were actual representations of what happens when one dies, the poems both describe unique ideas of what
A main point in both these poems is that Death should not be feared. For example Emily Dickinson says, “Because I could not stop for Death, he kindly stopped for me”. The poet capitalizes the word “death” in the poem making death seem like a person. She also writes that he
Because I could not stop for death The word death is a word that when people hear it, they tremble. They then do everything they must to have a fulfilling life before their departure on this earth, however one poet has a different view. In “Because I could not stop for death,” Emily Dickenson speaks of how death to her is a gentleman.
So, Dickinson’s usage of allusions in the poem adds complexity to the idea of the afterlife after death. At the start of “Because I Could Not Stop For Death”, the author uses personification to give death human qualities when the speaker did not want to pause for Death, so “He kindly stopped for me” (Dickinson 712). Since death cannot literally stop for someone, Dickinson personifies death to make it seem like death is a person as well waiting for the speaker to join him, which adds to the complexity of the poem. As the speaker is reviewing
While Frost’s tone flows together and seems a bit more soothing and calm, Dickinson’s seems to have hidden agendas and meanings. She also generally wrote short poems that included themes of love, death, and loneliness. An example of how there are hidden meanings is as follows in Apparently with no surprise , “To any happy Flower The Frost beheads it at its play --In accidental power --The blonde Assassin passes on --“ Most likely Dickinson is talking about death, however, the the style and tone she uses could indicate that it is something entirely different.
Dickinson uses the character of Death as an extended metaphor. Dickenson describes Death as a gentlemen suitor who has picked her up for a ride in a carriage, further details reveal that the two are by themselves. However, Dickenson uses personification again to surprise us in the next line by adding another passenger – Immortality. She shares the carriage with Death and Immortality, two opposites. This lets the reader realize that although Death is there to take the corporeal self, Immortality is there for her spirit, the speaker does not think of death as the end rather a step to eternal
Emily Dickinson had different perspective of death from everyone else. In “I could not stop for Death” and “I heard a fly buzz-when I died”, she describes death not as a scary thing, but as a living thing that could be annoying, kind, helpful, or a friend. When Emily Dickinson wrote,“Because i could not stop for death he kindly stopped for me. ” She used “he” for death personifying him.
A Rationalized Explanation for My Desire to Die A consequence of human existence, consciousness, and self-awareness is a constant detachment for one’s sense of reality and a mentality of cynical nihilism. It is the realization, understanding, and acceptance of the insignificance of life and the futility of mortal constructs that attempt to provide meaning and fulfillment to it. Life’s insignificance is not in itself troubling. Rather, humanity’s miniscule place in the immense universe is a peaceful comfort.
“Because I Could Not Stop For Death” by Emily Dickinson is a poem about death being personified in an odd and imaginative way. The poet has a personal encounter with Death, who is male and drives a horse-carriage. They go on a mysterious journey through time and from life to death to an afterlife. The poem begins with its first line being the title, but Emily Dickinson’s poems were written without a title and only numbered when published, after she died in 1886.
If I had to choose a poem from the cluster of “A Journey to Death” I would select “Because I could not stop for Death” by Emily Dickinson. The retirement homes are designed for old age people and to me this poem completely relates to them in the sense that they should not be afraid of dying in other words they should be ready for death. “Because I could not stop for Death- / He kindly stopped for me-” (1-2) these are very strong lines expressing irony, a person who does not leave his duties as if he was always worried about what is happening to his surroundings and death comes for him kindly, releasing him from stress and worries. “And I had put away /
The poems “Because I could not stop for Death” and “I heard a Fly buzz-when I died” by Emily Dickinson both describe death and a journey one takes to get there. In “Because I could not stop for Death” the speaker tells of someones journey of death that did not see it coming and had no time to slow down to notice it. While in the poem “I heard a Fly buzz-when I died” the speaker describes ones journey to death that aware it is coming, someone who is prepared and waiting for it to happen. Death can arrive in many different forms, it is different for everyone and nobody knows or can predict accurately when or how it will come no matter how prepared or not prepared someone is.
Emily Dickinson, one of the greatest poets of America, who spent most of her reclusive life writing poetry and whose work was recognized and published only after her death; found inspiration in death, among other topics. She was recognized for her unusual use of forms and poetical patterns. Most of her work reflects her own pain, suffering and psychological drama. ‘It was not Death, for I stood up (510)’ and ‘I felt a funeral in my Brain (280)’ are an examples of Dickinson’s talent to express her mental struggle. Both poems share the same point of view and symbol.
In Dickinson’s poem, death is not as terrifying as it is believed to be by most people. She sees death as a beautiful thing, a new chapter, rather than the last chapter. In contrast, Donne personifies death as a bully who turns out not to be so tough. Death is often thought of as dark and frightening, but Dickinson describes death as a journey, and not just a single event that concludes a life.
