Because I Could Not Stop For Death
The Welcoming of Death in Emily Dickinson’s “Because I Could Not Stop for Death
Emily Dickinson’s “Because I Could Not Stop for Death” makes the idea of death seem almost welcoming. As death takes the women on a joy ride in a carriage, the woman describes all of the lively things they pass. The woman in the poem makes death seem welcoming by mentioning the playing children, wheat fields, and the setting sun.
First, on their journey they pass children playing. Though these things are taken for granted daily while the woman is alive, the significance of them now grows more meaningful the farther they go. The poem talks about how the children are playing in a ring. (Summary 28) Not only is this significant because it symbolizes eternity, but it also indicates that the dying woman has done a full circle back to where she came from. (Themes 29)
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The sun stands for the eternal clock by which people measure their lives on earth, and when they pass by it is as if they are in another world. (Summary28) The sun can also be meant to represent an ending that is only temporary because it sets every evening but always comes up at dawn. (Themes 29) By some the sun may also been seen as one of the most important parts of this poem because it is very clear that the sun passes the carriage and not the other way around. It is believed that if it had been the other way around the poem would have ended because they would have been jumped time and the journey would have been over. (Criticism 34)
In conclusion, Emily Dickinson uses beautiful imagery to portray death as a welcoming thing. She shows this in the passing of the playing children, wheat fields, and setting sun. One critic, Winters, even stated that “the poem is remarkable for its beauty and grace in describing the daily realization of the imminence of death.” (exp. par5) “The poem purports to be about death, but the message in the poem also involves life.” (Irony
Emily Dickinson’s “Because I Could Not Stop for Death” makes the idea of death seem almost welcoming. As death takes the women on a joy ride in a carriage, the woman describes all of the lively things they pass. The woman in the poem makes death seem welcoming by mentioning the playing children, wheat fields, and the setting sun.
First, on their journey they pass children playing. Though these things are taken for granted daily while the woman is alive, the significance of them now grows more meaningful the farther they go. The poem talks about how the children are playing in a ring. (Summary 28) Not only is this significant because it symbolizes eternity, but it also indicates that the dying woman has done a full circle back to where she came from. (Themes 29)
Next, …show more content…
The sun stands for the eternal clock by which people measure their lives on earth, and when they pass by it is as if they are in another world. (Summary28) The sun can also be meant to represent an ending that is only temporary because it sets every evening but always comes up at dawn. (Themes 29) By some the sun may also been seen as one of the most important parts of this poem because it is very clear that the sun passes the carriage and not the other way around. It is believed that if it had been the other way around the poem would have ended because they would have been jumped time and the journey would have been over. (Criticism 34)
In conclusion, Emily Dickinson uses beautiful imagery to portray death as a welcoming thing. She shows this in the passing of the playing children, wheat fields, and setting sun. One critic, Winters, even stated that “the poem is remarkable for its beauty and grace in describing the daily realization of the imminence of death.” (exp. par5) “The poem purports to be about death, but the message in the poem also involves life.” (Irony