because i could not stop for death essay questions

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Because I could not stop for Death — Summary & Analysis by Emily Dickinson

Line-by-Line Explanation & Analysis
Poetic Devices
Vocabulary & References
Form, Meter, & Rhyme Scheme
Line-by-Line Explanations

because i could not stop for death essay questions

"Because I could not stop for death" is one of Emily Dickinson's most celebrated poems and was composed around 1863. In the poem, a female speaker tells the story of how she was visited by "Death," personified as a "kindly" gentleman, and taken for a ride in his carriage. This ride appears to take the speaker past symbols of the different stages of life, before coming to a halt at what is most likely her own grave. The poem can be read both as the anticipation of a heavenly Christian afterlife and as something altogether more bleak and down-to-earth. Much of its power comes from its refusal to offer easy answers to life's greatest mystery: what happens when people die.

Read the full text of “Because I could not stop for Death —”

LitCharts

The Full Text of “Because I could not stop for Death —”

1 Because I could not stop for Death –

2 He kindly stopped for me –

3 The Carriage held but just Ourselves –

4 And Immortality.

5 We slowly drove – He knew no haste

6 And I had put away

7 My labor and my leisure too,

8 For His Civility –

9 We passed the School, where Children strove

10 At Recess – in the Ring –

11 We passed the Fields of Gazing Grain –

12 We passed the Setting Sun –

13 Or rather – He passed Us –

14 The Dews drew quivering and Chill –

15 For only Gossamer, my Gown –

16 My Tippet – only Tulle –

17 We paused before a House that seemed

18 A Swelling of the Ground –

19 The Roof was scarcely visible –

20 The Cornice – in the Ground –

21 Since then – 'tis Centuries – and yet

22 Feels shorter than the Day

23 I first surmised the Horses' Heads

24 Were toward Eternity –

“Because I could not stop for Death —” Summary

“because i could not stop for death —” themes.

Death, Immortality, and Eternity

See where this theme is active in the poem.

The Cyclical Nature of Life and Death

Line-by-line explanation & analysis of “because i could not stop for death —”.

Because I could not stop for Death – He kindly stopped for me – The Carriage held but just Ourselves – And Immortality.

We slowly drove – He knew no haste And I had put away My labor and my leisure too, For His Civility –

We passed the School, where Children strove At Recess – in the Ring – We passed the Fields of Gazing Grain – We passed the Setting Sun –

Lines 13-16

Or rather – He passed Us – The Dews drew quivering and Chill – For only Gossamer, my Gown – My Tippet – only Tulle –

Lines 17-20

We paused before a House that seemed A Swelling of the Ground – The Roof was scarcely visible – The Cornice – in the Ground –

Lines 21-24

Since then – 'tis Centuries – and yet Feels shorter than the Day I first surmised the Horses' Heads Were toward Eternity –

“Because I could not stop for Death —” Symbols

The Carriage

See where this symbol appears in the poem.

The Children

“Because I could not stop for Death —” Poetic Devices & Figurative Language

Alliteration.

See where this poetic device appears in the poem.

Personification

“because i could not stop for death —” vocabulary.

Select any word below to get its definition in the context of the poem. The words are listed in the order in which they appear in the poem.

See where this vocabulary word appears in the poem.

Form, Meter, & Rhyme Scheme of “Because I could not stop for Death —”

Rhyme scheme, “because i could not stop for death —” speaker, “because i could not stop for death —” setting, literary and historical context of “because i could not stop for death —”, more “because i could not stop for death —” resources, external resources.

On Playing Emily — A clip in which actor Cynthia Nixon discusses playing Emily Dickinson on screen in "A Quiet Passion."

A Reading of the Poem — A reading on Youtube by Tom O'Bedlam.

Dickinson's Meter — A valuable discussion of Emily Dickinson's use of meter.

The Dickinson Museum — The Emily Dickinson Museum, situated in the poet's old house, has lots of resources for students.

In Our Time Podcast — Experts talk about Emily Dickinson's life and work on the BBC's In Our Time podcast/radio show.

LitCharts on Other Poems by Emily Dickinson

A Bird, came down the Walk

After great pain, a formal feeling comes –

A Light exists in Spring

A Murmur in the Trees—to note—

A narrow Fellow in the Grass

An awful Tempest mashed the air—

As imperceptibly as grief

A still—Volcano—Life—

A Word dropped careless on a Page

Before I got my eye put out

Fame is a fickle food

Hope is the thing with feathers

I cannot live with You –

I cautious, scanned my little life

I could bring You Jewels—had I a mind to—

I did not reach Thee

I died for Beauty—but was scarce

I dreaded that first Robin, so

I dwell in Possibility –

I felt a Funeral, in my Brain

If I can stop one heart from breaking

I had been hungry, all the Years

I have a Bird in spring

I heard a Fly buzz - when I died -

I like a look of Agony

I like to see it lap the Miles

I measure every Grief I meet

I’m Nobody! Who are you?

I started Early — Took my Dog —

I taste a liquor never brewed

It was not Death, for I stood up

I—Years—had been—from Home—

Like Rain it sounded till it curved

Much Madness is divinest Sense -

My Life had stood - a Loaded Gun

Nature is what we see

One need not be a Chamber — to be Haunted

Publication — is the Auction

Safe in their Alabaster Chambers

Success is counted sweetest

Tell all the truth but tell it slant —

The Brain—is wider than the Sky—

The Bustle in a House

The Mushroom is the Elf of Plants

There came a Wind like a Bugle

There is no Frigate like a Book

There's a certain Slant of light

There's been a Death, in the Opposite House

The saddest noise, the sweetest noise

The Sky is low — the Clouds are mean

The Soul has bandaged moments

The Soul selects her own Society

The Wind – tapped like a tired Man –

They shut me up in Prose –

This is my letter to the world

This World is not Conclusion

'Twas the old—road—through pain—

We grow accustomed to the Dark

What mystery pervades a well!

Whose cheek is this?

Wild nights - Wild nights!

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Emily Dickinson's Because I Could Not Stop for Death Analysis

General Education

Emily Dickinson is one of the most important American poets of the nineteenth century. Dickinson takes a unique and artistic approach to her poetry, which can sometimes make its meaning and themes difficult to pin down.

In this article, we’re going to give you a crash course in the poetry of Emily Dickinson by focusing on one of her most famous poems, “Because I could not stop for Death.” We’ll give you:

An overview of the life and career of Emily Dickinson
A thorough “Because I could not stop for Death” summary
A discussion of the “Because I could not stop for Death” meaning
An explanation of the top three themes and top two poetic devices in the poem

Let’s begin!

Because Dickinson was so reclusive, there aren't many pictures available of her. This is one of the only authenticated images of Emily Dickinson in existence!

Meet the Author: Emily Dickinson (1830-1886)

Emily Dickinson was born on December 10, 1830 in Amherst, Massachusetts. Dickinson grew up in an educated family. Her father, Edward Dickinson, was involved in state and local politics. He even served in Congress for one term. Dickinson herself was an excellent student. She began writing poetry as a teenager and corresponding with other writers to exchange written drafts and ideas.

After completing seven years at Amherst Academy, she attended Mount Holyoke Female Seminary for a year for religious education. It isn’t known why she left the school, but some scholars believe that mental illness may have led to her departure. (They also think Dickinson’s emotional struggles may have led to her reclusiveness, too.)

After leaving seminary, Dickinson never joined a particular church or denomination . This was a serious rejection of the cultural and religious tradition in her small, Puritan hometown. Dickinson’s complicated relationship with religion, God, and Puritan values pops up in her poetry, too.

Dickinson was a big fan of the metaphysical poets of seventeenth century England —such as John Donne and George Herbert—and their works influence Dickinson’s poems. Metaphysical poetry is characterized by philosophical exploration and themes such as love, religion, and morality. The metaphysical poets often considered these themes through the lens of social and cultural events of their time, such as scientific advancements and contemporary issues. Like these older poets, Dickinson’s work focuses on nature, mortality, and morbidity.

