Emily Dickinson Her Outlook on Death Essay example

The subject of death, including her own was a very prevalent theme in Emily Dickinson’s poems and letters. Some may find her preoccupation with death morbid, but this was not unusual for her time period. The mindset during Ms. Dickinson’s time was that of being prepared to die, in the 19th century people died of illness and accidents at an alarming rate, not to mention the Civil War had a high number of casualties, she also lived 15 years of her youth next to a cemetery. Dickinson’s view on death was never one of something to be feared she almost romanized death, in her poem â€Å"Because I Could not Stop for Death†, she actually personifies death while narrating from beyond the grave. In the first stanza she states â€Å"I could not stop for†¦show more content†¦This is symbolic of her looking at death as a new beginning as opposed to a sad ending. There is a feeling of disappointment as she thinks that she is going towards eternity but she just ends up viewing the â€Å"House that Seemed a Swelling of the Ground† and then centuries later, reflects upon her journey towards and eternity she didn’t witness. To Dickinson death was not something to be afraid of but to rather embrace and accept because it was inevitable, yet as in her life ends up disappointed because death leads to nothingness. This poem is written in ballad form which is odd because one would think of a ballad and think a love story or an author gushing on about nature not an allegory about personified Death. Dickinson both unites and contrasts love/courtship with death, experimenting with both reader’s expectations and the poetic convention dictating specific poem form. This is why Dickinson is widely hailed because of her unconventional writing methods. Ms. Dickinson seemed very at ease with death as if it were but another point of our existence. In her later works she concentrated more on death because her own personal li fe was marked by a succession of deaths, loosing those that she was close to and these events in her life caused her to write about death as if itShow MoreRelated Loneliness in Works of Emily Dickinson Essay1222 Words   |  5 Pagesthe poems of Emily Dickinson, there are many instances in which she refers to her seclusion and loneliness, and how wonderful the two can be. In a book entitled, Emily Dickenson: Singular Poet, by Carl Dommermuth, she writes: She (Dickinson) apparently enjoyed a normal social life as a school girl, but in later years would seldom leave her home. She was passionate yet distant. This distance Dommermuth speaks of is quite evident in Dickinsons works. Dickinson not only loves her loneliness butRead MoreCompare-Contrast Critical Analysis Essay1064 Words   |  5 PagesAuden), â€Å"Death, be not proud† (John Donne), and â€Å"Because I could not stop for Death† (Emily Dickinson) are unique in their own way however, I feel that two poems in particular may show more similarity in each other versus all three being compared at once although, I will be comparing and contrasting all three poems towards the end of this essay. For example, When reading â€Å"Funeral Blues† (W. H. Auden), I felt a greater sense of similarity to â€Å"Because I could not stop for death† (Emily Dickinson) versusRead MoreEssay about Whitman vs. Dickinson759 Words   |  4 Pagesvs. Dickinson Death; termination of vital existence; passing away of the physical state. Dying comes along with a pool of emotions that writers have many times tried to explain. Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman were two pioneer poets from the Romantic Era, that introduced new, freer styles of writing to modern poetry at the time. Both Whitman and Dickinson have similar ideas in their writing, but each has a unique touch of expression in their works. Both poets have portrayed death in theirRead MoreReligion In Emily Dickinson1005 Words   |  5 PagesEmily Dickinson was one of the most ambiguous authors of her time. Her poetry remains a mystery to so many readers and her lack of biographical information makes her writing even more intriguing. Dickinson spent most of her life away from society, therefore, very few people knew how she viewed the aspects of life, let alone knew what her writing meant. Her interpretations of concepts such as religion, nature, and death are often seen as contradic ting and pinning one specific thesis on her views isRead MoreBecause I Could Not Stop for Death1444 Words   |  6 Pagesnot stop for Death In Emily Dickinsons poem Because I could not stop for Death the main theme seems to be the acceptance of Death. Emily gives reference to the theme by using death in the first line. The poem is unique and interesting because she presents Death in a different way by referring to it as an escort taking her on a journey towards eternity rather than making it seem like something frightening. Each stanza of the poem breaks down the journey through the stages of her life that leadsRead MoreAnalysis of Because I Could Not Stop for Death Essay1188 Words   |  5 PagesEmily Dickinson is one of the most important American poets of the 1800s. Dickinson, who was known to be quite the recluse, lived and died in the town of Amherst, Massachusetts, spending the majority of her days alone in her room writing poetry. What few friends she did have would testify that Dickinson was a rather introverted and melancholy person, which shows in a number of her poems where regular themes include death and mortality. One such poem that exemplifies her â€Å"dark side† is, â€Å"Because IRead MoreEmily Dickinson s Because I Could Not Stop For Death1751 Words   |  8 Pages Outlook on Death in Dickinson’s â€Å"Because I Could Not Stop for Death† Death is considered by many to be the heartbreaking end of life; the moment when one is bound to hopelessness, to accept loss, and to accept the inevitable. As discouraging as this outlook on death may appear, it is captivating why Emily Dickinson preferred to make death one among the major themes of her poems. Because numerous poets of the 19th century wrote about death, Dickinson was not exceptional in picking this idea. HoweverRead MoreComparison of Emily Dickinsons Because I Could Not Stop for Death and Denise Levertovs A Time Past1037 Words   |  4 PagesComparison of Because I Could Not Stop for Death and A Time Past Emily Dickinsons Because I Could Not Stop For Death recounts the narrators final ride and how she is accompanied by a chivalrous Death. In the poem, the narrator describes major landmarks that have made an impact on her life, as well as provides a description of her final resting place. Likewise, in A Time Past, Denise Levertov looks back at her life, noting how the changes that have occurred to set of stairs parallel theRead More The Poets Tool - The Words of Emily Dickinson Essays2299 Words   |  10 PagesTool - The Words of Emily Dickinson       A poet couched in mystique and controversy--that is Emily Dickinson. But amidst all the disagreement, one idea critics seem to agree upon is the recognition of this remarkable poets love of language. Emily Dickinsons love affair with words fed her desire to master their use whether individually or combined in phrases until they said exactly what she wanted them to say. For Emily Dickinson words were a fascination and, in her hands, they becomeRead MoreDeath, But Love, And The Mind969 Words   |  4 Pages/ It is That / Distills amazing sense / From Ordinary Meanings† (Dickinson, Fr 446). Emily Dickinson was that poet. Though her life was nowhere near as influential and turbulent as other poets, she managed to bring a fresh, occasionally wry outlook on ordinary things. She is popularly known today for her largely death-related poetry and reclusive lifestyle, yet her life influenced her poetry to encompass many themes, not just death, but love, nature, and the mind. â€Å"To make the abstract tangible