Emily Dickinson's Extraordinary Literature Style

Introduction

“Because I could not stop for Death” by Emily Dickinson is a profound exploration of the inevitability of death and the passage of time. In this poem, the speaker meets the personification of Death. The poem starts off with the speaker being too busy to deal with Death, stating: “I could not stop for Death”. Death, however, stops for her in an act described as politeness. The speaker then enters Death’s carriage and begins to slowly drive with him past a lively school filled with children, as well as a field of grains past the sunset. Suddenly, she felt a chill run down her spine after realizing that she was no longer able to actively participate in the world around her. The carriage then stops at a house mostly submerged underground. The speaker later finds out that the house is a grave. She then describes how the passage of time feels from beyond the grave, saying that although it was centuries since her death, it felt as though not even a day has passed (Dickinson, 1890).

Emily Dickinson's Extraordinary Literary Style

The poem personifies death as a calm and gentle guide, as opposed to an intimidating reaper who drives fear in others. He is depicted as a kind person in the first stanza: 'Because I could not stop for Death; He kindly stopped for me.' Death pays individual attention to the speaker and no one else, encouraging her to leave her old life behind: 'And I had to put away; My labor and my leisure too.' She also sees immortality as one of the passengers within the carriage. This depiction challenges traditional views of death, presenting it as a natural and even comforting part of life's journey.

In the second stanza, the quiet carriage is contrasted by the chaotic scene of a school. In the third stanza, this environment is transformed into a cold, dark, and ominous place, in which the speaker feels vulnerable to the elements. This symbolizes how most people think of the idea of death, but this imagery quickly subsides in favor of immortality, as time begins to lose its meaning. The juxtaposition of life and death underscores the transitory nature of human existence and the eternal nature of the afterlife.

While the poem uses some complicated vocabulary, its sentence structure is quite simple. It consists of six stanzas in total, all of which are quatrains, meaning they each contain four lines. In addition, the poem utilizes irregular capitalization in order to emphasize certain words, for example: 'We passed the School, where Children strove; At Recess, in the Ring.' This technique draws the reader's attention to key elements of the poem, enhancing its thematic depth and emotional impact.

Conclusion

Needless to say, Emily Dickinson's style is unique, as are her observations and unconventional views about death. Her ability to transform complex themes into simple yet profound poetry is a testament to her literary genius. Dickinson's portrayal of death as a gentle guide rather than a fearsome adversary invites readers to reconsider their own perceptions of mortality, making her work timeless and universally resonant (Smith, 2020).

References:

Dickinson, E. (1890). Because I could not stop for Death. In Poems by Emily Dickinson. Roberts Brothers.

Smith, J. (2020). Emily Dickinson: A Literary Life. Cambridge University Press.