Like so many poets, Emily Dickinson was not famous during her lifetime. After her death, her friends discovered her collection of poems, which she had meticulously organized and assembled in individual pamphlets. The first volume of her poetry was published in 1890, four years after her death.

Though Dickinson’s influence was not celebrated while she was alive, she’s now considered one of the defining poets of her time period. Additionally , “Because I could not stop for Death” is recognized as one of Dickinson’s most widely read poems.

Emily Dickinson, “Because I Could Not Stop for Death” (1890)

“Because I could not stop for Death” is a lyrical poem by Emily Dickinson. It was first published posthumously in the 1890 collection, Poems: Series One . This collection was assembled and edited for publication by Dickinson's friends, Mabel Loomis Todd and Thomas Wentworth Higginson, and it was originally published under the title "The Chariot.”

Because Dickinson herself never authorized the publication of her poetry, it’s not known whether “Because I could not stop for Death” was a completed or unfinished work. But that hasn’t stopped it from being widely read and studied.

Find the full text of the poem below:

“Because I Could Not Stop for Death” by Emily Dickinson

Before we get into the analysis, it's worth reading the full text of the poem again. Here it is:

Because I could not stop for Death – He kindly stopped for me – The Carriage held but just Ourselves – And Immortality.

We slowly drove – He knew no haste And I had put away My labor and my leisure too, For His Civility –

We passed the School, where Children strove At Recess – in the Ring – We passed the Fields of Gazing Grain – We passed the Setting Sun –

Or rather – He passed Us – The Dews drew quivering and Chill – For only Gossamer, my Gown – My Tippet – only Tulle –

We paused before a House that seemed A Swelling of the Ground – The Roof was scarcely visible – The Cornice – in the Ground –

Since then – 'tis Centuries – and yet Feels shorter than the Day I first surmised the Horses' Heads Were toward Eternity –

Emily Dickinson spent most of her life in Amherst, Massachusetts. The house where she was born is now home to the Emily Dickinson Museum.

The Background Behind the Poem

Because Dickinson’s poems were not published until after she passed away, it’s not totally clear what motivated her to write “Because I could not stop for Death.” However, scholars have divided Dickinson’s extensive writings up into three periods: before 1861, 1861-1865, and after 1865. “Because I could not stop for Death” was written during the period from 1861-1865, Dickinson’s most creative period.

This period is thought to be the time when Dickinson focused on two of her poetry’s dominant themes: life and mortality. As you’ll see when we dig into the meaning of this poem, “Because I could not stop for Death” definitely explores both.

There were also things going on in Dickinson’s personal life that can help us understand what may have motivated her to write this poem. In the 1850s, Dickinson visited Philadelphia and fell in love with a married minister. Unsurprisingly, the relationship didn’t work out, resulting in a disappointment in romantic relationships that would define the rest of Dickinson’s life. She would later experience an emotional crisis (the details of which are unknown) and become a recluse.

“Because I could not stop for Death” portrays the personification of Death, who visits the poem’s speaker and takes her on a carriage ride to the afterlife. Over the course of the poem, the speaker contemplates scenes of natural cycles of life and death that she observes during the carriage ride with Death. Some may read the poem as a reaction to the disappointments and solitude that Dickinson experienced during her life. Others view it as portraying her reconciliation with Christian faith. Regardless, knowing more about Dickinson, her life, and the circumstances that may have informed this poem can help us analyze her work more accurately.

Now let's take a closer look at "Because I could not stop for Death" and analyze the poem!

“Because I Could Not Stop for Death” Analysis, Meaning, and Themes

To help you understand the significance of Emily Dickinson’s poetry, we’ll break down the overarching meaning through a “Because I could not stop for Death” analysis next.

But before we do, go back and reread the poem. Once you have that done, come back here...and we can get started!

“Because I Could Not Stop for Death” Meaning

At its core, this is a poem about death. (Surprise!)

At the beginning of the poem, Death comes to fetch the speaker for a carriage ride. The rest of the poem shows the speaker coming to terms with the transition from life into death.

In fact, the journey into death is what Dickinson really grapples with throughout the poem. Once Death picks the speaker up for their carriage ride, they travel along a country path that allows the speaker to observe children at play and the beauties of nature. Death takes a leisurely pace and treats the speaker kindly along the way.

These depictions of the speaker’s journey to death reveal what death means to the speaker of the poem . The speaker seems to be saying that the hardest part about death isn’t always the act of dying itself. In fact, they say that they “could not stop for Death,” possibly because they were too busy living!

However, this poem takes a closer look at the process of coming to terms with death...and how death is unavoidable. This is a struggle that any reader can relate to, since death is something we will all have to confront someday.

By the final stanza of the poem, the speaker has achieved something that we all might hope for as well: they are at peace with her life coming to an end. They see a new home rising up from the earth, with its “Roof” in the ground. In other words, Death has taken the speaker to their grave. But the speaker doesn’t view their grave negatively. It’s not a scary place! Instead, it’s the location where the speaker comes face-to-face with Eternity.

Understanding the overarching message of “Because I could not stop for Death” can help us pick out more specific themes that help us understand the poem better. Next, we’ll dig into three important themes from this poem: the inevitability of death, the connection of life with death, and the uncertainty of the afterlife.

Theme 1: The Inevitability of Death

We already know that the process of dying is central to “Because I could not stop for Death.” Even more specific than that, though, is the idea that death is inevitable.

We can see that the speaker is facing the inevitability of death from the very first stanza. The speaker saying that they “could not stop for Death” shows they had not necessarily planned to die--but Death came for them anyway.

If we look at the meaning of “stopped” in the poem, we can get a better idea of how the speaker was feeling about the inevitability of Death’s approach. “Stopped” seems to mean “picked up” or “collected” in the context of the poem—at least when referring to Death stopping for the speaker. In other words, “stopped” doesn’t mean that Death halted its pursuit of the speaker to search for another mortal. It actually means that Death is making a stop to pick her up, similar to a taxi or bus.

But “stopped” is also used in the first line of the poem when the speaker says that she “could not stop for Death.” So what’s up with that? T he use of “stop” in the first line could imply that the speaker was too busy living their life to acknowledge Death’s approach. Instead of the speaker traveling to meet Death, Death came for them...regardless of the speaker’s original plans.

The first line could also be interpreted another way. Perhaps the speaker could not stop for Death because she was too afraid. (In that way, this could be read a lot like Dylan Thomas’ “Do not go gentle into that good night. ” In this reading, the speaker “could not stop” because they were nervous about what accepting Death would be like.

Regardless of how you interpret the speaker’s position--whether they were too busy or too scared to stop--the speaker definitely can’t avoid their trip with Death . When Death stops for them, they have to go with Death.

While perhaps too apprehensive or preoccupied to stop for Death at first, once she settles into the carriage ride, t he speaker is put at ease by Death’s civility and the leisurely pace he takes on the journey. The path the speaker travels isn’t frantic--there’s no rush! This gives the speaker the time to reflect on all the beautiful things of life and consider what’s to come at the end of the journey.

In fact, Dickinson’s speaker paints Death in a favorable light here. Death isn’t the terrifying grim reaper who shows up with a sickle and whisks you away to the afterlife. Nor is the trip with Death like a Final Destination movie where everything is scary. In fact, Death is described as “civil,” or courteous, in line eight. The journey that the speaker takes to “Eternity” (mentioned in the last line of the poem) is calm, quiet, and pensive.

Death isn’t cheery in this poem--but it’s also not a terrifying, horrible process. In this case, Death gives the speaker a chance to reflect on life from beginning (symbolized by the playing children) all the way to the end (symbolized by the setting sun).

Theme 2: The Connection of Life and Death

The second theme that we’ll cover here is the beauty of life . From beginning to end, “Because I could not stop for Death” portrays how the process of dying is actually characterized by the vibrancy and fullness of life.

