Introduction to “Because I could not Stop for Death”
Emily Dickinson’s popular poem “Because I could not Stop for Death” is considered a masterpiece of the spiritual journey of a mystic from this world to the other world. Published posthumously in 1890 under the title of “The Chariot,” this poem brings into light the desire of the poet to welcome death, which is generally considered an unwelcomed companion. In fact, this poem tells a story personifying Death as a male companion. The woman, who happens to be the poet herself, sits with Death in the carriage to go to eternity. The gentleman, Death, takes her politely on the ride. However, against the conventions, there is also a strange and somewhat esoteric stranger in the carriage. This mysterious stranger is Immortality. The time given in the poem is of late-afternoon. The journey entails the carriage and all three passengers going through wheat fields, with the children playing in the ground and the setting sun. The journey seems a spiritual ride toward death which is not considered a good subject of poetry. However, it seems that the poet still remembers that this journey took place centuries ago. Although several themes have been woven into this spiritual strand, the most beautiful thing about this poem is that every incident, every turn, and every scene demonstrates the skill of using beautiful images, triggering a sort of mystic response from its readers. “Because I could not Stop for Death” shows imagery and figurative language, the spiritual journey toward Eternity, and the use of literary and poetic devices have added to the smooth reading and good comprehension of the poem.
Imagery and Figurative Language in “Because I could not Stop for Death”
Whereas the imagery and figurative language is concerned, “Because I could not Stop for Death” has ample evidences. The very title of the poem “Because I could not stop for Death” shows that “Death” has initial capitals which points to its being a proper noun and a person. This means that Dickinson has personified Death as an individual who takes her on a long ride. In his book, All Things Dickinson: An Encyclopedia of Emily Dickinson’s World, Wend Martin claims that this entire poem is an allegory in which the poet “ironically personifies death as a gentleman”, while the rest of the poem is woven around this theme. The metaphor of passing and the poet’s ambivalence toward this universal phenomenon of death lend an eerie atmosphere to the final imagery of the grave and graveyard (535). The ambivalence is perhaps embedded within the poet’s mind as well as in the poem itself because the double meanings of death a good as well as a deceitful companion becomes accentuated when the poem reaches the end. The images of “the School, Fields of Gazing Grain, the Setting Sun, the Dews, the Ground, A Swelling in the Ground” are enough to point out the use of images intended to enhance its specific meanings. The expertise of the poet could be gauged from the fact that she has used highly informal language used in everyday conversation and that too as if it is a dialogue between the poet and Death, her friend. Yet, this has not marred the spiritual quality of the poem. Rather, this colloquial diction has enhanced the seriousness of the message of the poem such as, “We paused before a House that seemed / A Swelling of the Ground” where this becomes very somber that now it is the grave where they have paused (17-18).
Presentation of Spiritual Journey in “Because I could not Stop for Death”
Another interpretation of the poem “Because I could not stop for Death” is the presentation of a spiritual journey from life to death and from the physical to the spiritual world. However, this journey is contrary to common journeys that poets narrate regarding their spiritual odysseys. In fact, this is a very simple journey having profound symbolic meanings. If death and immortality in small letters are taken from a Christian perspective, it means a person goes with death to have a better place to live in paradise. The time becomes irrelevant when a person dies. As Dickinson has pointed out in the last lines that “Since then-’tis Centuries-”, it means this is the journey from transience to eternity. However, another interpretation points to Death as a male suitor taking the poet away from this humdrum of life. The poet has presented this suitor very beautifully as a kind person who comes and takes her on the final journey. This represents her love for Death which other common people dread to think. Commenting on this aspect of the poem, Charles Anderson argues “Although she was aware this is a last ride, since his ‘Carriage’ can only be a hearse, its terror is subdued by the ‘Civility’ of the driver who is merely serving the end of ‘Immortality” (Anderson). However, the important point of this journey is that the poet has made the readers see and observe and not think and analyze. This aspect of the poem has made it a literal journey toward spiritualism.
Technical Aspects of “Because I could not Stop for Death”
As far as the technical aspects of “Because I could not Stop for Death” are concerned, it is a remarkable poem not only from the view of its word choice but also from its rhythm and rhyme scheme. The poem comprises total six stanzas, each having five lines. The stanzas have been made balanced through the use of iambic tetrameter and trimester as each line has either four feet or three feet, making it have a good musical rhyme. The use of end rhyme and internal rhyme have further made it oscillate from the first to the second line and then move back and forth, strengthening its rhythmic quality further. With it, the poet has used very good figures of sounds such as the use of alliteration. The repetition of the sound of “c” ion the first line and “t” in the 24th lines have balanced each line. Campbell, in his article, “Critical Perspectives on Selected Poems by Emily Dickinson”, says, “What holds the poem so remarkably taut is the steady, unruffled tone” (Campbell). This tone changes with the use of technical devices as the poet moves from one stanza to another. The first stanza shows that Emily Dickinson is happy to go on this journey with this gentleman named, Death. She seems fully confident. However, as the journey moves forward, she becomes confused in the third and fourth stanzas. In fact, this is the mention of some worldly things which seem to present her confusion about whether she is leaving this world happily or sadly. Death, in fact, is taking her toward her grave. However, she thinks it is immortality, while death is the actual death.
Conclusion
In short, this poem “Because I could not stop for Death” has made Emily Dickinson to be remembered as one of the best spiritual and mystical poets. She has written several poems and presented the concept of death in several other poems, but it has never been presented in such a gentle playful mood as in “Because I could not stop for death.” The poem has achieved the status of a classical poem on the basis of the use of images during the last journey. Different figures of speech such as the use of personification, metaphors, alliterations, paradoxes, and use of mechanics have accentuated the meanings of this spiritual journey. Further beauty has been added with technical devices such as the use of mechanics, rhyme scheme, rhythm, and above all its meter. In this connection, the efforts of the poet need appreciation because it is not easy to handle such a complicated theme in such a nice manner. Only an accomplished poet can bring smoothness and comprehension in such an abstruse piece of poetry. Emily Dickinson has done it remarkably and successfully.
Bibliography (in APA)
- Campbell Dr. “Critical Perspectives on Selected Poems by Emily Dickinson.” WSU. Retrieved on March 15, 2016 from http://public.wsu.edu/~campbelld/amlit/dickinsoncriticism.pdf.
- Martin, W. (2014). All Things Dickinson: An Encyclopedia of Emily Dickinson’s World. ABC-CLIO. Print. 532-536.
- Anderson, C.R. “On 712 (“Because I could not stop for Death”).” American Poetry. Retrieved on March 15 2016 from http://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/poets/a_f/dickinson/712.htm.
- Dickinson, E. “Because I could not stop for Death.” Poetry Foundation. Retrieved on March 15, 2016 from http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/177119
Relevant Questions about “Because I could not stop for Death”
- How does Emily Dickinson use personification and metaphor to portray Death as a courteous and patient suitor in “Because I could not stop for Death,” and what effect does this portrayal have on the poem’s tone and themes?
- What is the significance of the journey and the various stops, such as the school, the grain field, and the setting sun, in “Because I could not stop for Death”? How do these stops contribute to the poem’s exploration of mortality and the afterlife?
- Dickinson’s poem “Because I could not stop for Death” explores the concept of time and the inevitability of death. How does the poem address the theme of immortality and the enduring nature of the soul? What literary devices and imagery does Dickinson employ to convey these ideas?
