Death In Emily Dickinson's Poetry

Emily Dickinson is unquestionably one of the most significant, innovative, and renowned American poets. She did not always receive such high praise, however, as most of her fame and honor was obtained long after she died. While she was alive, she lived most of her life isolated from society as a recluse. During this reclusion, however, she wrote almost eighteen hundred poems, and one of these included “Because I could not stop for Death” (Mays 1187). This is one of her most popular poems and that is in part because it allows the audience to analyze the topic of death and the struggle to come to grip with one’s own demise. The concept of Death is humanized within this poem. “He” is portrayed as a groom and a conductor, as much as he is a robber …show more content…
The lady's peaceful commute in the carriage may develop the feeling of immortality in the hereafter. There is no more any need to surge on this specific outing. She has unquestionably "put away [her] labor and [her] leisure too" (6-7); she can find a sense of contentment under Death's considerate behavior. Everything she had to concern her with before, whether it was working hard or even recreational activities no longer have a spot in the wake of death. This is especially evident as the reader gets towards the middle of the poem. Dickinson describes the speaker and Death's crossing through the periods of life that eventually led to her death. The reader is first met with a description of a school building that the woman sees, where the kids are “striving” against each other during recess time (1.9). This scene might metaphorically symbolize the time she spent as a youth. Interestingly, the youngsters did not play, but rather "strove" against the others. They are consequently "endeavoring" against their companions. The woman is now the complete opposite of these children. She is nothing more than a detached onlooker. She has now turned into their opposite in the face of death: a detached onlooker. The children are also out for “recess”—a short time to frolic and take pleasure in freedom. This recess may …show more content…
The woman leaves with Death without protestation, and permits him to take control in driving the carriage. She evidently realizes that there is no use in fighting it and instead allows herself to be taken on this journey. Dickinson depicts as Death treating her “kindly” and very respectfully as well. She is not externalized or disregarded as his metaphorical wife. Additionally, Dickinson used specific symbolism such as the vision of the children at the schoolyard to signify the youthful period of her life, the carriage that symbolizes her funeral wagon—the vehicle that Death is using to take his bride to the next destination. All of these elements that Dickinson used to personify the concept of death is quite effectively in getting the reader to think outside the box. Perhaps there is an Eternity after death. Perhaps Death isn’t such a scary concept to embrace at the end of one’s life. These are the kinds of thoughts that reading this poem conjure up, and sure it shows that Dickinson certainly had a rather interesting view of the afterlife in general. That she was able to build such an interesting imagery about such a morbid topic shows just how much of a skilled poet she was. She will be continue to be lauded for those skills far into the future, perhaps even into