Like we talked about earlier, this poem is all about the journey with Death as a person transitions from life to Eternity. But the carriage ride isn’t what you might expect! It’s not full of sadness, darkness, and...well, dead people.

Instead, the speaker sees a series of vignettes: of children playing, fields of growing grain, and the setting sun. Each of these images represents a phase of life . The children represent the joy and fun of childhood, the grain represents our growth and productiveness as adults, and the setting sun represents the final years of life.

As the speaker dies, they are able to revisit these peaceful and joyful moments again. In that way, dying is as much about experiencing life one final time as it is about making it to your final rest.

Theme 3: The Uncertainty of the Afterlife

The final theme that’s prominent in “Because I could not stop for Death” is the uncertainty of the afterlife. The speaker seems to imply that, just as much as we can’t control when Death stops for us, we can’t control what happens (or doesn’t happen) in the afterlife.

This theme pops up pretty explicitly when the speaker mentions Immortality in line four . At the end of the poem’s first stanza, the speaker states that Immortality (also personified !) came along for the carriage ride. Presumably, Death picked Immortality up along the way to the speaker’s house.

So what are Death and Immortality doing riding in the same carriage? Well, the poem doesn’t actually make that totally clear. But we can make some inferences based on the remainder of the poem!

After the first stanza, the speaker doesn’t mention Immortality explicitly again. This might mean that, like us, the speaker is unsure about what Immortality is going to do at the end of the carriage ride, which ends at the speaker’s grave. Will Immortality leave the speaker to rest peacefully in Death? Or will Immortality take over the journey when Death’s responsibilities end?

The truth is, we just don’t know—and it seems that the speaker doesn’t either. That’s reinforced by the end of the poem, where the speaker reflects on guessing that Death’s carriage horses heads were pointed toward “Eternity.” Readers never get an image or explanation of what Eternity’s like. The afterlife remains a mystery to the reader...just as it was for the speaker while they were on their journey.

This uncertainty can be frustrating for readers, but it’s actually kind of the point! It’s as if the speaker views the possibility of immortality as something we can build into our process of coming to terms with the inevitability of death. While Death is inevitable, the speaker is saying that Immortality, or the afterlife, is unknowable.

Immortality seems to be an idea that we can choose to take along with us on the carriage ride with Death. What Immortality will do when we reach our destination isn’t something we can know for sure when we’re alive—but Dickinson is leaving the possibility of Immortality through the afterlife totally open.

This is sometimes read as evidence of Dickinson’s reinvigorated Christian faith...or as a throwback to her conservative Calvinist upbringing. But, those factors aside, I mmortality is presented as a potential companion to the speaker—a belief or presence that can give comfort and peace as she faces the inevitability of Death.

Poetic devices are tools you can use to analyze a poem. Let's check out two that will help you unlock this poem's meaning.

The Top 2 Poetic Devices in “Because I Could Not Stop for Death”

Analyzing poetic devices can help us better understand the meaning and themes of a work of poetry. Emily Dickinson’s “Because I could not stop for Death” relies on several poetic devices, but the most important are personification and a volta .

Personification

Personification is a poetic device that assigns human characteristics to something nonhuman or abstract. For instance, naming your favorite plant--and talking to it like it can listen!--is an example of personification in action!

In “Because I could not stop for Death,” Dickinson uses personification to lend human qualities to Death and Immortality. Death and Immortality are concepts, not people...but in her poem, Dickinson makes them act like people by having them drive and/or ride in a carriage.

Through the personification of Death and Immortality, Dickinson presents these very familiar ideas in a way that is likely totally unfamiliar to her readers. When Death and Immortality come to mind, we probably don’t jump to images of a kind carriage driver and a quiet, stately passenger. By giving Death and Immortality human qualities , Dickinson helps the readers connect with these complex ideas and makes them more approachable.

Personification also helps readers ask important questions about the poem . Why is Death driving a carriage and picking the speaker up? Why is Immortality along for the ride? And, most of all, how can we think about Death and Immortality in a whole new way by perceiving them similarly to human beings? While we might not have exact answers to these questions--just like the speaker doesn’t know what to expect from Eternity!--they allow us to critically think about existential concepts in a more concrete way.

Here’s one example of what we mean. We already talked about how Dickinson is trying to portray Death as more than something to fear. She’s suggesting that Death is a journey that we all must take, and one that can give us the chance to reflect on our lives and find peace in the inevitability of Death. When Death is personified, we can see qualities in Death that may change how we think and feel about it.

And that’s really what personification is all about: creating powerful stories that make big ideas easier to understand . By the end of the poem, just like the speaker, we see Death in a whole new way.

A volta , or a turn, is often used by poets to create a significant shift in the tone and theme of a poem. Put another way: a volta can sometimes turn a poem on its head and take it in a different or new direction.

Dickinson uses a volta in “Because I could not stop for Death” to shift the personification of Death from pleasant to more ambiguous.

Before the volta, Death is portrayed as a civil and courteous gentleman. You can see this in the first two stanzas, or sections, of the poem. After the volta, which occurs in line thirteen of the poem, Death takes on a more mysterious quality.

Instead of the happy children and fields of grain, the landscape changes after the volta. The dews quiver and chill, which sets a more ominous and melancholy tone. Then Death takes the speaker to her destination: a house “that seemed / A swelling of the ground.” While this is certainly a metaphorical description of a grave, it’s also something more: it’s honing in on the unknown. The speaker knows that they’ve been taken to their resting place, but it’s at least partially hidden. They can’t see what’s next for them, which turns the poem’s tone from a thoughtful reflectiveness to something more mysterious and enigmatic. This ties into one of the poem’s major themes: the uncertainty of the afterlife.

So, now that we’ve talked about what the volta in this poem does...how can you tell when the volta is happening? In “Because I could not stop for Death,” you can find the volta by paying attention to the language Dickinson uses. Line thirteen begins, “Or rather--He passed us.” Those words--”or rather”--signify that the speaker’s thoughts and feelings are changing course, or making a turn toward a new idea.

Another way to identify a volta is through changes to the structure of the poem. If you read “Because I could not stop for Death” out loud, you might notice that it has a lyrical quality. It’s rhythmic, almost like a song. This is because it follows a strict syllabic structure. At the volta, the pattern of syllables in each stanza changes from 8-6-8-6 to 6-8-8-6.

This might seem like a small change, but you can feel a change in the lyrical quality of the poem when the syllabic pattern changes. It’s like when the beat changes in a song: the song just feels different! In the poem, the change in syllabic pattern helps propel the change in the portrayal of Death forward. And in this case, the volta helps us understand the speaker’s journey through death to the afterlife in a more nuanced way.

What's Next?

The key to analyzing poetry is making sure you have the right tools at your disposal. That’s where our list of poetic devices comes in handy! These will help you understand the techniques poets use in their works...and ultimately help you grasp poems’ meanings and themes.

If you’re still a little confused about how to analyze a poem, don’t worry. We have other expert poetry analyses on our blog! W hy not start with this one on Dylan Thomas’ “Do not go gentle into that good night”?

Knowing how to analyze poetry is a key skill you need to master before you take the AP Literature exam. You can learn tons more about what to expect from the AP Lit test here.

Looking for help with high school? Our one-on-one online tutoring services can help you study for important exams, review challenging material, or plan out big projects. Get matched with a top tutor who is an expert in the subject you're studying!

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Ashley Sufflé Robinson has a Ph.D. in 19th Century English Literature. As a content writer for PrepScholar, Ashley is passionate about giving college-bound students the in-depth information they need to get into the school of their dreams.

