Emily Dickinson's Because I Could Not Stop For Death

In the poem “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 “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. “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 seriousness of the situation in which she is, and she forgets about everything.

The narrator of this poem explains her regrets and her desire to change her fate. Dickinson starts the poem by stating the inevitability of death, with this theme even being expressed within the title of the poem itself: “Because I could not stop for Death” (Dickinson). Emily Dickinson personifies death by describing him as a well-dressed, polite man who is said to be riding in a chariot. Death is so charming he causes the speaker to forget about everything else. The reason for this personification is to show the reader that death surprises and kindly takes you away from the world.

In “Because I could not stop for death” Emily Dickinson illustrates a romanticised view of death. Using her imagination and interpreting her surroundings, she is able to mock and depict a calm acceptance for death which is ideal to her. Incredibly enough, Dickinson presents death as a lustful experience. This is evidently shown throughout the poem as the journey to death appears in stanza one, she states; “He kindly stopped for me… carriage held but just ourselves and immortality”(Dickinson, 1-4). Through the use of these line, Dickinson is able to state to the audience a less frightening description of her gentleman who is personified as death. Using death as

One of Emily Dickinson’s most read and celebrated poems is “Because I could not stop for Death.” The narrator, presumably dead, is reminiscing the day Death came to take them. Death is personified as a kind and civil man. The speaker remarks that because they could not stop for Death, he stopped for them. Death stops his carriage for the narrator, who notices Immortality is also accompanying them. As they drive forth leisurely, without haste, Death’s courteousness convinces the narrator to forget their worries. On their way, they pass a school where children are playing and fields of grain. The narrator mentions also passing the setting sun, but then remark it i it that passed them. As evening comes, the speaker begins to quiver from the cold,

Death, along with the afterlife, puzzles mankind because no one has experienced the process of dying and lived to tell the story. Some believe death marks the end of one’s journey through life, while others believe in an afterlife or reincarnation. Emily Dickinson’s poem, “[Because I could not stop for Death—],” records one of many ways in which people view death. Dickinson uses personifications and metaphors in order to show that the process of death is not something to be feared. By personifying death, readers are able to understand the concept and process of death.

To begin, Emily Dickinson was born in Amherst, Massachusetts and wrote “Because I Could Not Stop for Death” around 1863, and Death was often a famous topic to be written about. In Dickinson’s family they went to church and the church’s beliefs put special emphasis on the salvation after death. Emily Dickinson, along with many other poets, used Death as a subject of several poems. In “Because I Could Not Stop for Death”, the narrator is going through life, from her childhood to death. The narrator of the poem is a very busy person, who seems to have little time on her hands, and it seems that like she has no time to die. The driver of the carriage which comes to pick her up, Death, arrives to take her to immortality. Death takes his time and doesn't want to be hasty and rush her so he takes it slow and doesn't take her quickly. Throughout this poem, the woman, also known as the speaker, reports the accounts of her journey while personifying death throughout her life and after life. This poem suggests many things such as Death being kind, civil, compassionate, and a gentleman. Also, contrary to most beliefs, death is more enjoyable than painful and boring.

In "Because I could not stop for Death" by Emily Dickinson, the personified and characterization of what vision of death and the afterlife is that is a kind person and he makes no haste in what he has to do. For an example in lines ( 5,9) We slowly drove--He knew no haste/We passed the sun. The carriage ride is where death picks her up and take that journey to his place. Along the way she sees things that she enjoyed in

Emily Dickinson’s “Because I could not stop for Death” is not only very straightforward about death in its title, but it is also a tale of reality. In the opening stanza, there is immediately an instance of irony about death. In lines one and two, the speaker states, “Because I could not stop for Death– / He kindly stopped for me– ” Death is usually thought to be of something evil or unwanted, but the way the speaker uses the word ‘kindly’ insinuates otherwise. Also, death is now being perceived as something that is human-like because the speaker refers to death as ‘he’, which continues throughout the poem.

