Because I Could Not Stop for Death by Emily Dickenson Essay

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"Because I Could Not Stop for Death," Emily Dickenson shows that death is not the end of anything, but the beginning of eternal life. The poet addresses death directly, presenting death as a character without going so far as to anthropomorphize death. Death is a "he," but he also appears as more a disembodied spirit or abstraction than a person. Nevertheless, the speaker is on intimate terms with death, who is presented as a kind companion or counterpart to life. Death is contrasted with life, with the latter being fleeting and the former being eternal. Whereas life is hurried and harried, death is calm and slow. Death represents eternity, whereas life remains trapped in time. Dickenson's attitudes toward death conveyed in this poem help readers to overcome their fear of death, and urge readers to reconsider how they live their lives too.



When the speaker claims she "could not stop" for death, she suggests her life may have been moving too fast (line 1). On the contrary, death "knew no haste," and drives the carriage slowly (line 5). Her not being able to "stop for death," means also that she was enjoying life, and clings to it as most mortals do, and yet the speaker may not have been taking the time to appreciate the little things, which is why she states death "kindly stopped for me," (line 2). Death's "kindness" is a major and surprising motif in the poem, because death is rarely framed as being kind; death is usually a fearsome figure, a grim reaper who people go out of their way to avoid. Dickenson presents an entirely different, even opposite perspective on both life and death. Specifically, life precludes a person from experiencing immortality and death offers the opportunity to achieve immortality. Death is kind as a friend, leading the person from the illusory, transitory, and hurried nature of life toward the calmer, peaceful, eternal realm of the afterlife.



Death takes an active role in the poem, driving the speaker through visions that symbolize the richness of her life including the motif of a school -- a common dream symbol that draws the reader into recalling childhood and reflecting on life choices. As she considers what she has learned during the "school" of life, these visions morph into the speaker's eternal resting place, represented by a "house" in the earth, a "swelling of the ground," which is a grave (lines 17-18). Described as a house instead of a hole, the grave scene shows that the speaker feels comforted by death and secure in knowing that she has found a final resting place.

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The speaker writes from that resting place, "centuries" after, reflecting on the incidence of her death as if reflecting also on her life (line 19). Eternity whizzes by, ironically given the description of death as being slow. The speaker states that the centuries "feel shorter than the day I first surmised the horses' heads were toward eternity," referring to the horses of death's carriage (lines 20-22). Comment by Author: This does not mean that the poet talks about reflecting on life choices. This is saying that the motif of the school is a dream symbol, which may inspire the reader of the poem to reflect on his or her life choices. Take this sentence out if you do not agree.



Time is experienced differently in life versus in the eternal life of death, which is one of the issues Dickenson tries to convey. The speaker's relationship with death is like one of a teacher to a student, as death teaches her a new way of conceiving and experiencing. Time is an illusion in the world of the living. People in their lives rush around, but they are really only rushing toward the grave. When considering their mortality and the inevitability of death, most people also rush away from death and try to extend their lives as long as possible. Instead of clinging to life, or instead of rushing through life as if in a rat race, the speaker willingly accepts death's kindness in leading her toward a better life, an eternal life. Thus, Dickenson's worldview with regard to death is Christian, given the emphasis on death as the harbinger of eternal life. Otherwise, the poem lacks overt Christian symbolism or references to God. Eternal life is the framework that helps the speaker understand and accept death better. Comment by Author: John 3:16 ESV / 167 helpful votes "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.Romans 6:23 ESV / 125 helpful votes For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.John 17:3 ESV / 113 helpful votes And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.Matthew 25:46 ESV / 86 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpfuland these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into….....

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