Explication of Emily Dickinsons Poem Because I Could Not...

Explication of 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, we feel that death never comes at a convenient or opportune time. When Dickinson says, Because I could not stop for Death, she causes the reader to ask why she could not stop. The obvious answer is that she was so wrapped up in her own life that she did not think about†¦show more content†¦The journey enables her to see the stages of her life beginning with her childhood, then maturity, and, finally, old age. This is verified in the third quatrain by the third stanza, We passed the School, where Children strove/At Recess-in the Ring-/We passed the Fields of Gazing Gra in-/We passed the Setting Sun. When the sun sets and darkness surrounds the Earth, a cold eerie chill almost always accompanies it. This makes the speaker wonder if, in fact, the sun had actually passed her. She begins to notice how inappropriately she is dressed for such an occasion. The speaker now begins to realize that the coldness and chill are not external, but internal. It becomes clear to the speaker that the coldness and the chill are associated with death in the fourth stanza, Or rather-He passed Us-/The Dews drew quivering and chill-/For only Gossamer, my Gown-/My Tippet-only Tulle. The speakers metaphysical journey comes to an end at the cemetery, but somehow, the cold, dark, and eerie chill of the night seems unimportant. In total contentment, she views her resting-place. Although her gravestone is barely visible, she somehow recognizes it as her underground home. This is acknowledged in the fifth stanza, We passed before a House that seemed/A Swelling of the Ground-/Th e Roof was scarcely visible/The Cornice-in the Ground. The speaker realizes there is no price to pay for death, and death is not to be feared, but ratherShow MoreRelatedTheology Leads to Interpretation1336 Words   |  6 PagesEmily Dickinson’s extensive collection of poems on the subject of death can be better understood individually once time has been taken to view her works as whole. By viewing the works as a whole, it is possible to conclude a likely theological view point of the author and then apply this theology to the individual works in order to improve interpretation. Emily Dickinson’s poem â€Å"Because I could not stop for Death† is one such poem that when viewed individually is open to a wide scope of readingsRead MoreBecause I C Ould Not Stop Death1279 Words   |  6 PagesDickinsons Because I Could Not Stop For Death Collamer M Abbott. The Explicator. Washington: Spring 2000.Vol. 58, Iss. 3; pg. 140, 4 pgs People: Dickinson, Emily (1830-86) Author(s): Collamer M Abbott Document types: Feature Publication title: The Explicator. Washington: Spring 2000. Vol. 58, Iss. 3; pg. 140, 4 pgs Source type: Periodical ISSN/ISBN: 00144940 Text Word Count 1077 Document URL: http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=000000056709394Fmt=3cli entId=43168RQT=309VName=PQDRead MoreThemes of Death and Immortality in Emily Dickinsons Poetry Essay987 Words   |  4 PagesThroughout Emily Dickinson’s poetry there is a reoccurring theme of death and immortality. The theme of death is further separated into two major categories including the curiosity Dickinson held of the process of dying and the feelings accompanied with it and the reaction to the death of a loved one. Two of Dickinson’s many poems that contain a theme of death include: â€Å"Because I Could Not Stop For Death,† and â€Å"After great pain, a formal feeling comes.† In Dickinson’s poem â€Å"Because I Could Not StopRead More because i c ould not stop death Essay1237 Words   |  5 Pages Dickinsons Because I Could Not Stop For Death Collamer M Abbott. The Explicator. Washington: Spring 2000.Vol. 58, Iss. 3; pg. 140, 4 pgs People: Dickinson, Emily (1830-86) Author(s): Collamer M Abbott Document types: Feature Publication title: The Explicator. Washington: Spring 2000. Vol. 58, Iss. 3; pg. 140, 4 pgs Source type: Periodical ISSN/ISBN: 00144940 Text Word Count 1077 Document URL: http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=000000056709394amp;Fmt=3amp;cli entId=43168amp;RQT=309amp;VName=PQDRead MoreHow Fa Has the Use of English Language Enriched or Disrupted Life and Culture in Mauritius15928 Words   |  64 Pageson â€Å"CLOSE READINGS† 1. [pic]John Cooper says: July 13, 2011 at 3:36 pm Emily Dickenson’s poem â€Å"Because I could not stop for Death† details the events the narrator experiences after dying. In the poem, the narrator is driven around in a horse-drawn carriage to several places, including a schoolyard, a field of wheat, and a house sunken in the ground. However, a deeper reading of the poem reveals the poet’s uncertainty of whether there is or is not an afterlife. The events she describes