Poetry, Secondary Sources, and Literary Criticism

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Birth , Time , and Death in Dickinson 's Because I could not stop for Death

Because I could not stop for Death ' is a poem written by Emily Dickinson in which death is personified . Dickinson writes about life death , and dying . She uses many literary devices to explore these classic themes that have been pondered by humans throughout time . It is Dickinson 's use of vivid imagery combined with brevity and decisive word choice that makes her poems and specifically Because I could not stop

for Death ' a well read and cherish poem in American literature Dickinson uses dominant and recurring images to explore the archetypal themes of birth , time , and death . Dickinson 's primary intent is not either hope for immortality or the experience of living with the knowledge of death . Both are traditional interpretations of Because Death Could Not Stop for Me ' but certainly not the only two possible ones . Death is described by Dickinson as an unintelligent betrayer (Farr 101 . His kindness ' and civility ' and supposed immorality are just illusions to make the narrator and every living person go quietly with death . Dickinson did not write for an audience . She was not trying to inspire or educate . After experiencing the death of several people close to her , Dickinson was grieving , angry , and confused . The narrator of the poem was not prepared for death . In line 15 - 16 , For only gossamer my gown / My tippet only tulle ' the narrator was not dressed , wearing only underclothes or night gown , when death came for her (Porter 98

Sad thoughtfulness can be found in stanza 2 and the beginning of stanza 3 . The narrator describes several things while traveling with death - children playing , field of grain , and the sunset (Bernhard . After passing these things the narrator has a realization and comments Or rather , be passed us It was the narrator and death were actually stilling still and life was moving pass them . Languor or listlessness can be seen in line 5 , we slowly drove ' and he knew no haste The narrator also stopped her daily activities because of death , and states And I had put away / My labor , and my leisure too ' The tone of repressed terror is created by the following lines : line 3 The carriage held but just ourselves , line 14 The dews grew quivering and chill ' Each creates the feeling of emptiness loneliness , and the bitter cold of literal loss and physical death . The poem also has a tone of mature resignation . The narrator is not fighting death . The narrator is not shocked at his arrival or that trip they take together . If read in the right way the rhythm is slow and monotone . The sound of slow horses ' hooves hitting the grove and is almost like death march . The tone is not sad but calm , reserved , and excepting that death is an inevitable part of existing

What many critics may not consider is that Dickinson was intelligent and obviously very witty . It is...