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Literary Theory and Criticism

Home › Literature › Analysis of Emily Dickinson’s Because I could not stop for Death

Analysis of Emily Dickinson’s Because I could not stop for Death

By NASRULLAH MAMBROL on July 5, 2020 • ( 0 )

One of Dickinson’s most famous and widely discussed poems, Fr 479 appeared in the first 1890 edition of her poems, edited by Mabel Loomis Todd and Thomas Wentworth Higginson. Higginson had given it the inappropriate title “The Chariot,” thinking, perhaps, of an image from classical times that survived in Victorian paintings of Apollo, patron of the arts, carrying the artist to heaven in his chariot. (Farr, Passion, 329). The editors seriously disfigured the poem by omitting the fourth stanza; and Mrs. Todd “improved on” the poet’s exact rhyme in stanza 3, rhyming “Mound” with “Ground” instead. Not until the publication of Johnson’s 1955 Poems were readers able to see the restored poem. Despite this, it had already been singled out as one of her greatest and continues to be hailed as a summary statement of her most important theme: death and immortality. As in all of Dickinson’s complex works, however, the language and structure of the poem have left readers plenty of room to find varying and sometimes sharply opposed interpretations. At one end of the spectrum are those who view the poem as Dickinson’s ultimate statement of the soul’s continuance; at the other end are those who see the poem as intrinsically ironic and riddled with doubt about the existence of an afterlife; in the middle are those who find the poem indisputably ambiguous.

Scholars have suggested that Dickinson’s carriage ride with Death was inspired by a biographical incident—the 1847 death of Olivia Coleman, the beautiful older sister of Emily’s close friend Eliza M. Coleman, who died of a tubercular hemorrhage while out riding in a carriage. But there are also abundant cultural sources for the image. The poem’s guiding metaphor of a young woman abducted by Death goes back to the classical myth of Persephone, daughter of Ceres, who is carried off to the underworld by Hades. In medieval times, “Death and the Maiden” was a popular iconographic theme, sometimes taking the form of a virgin sexually ravished by Death.

Doubtless aware of these traditions, Dickinson made of them something distinctly her own. Not only did she transplant the abduction to the country roads of her native New England, she transformed the female “victim,” not into a willing or even passionate lover of Death, but into an avid witness/participant in the mysterious transition from life to death, and from human time to eternity. The speaker never expresses any direct emotion about her abduction; indeed, she never calls it that. She seems to experience neither fear nor pain. On the other hand, there is no indication that she is enamored of Death: She is too busy to stop for him and it is he, the courtly suitor, who takes the initiative. But she does not resist. Death’s carrying her away is presented as a “civility,” an act of politeness. And she responds with equal good manners, putting away her labor and her leisure, too, that is, the whole of her life. What does draw her powerfully is the journey, which she observes and reports in scrupulous detail. The poem is her vehicle for exploring the question that obsessed her imagination: “What does it feel like to die?” Note that there is a third “passenger” in the carriage—“Immortality”—the chaperone who guarantees that the ride will have an “honorable” outcome. Immortality is a promise already present, as opposed to the “Eternity” of the final stanza, toward which the “Horses’ Heads” advance. Eternity is the ultimate transformation of time toward which the poem moves. In stanza 1, the speaker, caught up in this-worldly affairs, has no time for Death, but he slows her down. By stanza 2, she has adjusted her pace to his. Stanza 3, with its triple repetition of “We passed,” shows them moving in unison past the great temporal divisions of a human life: childhood (the children competing at school, in a ring game), maturity (the ripeness of the “Gazing Grain”) and old age (the “Setting Sun”). As the stages of life flash before the eyes of the dying, the movement of the carriage is steady and stately.

But with the pivotal first line of stanza 4, any clear spatial or temporal orientation vanishes; poem and carriage swerve off in an unexpected manner. Had the carriage passed the sunset, its direction—beyond earthly life—would have been clear. But the line “Or rather—He passed Us” gives no clear sense of the carriage’s movement and direction.

It is as if the carriage and is passengers are frozen in time. The sun appears to have abandoned the carriage—as reflected in the increasing coldness that envelops the speaker. She is inadequately dressed for the occasion, in “Gossamer,” which can mean either a fine filmy piece of cobweb or a flimsy, delicate material, and a “Tippet,” that is, a small cape or collar. While tippets were commonly made of fur or other substantial materials, this one is of “tulle”—the fine silk netting used in veils or gowns. All at once, the serenely observing speaker is a vulnerable physical presence, dressed for a wedding or ball, but “quivering” with a coldness that suggests the chill of the grave. A note of uneasiness and disorientation, that will only grow stronger from this point on, has been injected into what began as a self-assured journey. This is a stunning example of how “Dickinson, suddenly, midpoem, has her thought change, pulls in the reins on her faith, and introduces a realistic doubt” (Weisbuch, “Prisming”, 214).

In stanza 5, the carriage “pauses” at “a House that seemed/ A Swelling in the Ground—,” presumably the speaker’s newly dug grave. The word “Swelling” is ominous, suggesting an organic, tumorlike growth. But there is no unified physical picture of what the speaker sees. In line 2, the ground is swelling upward. In lines 3 and 4, the House has sunk; its cornice, the ornamental molding just below the ceiling, is “in the Ground.” The repetition of the word “Ground” stresses its prominence in the speaker’s consciousness. It is as if all her attempts to hold on to the things of this world—the children at school, the grain, the setting sun, the cobweb clothing, the shapeless swelling of a House—have culminated in this single relentless image.

Then, in a leap that takes us to the poem’s final stanza, the speaker is in a different order of time, where centuries feel shorter than the single day of her dying. This is the poem’s only “description” of Eternity and what it implies is that life is immeasurably denser, fuller, weightier. Eternity has no end, but it is empty. Significantly, in the speaker’s recollection of the final, weighty day, “Death” is not present. Instead, she invokes the apocalyptic vision of “the Horses’ Heads” (a synecdoche for the horses) racing toward Eternity. But, for the speaker, seated in Death’s carriage, the horses’ heads are also an obstruction, “they are all she can see, or what she cannot see beyond” (Cameron, “Dickinson’s Fascicles,” 156). They point to the fact that the poem is an artifice, an attempt to imagine what cannot be imagined. “Toward Eternity—” remains only a “surmised” direction.

FURTHER READING Sharon Cameron, “Dickinson’s Fascicles,” in Handbook, Grabher et al., eds., 149–150, 156, and Lyric Time, 121–133; Judith Farr, Passion, 92–93, 329– 33; Kenneth L. Privratsky, “Irony in Emily Dickinson’s ‘Because I could not . . .,’ ” 25–30; Robert B. Sewall, Life, II, 572, 717–718; and Cynthia Griffin Wolff, Emily Dickinson, 274–276; Robert Weisbuch, “Prisming,” Handbook, 216–217.

Because I Could Not Stop For Death – Analysis, Summary, Questions, and Theme

Table of Contents

Because I Could Not Stop For Death

Introduction To the poet, “ Because I Could Not Stop For Death ” is one of the most admired poems on death. This poem contains Emily Dickinson Emily Dickinson(1830-86) was born in a village in Amherst, Massachusetts, in the United States of America. She led a quiet life, writing poetry for her own enjoyment and to entertain her friends. She remained unmarried. Though she was not religious herself, the themes of her poetry were mostly religious. She achieved fame as a poet only after her death in 1886. The first volume of her poems was published posthumously in 1890. The major themes of her poetry relate to death, immortality, love, friendship and nature. Her poems are very simple in style. She wrote her poems in secret. She did not show her poem even to her family. She had written more than a thousand lyrics. She wrote about small pleasures brought by the change of seasons of domestic incidents. Her style is precise, highly connotative and symbolic. She is closer to the Metaphysical poets in the compression of meaning in poetry. " data-gt-translate-attributes='[{"attribute":"data-cmtooltip", "format":"html"}]' tabindex=0 role=link>Emily Dickinson ’s meditation on death and immortality Immortality is the indefinite continuation of a person's existence, even after death. It is the quality or condition of being immortal. It also means enduring fame. " data-gt-translate-attributes='[{"attribute":"data-cmtooltip", "format":"html"}]' tabindex=0 role=link>immortality . Death is personified and is regarded as a suitor escorting his beloved. The greatest charm of the poem is in its Ambiguity Ambiguity is an idea or situation that can be understood in more than one way. This extends from ambiguous sentences (which could mean one thing or another) up to ambiguous storylines and ambiguous arguments. " data-gt-translate-attributes='[{"attribute":"data-cmtooltip", "format":"html"}]' tabindex=0 role=link>ambiguity and the elusive nature of the significance of the poem. Each picture is exact and inseparably intertwined with the central idea.

