Because I could not stop for death PDF

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Because I could not stop for death...

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Because I could not stop for death Intro: In this poem, Dickinson describes her journey from life to afterlife with a personified Death as her guide, exploring the idea of perpetual life. They make this transition at a peaceful pace and she seem rather comfortable with him, despite knowing what is happening. Because she now knows there is life after life, she sees this as another step closer to eternity, rather than an end to it. She sees this death as a shift of perspective and a step closer to the goal of immortality. Technique #1: Personification ● Death is personified as a person, arriving in a carriage to take the speaker to her grave ○ Describes death as a gentleman who “knows no haste” “knows civility” and “kindly stops to pick her up” ○ Portrays a relaxed and friendly man rather than the usual adjectives we associate death with, kindness is emphasized in the first stanza as well as the objective of immortality ○ We associate images of skeletons or scary things with death but he is depicted as a close friend ○ Suggests that we should not be afraid of death Technique #2: Symbols ● The carriage ○ Symbol for the transition between life and death, similar to Dante’s Inferno when the souls are ferried by boats into hell, mode of transportation ○ Holds “immortality” ● The house ○ Final resting place for the speaker, metaphor for the grave ○ Metaphor illustrates calmness for the reader through a familiar setting, more comprehensible when personal significance is reached Technique #3: Structure ● Regular four beat/three beat rhythm in each quatrain reinforces that the drive is steady and calm ● Rhyme scheme abcb ○ Disheveled rhyme scheme hints at a central theme of unpreparedness ● Stanza four rhythm changes to three beats beginning and end, suggesting a change when the Sun passes them ○ Sun passes them and she becomes part of the landscape rather than a player Technique #4: Tone

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Integral component in understanding the emotional stance of the speaker Despite being on the dark subject of death, the tone is not solemn Tone of congeniality presented through the portrayal of death as a male suitor Shows that the proximity of death is unknown and often comes unexpectedly

Technique #5: Diction ● Hints at certain themes of the work ● Transition between “Fields of Gazing Grain” and “Setting Sun” indicate transition between two stages of life, maturity and old age ● “Passed” hints at verbal irony ○ Speaker is not only passing through collection of memories, but passing out of life ● Reiteration of “passed” in stanza highlights death as a step towards a different conclusion ● “Tulle” and “Gossamer” indicate unpreparedness as thin materials to withstand the cold ○ Adds to the idea that death cannot be expected Conclusion: Dickinson discusses death not as an end to life, but as a beginning to immortality. She doesn’t portray it as a negative event, like many would....