"Because i could not stop for death" by Emily Dickinson

Poetry Analysis of "Because I could not Stop for death" by Emily Dickinson

1. Because I Could not Stop for Death By: Emily Dickinson Brian S., Caitlyn M., Stephanie L.

2. Define Words Gossamer: a thin, light cloth Line 15 Tippet: A woman's scarf, typically of fur Line 16 Tulle: A soft, fine silk, cotton, or nylon material like net, used for making veils and dresses . Line 16 Cornice: the molding around the top of a building Line 20

3. Pictures Tippet Gossamer Tulle

4. Poetic Devices The entire poem contains imagery to create the scene of the speaker traveling with death to the grave Repetition “ We passed …” appears 3 times in the 3 stanza Alliteration “ R ecess… R ing-” “Grazing Grain” “Setting Sun” “ G ossamer… G own-” “ T ippet… T ulle-” “ H orses’ H eads”

5. Poetic Devices Metaphor The character of death is used as an extended metaphor to examine what real death may be like The house is a metaphor fir a grave. This shows the speaker accepts and is comfortable with dying. Personification Death is personified and is a guide leading the speaker to eternity “He kindly stopped for me- ” “He knew no haste-” “His Civility” “We paused before a House…” “ The Dews grew quivering and chill- ”

6. Punctuation and Capitalization C apitalized words bring the reader’s attention to the word and show its importance. Also causes readers to pause and consider their importance Uses a lot of dashes to emphasize a longer pause References to religion reflect her very religious values “He”  God “Immortality”  belief that life after death is eternal in heaven

7. Diction Dickinson uses a simple writing style that emphasizes the speaker’s acceptance with death “kindly” and “civility”: convey to readers that Death is the speaker’s friend and the speakers accepts dying Death “slowly drove – he knew no haste”, so readers can infer that death is slow and takes its time. The grave is not something to be feared. This is shown by her describing the grave simply as a “House”

8. Summary of Stanza #1 Because I could not stop for Death, He kindly stopped for me; The carriage held but just ourselves And Immortality. The speaker is too busy for death, so death “kindly” takes the time to do what the speaker can’t and stops for the speaker

9. Summary of Stanza #2 We slowly drove- He knew no haste, And I had put away My Labor , and my leisure too, For His Civility . The “civility” that Death exhibits in taking the time out for the speaker leads the speaker to give up those things that made the speaker so busy so he can enjoy the ride.

10. Summary of Stanza #3 We passed the School, where Children strove At Recess, in the Ring- We passed the Fields of Gazing Grain- We passed the Setting Sun. These are reminders of the world the speaker is leaving behind.

11. Summary of Stanzas Her place in the world shifts between stanza 3 and stanza 4. The speaker is no longer active but now only part of the landscape.

12. Summary of Stanzas We paused before a House that seemed A Swelling of the Ground- The Roof was scarcely visible, The Cornice-in a mound- The carriage pauses at her new “House”, which is not an actual house, but instead a grave. They only pause here because it is only a resting place as the speaker travels to eternity.

13. Summary of Stanza #4 Or rather- He passed Us- The D ews grew quivering and chill- For only Gossamer my Gown- My Tippet only Tulle . The speaker is not properly dressed for a funeral. In fact, the gossamer gown is more like a wedding dress, which represents a new beginning rather than an end

14. Summary of Stanzas Since then-'tis centuries- and yet each Feels shorter than the Day I first surmised the Horses ' Heads Were toward eternity. There is a glimpse given at eternity, made clear in the 1 st 2 lines, as the speaker says although it has been many years since death, it feels no longer than a day- the day of the speaker’s death

15. Tone Lighthearted and Accepting Although death is usual a sad event, Dickinson makes it seem like a good thing because the speaker does not fear it. Uses words like “kindly”, “civility” Solemn Death is a serious subject, but the speaker understands now that it is just a part of life. Uses phrases such as “He knew no haste” Shock D eath came for the speaker in the middle of her busy life, when she was not prepared “Because I could not stop for Death-”

16. Theme While we are never prepared for death, it is not to be feared, but should be embraced because it is part of the endless circle of life.

17. Transcendentalist or Anti-Transcendentalist? Transcendentalists believed nature was symbolic. Dickinson used many images from nature in this poem “Fields of Grazing Grain” “Setting Sun” “Dews” “…a House that seemed a swelling of the Ground” (her grave)