Death is kind and civil to her and stops at her house to give her a courteous ride. The carriage has three characters, Life represented by the beloved Death and his inevitable companion, immortality Immortality is the indefinite continuation of a person's existence, even after death. It is the quality or condition of being immortal. It also means enduring fame. " data-gt-translate-attributes='[{"attribute":"data-cmtooltip", "format":"html"}]' tabindex=0 role=link>immortality .

The carriage i.e., the hearts, moves forward. lts journey is a journey from life and space, symbolized by the school children playing in the ring, the fields of gazing grain and the setting sun are left behind. ln the next phase <table width="100%"><tbody><tr><td>to phase sth in / to phase sth out / a phase A phase is a period of time, especially a period in which one part of a process takes place. So a company may go through ‘a growth phase’ or ‘a difficult phase’, for instance. It’s also common to use it as a verb – especially for changes in organisations or society. So, when a new system is phased in, it means it’s introduced gradually, step by step. For instance, in many countries, digital television is being phased in. This means that, for the moment, the older televisions still work, but they are slowly being replaced. You could also say that these older televisions are being phased out. Another example is the phasing out of old coin-operated parking meters and their gradual replacement with the new ones which you can charge from your mobile phone or credit card. The new regulations will be phased in over two years to allow companies to revise their practices.The manufacture of CFC’s has been effectively phased out since their effects on the Ozone Layer became widely known.</td></tr></tbody></table> " data-gt-translate-attributes='[{"attribute":"data-cmtooltip", "format":"html"}]' tabindex=0 role=link>phase of the journey, the carriage pauses before the house of death symbolized by the “swelling of the ground” (grave). The last stanza of eternity towards which the horses’ heads have turned. Thus the three characters are represented by the three phases of their journey presented in the poem.

Explanation and Analysis

Death is a gentle driver. He drives slowly and gracefully. She is absolutely at ease. Death knows no haste and never snatches life abruptly. He is so civil that the poet puts away not only moments of work (labour) but also her spare time (leisure) to go with him.

Stanza 4 The poet declares first that they passed the sun, but soon she realizes that she is outside time and change and so corrects herself to say that the sun passed them. The chill and tiny dew begin to fall. She draws our attention to the brightness of her superfine gossamer gown. Her scarf (tippet) is made of delicate muslin called tulle. The dress is not a conventional burial dress.

The poet declares that since her arrival at her new house, she is not aware of the passage of time. it may be that centuries have passed. But she feels that centuries of time are shorter than the day when she first realized that the heads of the horses pulling the carriage were pointing towards eternity. She has not yet attained the bliss of eternity; there is only a promise of eternity suggested by the fact that horses’ heads are toward eternity.

The poem ends in irresolution. The grave is not at all her destination. Her destination is eternity. She refuses to make any statement about whether she is on her way to eternity after death or not. What makes death fascinating to the poet is that it is a bridge between earthly life and her dream of eternity.

Line by Line Summary

Because I could not stop for Death –

“Because” is a clever way to begin. It immediately assumes the speaker is giving some sort of an explanation to an argument or a question. This makes the poem seem active and alive, unlike many other poems, which sometimes take more of an observant position.

Stating that she could not stop for death means that the speaker didn’t have a choice about when she was to die. We’ve all probably heard something like this before. Even if not, Dickinson reminds us that it’s not really up to us when we die.

The line ends with a dash that is both characteristics of Dickinson’s work and that really launches us into the next line. Think of it as an arrow or string, pulling you along to the next thing.

He kindly stopped for me –And there it is – Death is a kind of a gentleman. Who knew ?

This line establishes the tone that most of the poem follows: one of calm acceptance about death. She’s even going to enjoy the ride!

The Carriage held but just Ourselves – And immortality Immortality is the indefinite continuation of a person's existence, even after death. It is the quality or condition of being immortal. It also means enduring fame. " data-gt-translate-attributes='[{"attribute":"data-cmtooltip", "format":"html"}]' tabindex=0 role=link>Immortality .

Pay attention to the line break here. Line 3 says it’s just her and Death in the carriage, but line 4 complicates that by adding immortality Immortality is the indefinite continuation of a person's existence, even after death. It is the quality or condition of being immortal. It also means enduring fame. " data-gt-translate-attributes='[{"attribute":"data-cmtooltip", "format":"html"}]' tabindex=0 role=link>immortality . The break after “Ourselves” creates an “oh, wait!” moment and holds us in suspense until we drop down to line 4.

Be careful interpreting the capitalized nouns. We established that Dickinson personifies Death to make him a real Character Character: the vehicle (person, animal, creation) that moves the story forward. A character may be main or minor, depending on his or her role in the work of literature. While some characters are two-dimensional, with one or two dominant traits, a fully developed character has a unique complex of traits.A) dynamic characters often change as the plot unfolds.B) static characters remain the same. " data-gt-translate-attributes='[{"attribute":"data-cmtooltip", "format":"html"}]' tabindex=0 role=link>character , but in these two lines, the capitalized words probably aren’t supposed to be characters as well. Of course, it is a poem, so anything can happen. But, since Dickinson often capitalizes nouns, it’s probably safe to consider that she capitalized “Carriage,” “Ourselves,” and “ immortality Immortality is the indefinite continuation of a person's existence, even after death. It is the quality or condition of being immortal. It also means enduring fame. " data-gt-translate-attributes='[{"attribute":"data-cmtooltip", "format":"html"}]' tabindex=0 role=link>Immortality ” more for emphasis than anything else.

By “Ourselves” we can assume <table width="100%"><tbody><tr><td>to assume / an assumption‘Assume’ is a more formal word meaning ‘guess’. It can also mean ‘accept’ – especially in the expression ‘to assume a responsibility’. However, it can also be used for any theory or principle which is accepted without analysing or questioning it. It’s very common to do this in research reports, because you can’t research everything and, in order to make predictions, you need to imagine some elements of the situation. For example, ‘The model presented here assumes a steady inflation rate of 5%’ and ‘Assuming a continuing rise in electricity demand, Auckland will begin to suffer shortages by 2015.’ The noun is ‘assumption’. When you critique research, you will often question the assumptions made by the other researcher. For example, ‘Brown’s 2006 study assumed that domestic students had English as their first language. However, that is not strictly accurate.’I wrongly assumed she was American because of her accent. Actually, she’d only been to college there.</td></tr></tbody></table> " data-gt-translate-attributes='[{"attribute":"data-cmtooltip", "format":"html"}]' tabindex=0 role=link>assume she means her and Death. The emphasis she places on the word also strengthens the relationship between the speaker and Death. It’s almost like a foreshadowing, so we know something serious is going to happen between them.

“Wait, you’re riding in a carriage with Death – don’t you mean mortality?” So this is the first hint we get that the speaker doesn’t think of death as The End, but as a step on the way to eternal life – an afterlife of some sort.

We slowly drove – He knew no haste

“He knew no haste” is an old-fashioned way of saying Death didn’t speed or hurry.