For this weeks poetry discussion board I decided to analyze Because I Could Not Stop For Death by Emily Dickinson and Love and Friendship by Emily Brontë.

DeNardo2Isabella DeNardoMrs. ReaAP English20 October 2017“Because I Could Not Stop for Death” Poetry AnalysisThe poem “Because I could Not Stop for Death”, written by Emily Dickinson, isconsidered to be one of the greatest masterpieces in American history. This poem is about thereflection of death and focuses on what happens in the life after death. Many normally think ofdeath as scary and often won't accept it, however, in this poem Dickinson personifies Death andmakes him out to be a compassionate gentlemen. Not only is Death not feared anymore but alsoaccepted in this poem. It gives a new outlook on how one looks at death and the after life. EmilyDickinson’s poem can be interpreted in many different ways due to the use of other literarydevices

Emily Dickinson’s poems are shorter than most, but that does not mean that they lack depth or skill. Dickinson uses many brilliant literary techniques in her poetry such as allusions, personification, juxtaposition, metaphors and so many others. Her unique use of symbolism throughout her poems really makes the reader think twice on what they are reading. And since the majority of her poems are short, it makes it easier to reread the poem numerous times. In Emily Dickinson’s Poem, “Because I Could Not Stop For Death”, Dickinson uses a personified version of death to lead the speaker of the poem through a journey to the end of her life, that involves the contrasting concepts of time and eternity.

In “ Because I could not stop for death” by Emily Dickinson, she explores qualities of romanticism and realism in her work. Romanticism writers are more inclined to using transcendentalism thoughts, about how good nature is for the soul of a human and the positive thing about life. Realism writers are more interested in showing the truth of life, that there is bad things that happen in life that not everything is perfect all the time. she explores romanticism by using the stanza “ Since then-’ tis Centuries- and yet/ Feels shorter than the Day/ I first surmised the Horses’ Heads/ were toward Eternity”. Emily illustrates romanticism in this stanza because the concept of time to her was only on earth and when she die she thought she would have

Emily Dickinson’s, “Because I Could Not Stop From Death.” portrays themes of love, death, self-identity, and immortality. In her poem, Dickinson uses themes of immortality, mortality, and death. The central idea of this poem is about death, which depicts it as a kind gentleman taking the narrator on the journey to their grave, and eventually their afterlife. In the beginning of the poem, Dickinson ironically illustrates the journey of the narrator traveling to their own grave as relaxed, calm, and familiar. As the poem continues, the tone of the poem changes to a dark and nostalgic one. The audience will understand Dickinson’s perception of death in the poem, through her emphasis on tone and literary devices.

The first poem that I chose that deals with death is "Because I could not stop death" by Emily Dickinson. Reading the first line " Because I could not stop for Death-He kindly stopped for me" really sets the tone of the poem. Just reading that line I learn there's an unusual way that the poem characterizes death. It characterizes it in an understanding and calm way. The poet treats the poem as a journey to her "end". Because she was such a busy person and couldn’t stop death, Death kindly stopped her. "The Carriage held but just Ourselves – And Immortality," tells you that death itself is "the carriage". The riders in this poem are death and the person that is referred to as "I", but death ironically would be the driver. She gives specific

“Because I Could Not Stop for Death” by Emily Dickinson is a lyrical poem that contains six stanzas with each having four lines. This poem is about an individual that did not wait for Death, thus Death waited for her. Death, with Immortality as a chaperone, picks up the speaker and leads her through a journey of life. They slowly drive by schools, fields, and the setting sun, reminiscing the activities and trials of life. At the end, they stop at a grave. Here, the speaker realizes that centuries have passed since her death, yet it “Feels shorter than [a] Day” (Dickinson 21-22). Through various literary devices, such as tone, personification, imagery, and metaphor, the author depicts the uncertainty, the inevitability, and ultimately the acceptance with death.