Analysis of Because I Could Not Stop for Death - 2013 Words

Analysis of Because I Could Not Stop for Death The poets of the nineteenth century wrote on a variety of topics. One often used topic is that of death. The theme of death has been approached in many different ways. Emily Dickinson is one of the numerous poets who uses death as the subject of several of her poems. In her poem Because I Could Not Stop for Death, death is portrayed as a gentleman who comes to give the speaker a ride to eternity. Throughout the poem, Dickinson develops her unusual interpretation of death and, by doing so, composes a poem full of imagery that is both unique and thought provoking. Through Dickinsons precise style of writing, effective use of literary elements, and vivid imagery, she creates a poem†¦show more content†¦Society in the 1800s viewed death as being morbid and evil. Dickinson, on the other hand, made death into being pleasant. She portrays death as being a kind gentleman, perhaps even a suitor, who is taking her out for a ride in a carriage. The imagery in Because assists in the creation of a pleasant tone. Dickinson describes children playing, which also gives the poem a more affable mood. Another way in which Dickinson makes death a more agreeable subject for the reader is in the fifth quatrain as she compares the grave to a house. In line 17, she writes, We paused before a House. As she does so, the reader gets the image of a young lady being dropped off at her home by her suitor. However, as Dickinson goes on to write in line 18, A Swelling of the Ground-, the reader is reminded that it is actually a grave that she is being taken to. Her grave is also portrayed as a house in lines 19 and 20 as she writes, The Roof was scarcely visible- / The Cornice-in the Ground. The cornice can be viewed as being either the ornamental roofing around the speakers house, or as the molding around her coffin. By comparing the grave to a house, Dickinson helps to lighten the tone of the graveyard scene. The only time when Dickinson does give the reader a true sense of mortality is as the sun passes the speaker. She portrays the sense of mortality isShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Because I Could Not Stop For Death963 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"Because I Could Not Stop For Death,† and â€Å"The Bustle in a House† are two poems by Emily Dickinson that portray death in very different ways. â€Å" Because I Could Not Stop For Death† is written from the perspective of a woman who has recently died about her eternal journey with a kind Death. â€Å"The Bustle in a House,† on the other hand, is about how one reacts to the death of a loved one. Through these two poems, Dickinson employs literary devices such as personification and metaphor to portray two differentRead MoreAnalysis Of `` Because I Could Not Stop For Death ``870 Words   |  4 PagesThemes of death all ring loud and clear in Dickinson’s â€Å"Because I could not stop for Death†, Donne’s â€Å"Death, be not proud†, and Cherry’s â€Å"Alzheimer’s†. The poems are not explicitly about the act of dying, but death is personified or even foreshadowed in the work. Each piece has a different tone when referencing Death. Two of the poems reference Death by name, the last poem doesn’t specificall y speak about dying or death per se, but based on the title, â€Å"Alzheimer’s†, it is clear that death is imminentRead MoreBecause I Could Not Stop for Death Analysis Essay1972 Words   |  8 Pagesâ€Å"Because I Could Not Stop For Death† Analysis The poem, â€Å"Because I Could Not Stop For Death,† by Emily Dickinson presents captivating themes on the cycle of life, time, and death. The first two lines, â€Å"Because I could not stop for death - / He kindly stopped for me – â€Å" (Dickinson 679; Stanza 1, Line 1 2), capture the poem’s central theme, but the interpretations of that theme vary widely. This variation would have to do with how one would interpret Death. The three variedRead MoreBecause I Could Not Stop For Death Literary Analysis918 Words   |  4 Pagesand a positive subject, death, on the other hand, has numerous definitions between each person. Some people consider death to be morbid, horrifying, and a negative thing, whereas others celebrate death and believe that their soul will live forever. Each of the countless observations of life and death are portrayed in diverse types of literature. One contributor and writer of such literature includes Emily Dickinson. In her poems â€Å"Because I Could Not Stop for Death† and â€Å"I Felt a Funeral in My Brain†Read MoreAnalysis of Because I Could Not Stop for Death Essay1188 Words   |  5 Pageswhere regular themes include death and mortality. One such poem that exemplifies her â€Å"dark side† is, â€Å"Because I Could Not Stop for Death†. In this piece, Dickinson tells the story of a soul’s transition into the afterlife showing t hat time and death have outright power over our lives and can make what was once significant become meaningless. While we now know this poem as â€Å"Because I Could Not Stop for Death†, it was originally an untitled piece. After Dickinson’s death, her younger sister LaviniaRead More Analysis of Emily Dickinsons Because I Could Not Stop for Death803 Words   |  4 PagesAnalysis of Emily Dickinsons Because I Could Not Stop for Death In regard to Emily Dickinson’s poem, â€Å"Because I Could Not Stop for Death,† Critic Eunice Glenn says: â€Å"In the first two lines Death, personified as a carriage driver, stops for one who could not stop for him. The word ‘kindly’ is particularly meaningful, for it instantly characterizes Death. This comes with surprise, too, since death is more often considered grim and terrible† (Glenn). Critic Charles R. Anderson says, â€Å"DeathRead More Analysis of Emily Dickinsons Poem, Because I could not stop for Death693 Words   |  3 PagesAnalysis of Emily Dickinsons Poem, Because I could not stop for Death The poem Because I Could Not Stop for Death by Emily Dickinson expresses the speakers reflection on death. The poem focuses on the concept of life after death. This poems setting mirrors the circumstances by which death approaches, and death appears kind and compassionate. It is through the promise of immortality that fear is removed, and death not only becomes acceptable, but welcomed as well. As human beings,Read More An Analysis of Emily Dickinsons Poem, Because I Could Not Stop for Death626 Words   |  3 PagesIn the poem â€Å"Because I could not stop for Death† by Emily Dickinson refers to death as a gentlemen who unexpectedly visits Dickinson to take her on a journey â€Å"towards eternity† (I. 24). It is very ironic that she considers death as a gentleman, but as we all know it is the total opposite. On the second stanza they both start the slow and peaceful journey. â€Å"We slowly drove, he knew no haste† (I. 5). We can see the tranquility of the scene in which they are. Dickinson here understands the seriousnessRead MoreAnalysis Of The Article Death And Dying By Matthew Arnold And Because I Could Not Stop For Death977 Words   |  4 PagesIn the article â€Å"Death and Dying in Literature,† John Skelton stated, â€Å"One of the central tasks of literature is to impose a structure on life and death, giving meaning to both† ( n.p.). Many literary works, including poems, focus on death in one way or another. This is true for â€Å"Dover Beach† by Matthew Arnold and â€Å"Because I could not stop for Death† by Emily Dickinson. â€Å"Dover Beach† and â€Å"Because I could not stop for Death† provide varying perspectives on the topic of death. In â€Å"Dover Beach,† ArnoldRead More Analysis of I Heard a Fly Buzz When I Died and Because I Could Not Stop for Death by Emily Dickinson593 Words   |  3 PagesAnalysis of I Heard a Fly Buzz When I Died and Because I Could Not Stop for Death by Emily Dickinson Emily Dickinson wrote many poems in her lifetime. She writes two of my favorite poems. They are: ?I heard a Fly buzz when I died? and ?Because I could not stop for Death?. They both have similarities and differences from each other. There are similarities in these two poems such as the theme and the observentness of the narrator. Both of the poems themes involve death. In ?I heard