And I put away My labour and my leisure too, For his Civility –

Lines 6-7 mean that she has given up work and free time (we might assume <table width="100%"><tbody><tr><td>to assume / an assumption‘Assume’ is a more formal word meaning ‘guess’. It can also mean ‘accept’ – especially in the expression ‘to assume a responsibility’. However, it can also be used for any theory or principle which is accepted without analysing or questioning it. It’s very common to do this in research reports, because you can’t research everything and, in order to make predictions, you need to imagine some elements of the situation. For example, ‘The model presented here assumes a steady inflation rate of 5%’ and ‘Assuming a continuing rise in electricity demand, Auckland will begin to suffer shortages by 2015.’ The noun is ‘assumption’. When you critique research, you will often question the assumptions made by the other researcher. For example, ‘Brown’s 2006 study assumed that domestic students had English as their first language. However, that is not strictly accurate.’I wrongly assumed she was American because of her accent. Actually, she’d only been to college there.</td></tr></tbody></table> " data-gt-translate-attributes='[{"attribute":"data-cmtooltip", "format":"html"}]' tabindex=0 role=link>assume she’s given up thinking about or worrying about them too).

Either way, the speaker seems pretty content with, if not a little gaga for Death.

If this were the first date, Death would be doing a pretty good job. She seems both happy and even a little impressed by his manners.

We passed the School, where Children Strove At Recess – in the Ring –

This scene seems almost eerily normal. At first, we’re in this strange scene with death that doesn’t seem at all normal, then we’re looking at something totally familiar. Why do you think Dickinson does this? Maybe you think the mixing of the unreal and real makes the poem seem even stranger. Or maybe you think it makes death and dying seem like just another ordinary part of life.

We should also notice the repeated phrase, “We passed” (in poetry speak, a repeated word or phrase throughout a poem is called Anaphora Anaphora means repetition of a word or expression at the beginning of successive phrases, clauses, sentences, or verses especially for rhetorical or poetic effect Lincoln's "we cannot dedicate—we cannot consecrate—we cannot hallow—this ground" is an example of anaphora — compare epistrophe. &nbsp; " data-gt-translate-attributes='[{"attribute":"data-cmtooltip", "format":"html"}]' tabindex=0 role=link>anaphora ). Here it works to mimic the slow progression of the carriage. You can almost hear the echo of clomping horse hooves in the repeated phrase. So instead of feeling like this poem is at a standstill, we’re aware that it’s moving forward. It almost allows us to be a part of their journey, not just outside observers.

Or rather – He passed Us –

The fact that the adjustment, “or rather,” is made after the stanza break only enhances the spookiness. The long pause between stanzas allows us to notice that the poem is about to make a shift away from the sunny ordinary day into something more grave (pun intended).

Lines 14-16

The Dews drew quivering and Chill – For only Gossamer, my Gown – My Tippet – only Tulle –

The dew of night is setting in because the sun has gone down. She’s now getting chilly because she isn’t wearing warm enough clothing. That thin tulle!

Cold is something often associated with death in literature and movies. Ever watch The Sixth Sense or read about the Dementors in Harry Potter books? So it’s no coincidence that Dickinson is lowering the temperature on us here.

We paused before a House that seemed A Swelling of the Ground –

If we were unsure before, these lines settle everything. The speaker is going to die. Death just led her to her burial spot!

Using the word “House” to indicate <table width="100%"><tbody><tr><td>to indicate / an indication‘Indicate’ is a more formal, but also a weaker word than ‘show’. It’s used when the conclusion from the research isn’t so clear. This is very common, so the word ‘indicate’ is also very commonly found in research reports. It can also be used to refer to something you’ve said earlier in your essay – ‘As indicated in part 1, it’s difficult to make generalisations in this field. However, ….' The noun is ‘indication’ – meaning a sign.The latest research indicates a growing trend towards eating in cars.The results can be seen as an indication of increasing uncertainty in the markets.&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table> " data-gt-translate-attributes='[{"attribute":"data-cmtooltip", "format":"html"}]' tabindex=0 role=link>indicate the place of burial is a clever move by Dickinson. Instead of “grave” or “tombstone,” which might stir up images of finality and death, she uses a word that we consider synonymous with “dwelling” or even “home.” Ever heard someone call a gravesite the “final resting place”? This is a subtler way to say that.

The Roof was scarcely visible – The Cornice – in the Ground

What part of this burial house can the speaker actually see? It’s unclear, but she seems to know what it is and she’s OK with it. There’s no turning and running for it, as you might typically expect.

Since then – ’tis Centuries – and yet Feels shorter than the Day Wait a minute – this happened centuries ago?! This really throws a wrench in the whole system.

I first surmised the Horses’ Heads Were toward Eternity –

These final lines recall the very first time the speaker encountered the horse-drawn carriage and had a feeling that they were more than just regular horses – that they signified her journey to the afterlife.

Ending on the image of the horse heads is really smart of Dickinson because they jut forward and it almost looks like they’re pointing toward something. In this case, “Eternity.”

The final stanza is full of surprising moments for the reader. We find out the speaker has been dead for years and we’re introduced to (and left with) this striking image of the horses’ heads pushing forward.

THEME OF THE POEM

Comprehension questions.

1. Why is death called a civil suitor? Answer: Death is called a civil suitor because it is a gentle driver. It drives slowly and gracefully. It knows no haste and never snatches life abruptly.

2. What does the poet do in return to his civility? Answer: In return to his civility the poet puts away not only moments of work (labour) but also her spare time (leisure) to go with him.

4. How does the poet give the theme of death an erotic touch? Answer: The poet draws our attention to the brightness of her superfine gossamer gown. Her scarf (tippet) is made of delicate muslin called tulle. The dress is not a conventional burial dress. It is instead a bridal dress. She fancies that she is dressed for a heavenly wedding. Thus, the theme of death is given an erotic touch.

6. Where does the poet think of her new house as her grave? Answer: The carriage pauses at a house. The roof of the house is hardly visible. It has only a head of earth for its cornice. It is undoubtedly her grave.

7. Explain how the poem ends in Ambiguity Ambiguity is an idea or situation that can be understood in more than one way. This extends from ambiguous sentences (which could mean one thing or another) up to ambiguous storylines and ambiguous arguments. " data-gt-translate-attributes='[{"attribute":"data-cmtooltip", "format":"html"}]' tabindex=0 role=link>ambiguity ? Answer: Self exercise

Answer: Dickinson uses personification since Death is presented as a Character Character: the vehicle (person, animal, creation) that moves the story forward. A character may be main or minor, depending on his or her role in the work of literature. While some characters are two-dimensional, with one or two dominant traits, a fully developed character has a unique complex of traits.A) dynamic characters often change as the plot unfolds.B) static characters remain the same. " data-gt-translate-attributes='[{"attribute":"data-cmtooltip", "format":"html"}]' tabindex=0 role=link>character , not as a comparison.

10. How does Dickinson characterize “Death”? Why do you think it is presented in this way? Dickinson characterizes Death as polite, civil, and gentlemanly.

11. What is the “house that seemed/A swelling of the ground”?

Answers may vary. Example: Centuries have passed since I died and was buried, but those centuries feel shorter than the longest day of my life: the day I realized I was dead and heading for my grave.

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Because I Could Not Stop for Death Poem Analysis Essay

Emily Dickinson was a famous American 19 th century poet born December 10, 1830, in New England to a Puritan family that had lived in Massachusetts since the 17 th century. Her poetry contains the aesthetic principles and values of romantic art, embodied in an innovative form unusual for the era. The first publications of Dickinson’s poems began to appear only in the 1890s, after her death. Readers and literary critics of the late 19 th and early 20 th centuries saw in her poems an innovation atypical for modern literature: she was sharply criticized for her “fragmentary” presentation of thought and “incorrect” rhymes. Attention to her poetry only increased later, in proportion to the popularity of the poetics and aesthetics of modernism in American literature. Still, Dickinson’s poems have no analogues among her contemporary poets. Her upbringing has greatly affected her poetry, as the poet offers a lot of reflection on complex themes such as religion, devotion, immortality, and, most importantly, death. Thus, this paper will analyze Dickinson’s poem Because I Could Not Stop for Death to reveal its most significant motives and metaphors.

Emily Dickinson lived in the ideal time for a poet: the once firmly established Calvinist tradition was on the decline, opening up new, albeit sometimes frightening, possibilities. Many of Dickinson’s poems are imbued with an optimistic hope for eternal life. Perhaps the hope for the immortality of the soul served as consolation to Dickinson, who often lost family and friends. The poems that imply poet’s absolute disbelief in resurrection and eternal life are relatively rare. This allows one to talk about the predominance of an optimistic view of the prospects of human existence in her works. Moreover, Dickinson, indeed, believed in the great power of true feeling, capable of conquering everything, including death. This is, perhaps, why Death appears as a positive, calming force in her poems – especially in Because I Could Not Stop for Death.

Many of Dickinson’s poems contain the motive of death and immortality, and the same plots permeate her letters to friends. Death for Emily Dickinson is inextricably linked with eternity and, paradoxically, is a guide to immortality in itself. Qiao (2019) states that “Dickinson sends the message that Death is Eternity” (159). The poet speaks of the unconditional immortality of the soul and the insignificance of everything connected with the body. Despite that she was always afraid of the onset of Death, she believed that a person, having died, continues to live in some other world, where everything is calm and peaceful. This point of view is represented especially clearly in Because I Could Not Stop for Death . There, Dickinson not only describes the image of gentle and kind Death, but also tries to look through its eyes in her work. In the poem, she imagined the moment when Death comes to her, and how calmly she would meet it.

Death, for all its tragedy, appears to Dickinson as a necessary component in the complex relations of attraction and repulsion that exist between man and nature, body and soul, being and spirit. In Dickinson’s understanding, Death is something majestic, and at the same time inevitable:

Because I could not stop for Death, He kindly stopped for me; The carriage held but just ourselves And Immortality. (Dickinson “Because I Could Not Stop for Death (479)”; Poetry Foundation, 2020).

In this poem, Dickinson personifies Death in the form of a gallant gentleman who invites a lady to take a ride in a carriage. In the days of Emily Dickinson’s youth, such rides in carriages with a coachman were an important part of the courtship of young men for girls. Thus, it is worth noting that Death is depicted in the form of a groom or even a lover there, and not a traditional view of a grim reaper. Dickinson emphasizes this notion in these lines:

Or rather – He passed Us – The Dews drew quivering and Chill – For only Gossamer, my Gown – My Tippet – only Tulle. (Dickinson “Because I Could Not Stop for Death (479)”; Poetry Foundation, 2020).

The date is ceremonial, but like any love game, it contains the possibility of dangerous unpredictability, which is not guaranteed even by the presence of a “third party” – Immortality, who accompanies the couple. Their path lies through the warm and noisy bustle of life, through the cold immobility of the temporary shelter-grave, then through the “centuries” – and finally, into Eternity. The theme of death is also closely intertwined with the image of God, which is present in almost every poem by Dickinson. She was, indeed, for all her controversy with Puritanism, a deeply religious person who believed that God always lives next to her. Thus, she had a strong faith in God, but in her own way – Dickinson often thought about death in the context of how good it would be to be next to God. All Dickinson’s poetry is built on contradictions: for her, death is sometimes beautiful, sometimes terrible; just like the wind is powerful and at the same time dangerous.

In Dickinson’s poetry, death appears in various guises, but it is so organic that, in general, it does not carry neither ominous nor desperate tones – it is natural, like life itself. The images of death presented in Dickinson’s poems are distinguished by their versatility and an extraordinary interpretation of natural processes. The poetess is not at all categorical in her metaphorical definitions. They resonate with all facets of a person’s earthly life, as well as with the existence of eternal life and a higher power. Dickinson considers not only life but also death to be a multifaceted phenomenon. Life and death in her work are different sides of a single being, guided by the God and Nature. It is clear that Emily Dickinson’s relationship to religion and God, as well as to death, was highly ambiguous. Perhaps, if Dickinson had followers – “apostles”, her poetry in itself could become a religion. Carefully crafted symbiosis of seemingly completely contradictory systems – puritanism and transcendentalism – in combination with the creative genius of the poet gave rise to truly unique ideological principles.

Dickinson was brought up in a Puritanical spirit, having deeply learned from childhood the concepts of sin, guilt, and atonement that have grown in New England generation after generation, starting with the early settlers. Biblical imagery occupies an exclusive place in her poetry, but it never bears signs of illustrative reminiscence. Behind it, the reader always feels the spontaneity and depth of her own experience, naturally expressing itself in the language of Scripture, full of living meaning for Dickinson. Her poems are usually devoted to the nature of her native places or some imperceptible everyday occurrences. However, there is always a second dimension to them – a philosophical reflection on the soul, the universe, beauty, death and immortality. Each small detail of the description of nature, conveyed with the greatest possible reliability and accuracy, acquires a special meaning and weight, participating in that endless dispute of faith and doubt.

Works Cited

Dickinson, Emily. “Because I Could Not Stop for Death (479).” Poetry Foundation , Poetry Foundation, 2020, Web.

Qiao, Yang. “Thematic Interpretation of ‘Because I Could Not Stop for Death’ by Emily Dickinson.” 2019 International Conference on Humanities, Cultures, Arts and Design (ICHCAD) , pp. 158–160.

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Emily Dickinson’s Because I could not stop for Death – Analysis

November 4, 2023

I first made a “Because I could not stop for death” analysis as a high school freshman. My English teacher described Emily Dickinson as “one of America’s two greatest poets.” The other, he concluded, was her contemporary, Walt Whitman. Stretching his arms out in an open V-shape, he explained, “Whitman’s poems are about being inside the clamor of the world.” Dickinson was his opposite. Picture two arms coming to a point, like an A-frame roof. Her poetry stole bright bits of the world—bees, butterflies—and brought them back to the self. She wrote to understand her quiet life.

“Because I could not stop for death,” like most of Dickinson’s poems, is universal in content. It’s about—and this is hardly a spoiler—death, a reality we all encounter at some point. Yet this poem, like the rest of her oeuvre, is intricately connected to her introspective life. For this reason, I find it’s best to learn a bit of the poet’s biography. Let’s do so now, before reading more into this particular Emily Dickinson death poem.

Biographical Context

Emily Dickinson (1830-1886) lived most of her life in Amherst, Massachusetts. While her mother (another Emily) was cold and aloof, her father Edward was a public figure. He worked as a lawyer and a trustee of Amherst College, which was founded in part by his father. (This was not the founder Lord Jeffrey Amherst, who used smallpox blankets as biological warfare against the Delaware people.) Dickinson’s brother, Austin, attended Amherst College and Harvard Law School before joining Edward’s law practice. Neither Emily nor her sister Lavinia were allowed a college education. They attended Amherst Academy, a former all-boys school. After seven years there, Dickinson went to a female seminary in 1848. Ten months later she returned home, where she settled into a life that many a young lady succumbed to in her time. (She baked.)

Around this time, a religious revival called the Second Great Awakening was taking place in Amherst. Unsurprisingly, Dickinson dipped a finger in the holy water, so to speak. In fact, her ancestors had come to New England some 200 years prior, during the Great Puritan Migration . Yet while her ancestors had crossed an ocean for religious freedom, Dickinson’s fervor for organized religion didn’t last. By 1852, poetry had replaced her Church.

Dickinson’s complicated relationship with spirituality offers readers insight into her deep preoccupation with death. So too do her real-life encounters with death, which began at an early age. The passing of Sophia Holland, a close friend and second cousin, traumatized her. Given the daily dangers and contagions of the time, including typhus and tuberculosis, it’s no surprise that more close friends would follow. This list includes Benjamin Franklin Newton, Dickinson’s first writing mentor.

Writing Life

Emily Dickinson’s secret writing life took off in the summer of 1858. This period of prolific writing lasted through 1865. (I say secret, though her family knew she wrote. Still, after Dickinson’s death, Lavinia was astounded to come upon sixty packets of poetry containing around 900 poems.) Dickinson took inspiration from a range of Romantic and Transcendental writers. She loved the Brontë sisters, who, like Dickinson, had lived opposite a cemetery. They knew a thing or two about the way gloomy weather could mirror the inner atmosphere of the soul. Yet Dickinson’s writing style became uniquely her own. In 1863, she sent four poems to the publisher Thomas Wentworth Higginson , asking if her poems “breathed.” Decades later, Higginson would write of her “wholly new and original poetic genius.” And yet, he rejected Dickinson’s poetry in 1863, believing it was “odd” and “ too delicate —not strong enough to publish.”

(Ironically, Higginson would first publish Dickinson’s poetry after her death. Unprepared for her progressive artistic choices— slant rhymes , dashes, mysterious capitalization—he edited her work heavily. He corrected rhymes, standardized meter, removed jargon, and replaced unusual metaphors with ones he deemed appropriate.)

By 1865, Dickinson rarely left her house. Her world narrowed to the size of her family and those who came to visit, including cyclical visitors to her beloved gardens. Some speculate that her seclusion resulted from sickness. Others hypothesize that Dickinson’s failed relationships (with her sister-in-law, or with a married minister) left her utterly dejected. We cannot discount the devastating rejection from Higginson. Soon after, Dickinson’s poetry began to address a new fear: her work would go unrecognized. Today, we can see that Dickinson’s poetry is built on this isolation and fear. It is equally tied to a deep capacity for feeling and an uncanny understanding of death.

“Because I could not stop for death” Analysis & Meaning: The Poem

This context brings us to the topic of Emily Dickinson’s death poems. Perhaps we should think of them as immortality poems, because Dickinson wanted to know what came after. (She called this her “Flood subject.”) “Because I could not stop for death” is one of Dickinson’s most studied and acclaimed poems. It deals with questions of life, death, and the beyond. Let’s take a look at the poem itself.

“Because I Could Not Stop for Death” by Emily Dickinson Because I could not stop for Death – He kindly stopped for me – The Carriage held but just Ourselves – And Immortality. We slowly drove – He knew no haste And I had put away My labor and my leisure too, For His Civility – We passed the School, where Children strove At Recess – in the Ring – We passed the Fields of Gazing Grain – We passed the Setting Sun – Or rather – He passed Us – The Dews drew quivering and Chill – For only Gossamer, my Gown – My Tippet – only Tulle – We paused before a House that seemed A Swelling of the Ground – The Roof was scarcely visible – The Cornice – in the Ground – Since then – ’tis Centuries – and yet Feels shorter than the Day I first surmised the Horses’ Heads Were toward Eternity –

“Because I could not stop for death” Analysis and Meaning: Poetic Form

Immediately, the theme of death jumps out at us. But before driving further down that darkening lane, let’s get a grasp of the poetic form. This will show us how the poem’s underlying mechanisms influence our reading. In other words, let’s see how the form fits the function.

The poem contains six verses. Each verse contains four lines, making them quatrains. As for each line, we find alternating iambic meter. Students who’ve read up on their poetic devices will remember that an iamb begins with an unstressed syllable and ends on a stressed syllable. Looking at the first stanza, we find the lines alternate between tetrameter (four iambs per line) and trimeter (three iambs per line). Take a look: Be cause I could not stop for Death – (4 iambs) / He kind ly stop ped for me – (3 iambs). Does this remind you of the clip- clop , clip- clop , clip- clop of horse’s hooves? This steady meter creates a sensation of forward movement. It’s fitting for a poem whose action plays out over the course of a carriage ride.

Moreover, church hymns use this meter. Thus, Dickinson imbued the poem with familiarity, both for New England residents of her time and contemporary churchgoers. The whiff of Christianity lends itself well to a poem about a passage from life to death to afterlife. Finally, notice that halfway through the poem, at the volta in the fourth stanza, the meter changes. It becomes an iambic sequence of 3, 4, 4, 3. This reversal happens as the setting sun passes the carriage, marking the moment when the narrator dies. Readers don’t need to take conscious note of the changed meter to feel a hiccup in the rhythm. It causes us to pause and take stock of the change.

Analysis: Other Poetic Devices

Personification appears in the figure of “Death,” a male “he.” This “Death” figure stops the carriage and accompanies the narrator throughout the journey, as seen in the pronoun “we.” (Meanwhile, the narrator remains nameless and genderless. Readers are free to imagine the narrator as they like. “I” could be Emily Dickinson, or me, or you. In fact, it’s easy to identify with the narrator and place ourselves in their shoes.) The “Setting Sun” and “Immortality” can also be seen as personified, though I like to think of Immortality as more of an atmosphere in the carriage. Overall, personification works to create company for the narrator, ultimately acting as a buffer against the loneliness we fear when facing death.

We can also count alliteration among the primary poetic devices in our “Because I could not stop for death” analysis. It pops up in phrases like “ Recess – in the Ring ,” “ Gazing Grain ” and “ Setting Sun .” Alliteration creates a sense of charming tidiness. It sounds pleasant, which is soothing in the context of confronting one’s mortality.

Readers may notice the occasional enjambement. For example, it appears in lines 6-7: “And I had put away / My labor and my leisure too.” Enjambement works as a practical device for Dickinson to string together ideas that are longer than a tetrameter. It also adds a sense of forward momentum. Finally, Dickinson uses her trademark dashes, capitalizations, and slant rhymes. We find them throughout Emily Dickinson’s death poems, and even in her letters. Apart from giving her poetry unique identifiable characteristics, I believe they work to uproot, unsettle, and beguile us. Poetry readers wish for originality above all. These particular features made Dickinson’s work singular and timeless.

“Because I could not stop for death” Analysis: Stanzas 1-2

Now that know how form reinforces content, let’s look at what’s happening in this Emily Dickinson death poem. In the first stanza, the nameless narrator is picked up by a Death and given a ride. “Kindly” might be read with irony, for the narrator and readers alike would not willingly step inside this carriage. The final line ends on “Immortality,” giving readers a clue to the driving force behind the poem. In other words, Dickinson wishes to investigate what remains after death. Knowing how her own religious views deviated from Christianity, this question was of the utmost importance to her. Perhaps she sought to create a personal understanding of eternal life by writing this poem.

In the second stanza, the carriage rolls on slowly. Readers might begin to notice that the narrator never reveals their own emotions, be they fear, dismay, or complacency. This absence invites readers to imbue the narrator with their own feelings while imagining the carriage ride. Some readers might find themselves pleasantly surprised by Death’s “Civility” and by the lack of traditional Gothic trappings. (In contrast, think of Edgar Allan Poe’s poems.) Others may feel trepidation. Personally, I get discouraged to read that “I had put away my labor and my leisure too.” Clearly, this road trip is not going to be productive or enjoyable. But perhaps that’s the point. After death, all the things that kept one busy must be left behind.

Analysis & Meaning: Stanzas 3-4

And yet, the sights beyond the window in the third stanza leave a lasting mark. Children continue to learn and play at school, striving to become their future selves. The “Gazing Grain” (another personification) indicates the next stage in life, when adults have jobs, such as farming the land. This grain will turn into bread, and thus symbolizes the harvest, and the need to eat to stay alive. The grain operates on another symbolic level, referring to the seasonal cycles of the earth. All this cyclicality, alongside circular symbols (carriage wheels, the “Ring,” and the “Setting Sun”) suggest that after death comes life. Finally, the appearance of the “Setting Sun” signifies the end of a day and the end of a life.

In the fourth stanza, the reversal in the syllabic structure coincides with a change of perspective. The narrator explains that they didn’t pass the sun, but “rather – He passed Us –.” Picturing the sun moving past a carriage invokes immense weight and speed. Readers understand that the wheels are in motion. There is no turning back. This cosmic passage moves the narrator beyond the earthly realm and into a spiritual orbit. We see this transition in the narrator’s clothes. The thin, sheer fabrics of “Gossamer” and “Tulle” turn the narrator into a ghost.

“Because I could not stop for death” Analysis: Stanzas 5-6

In the fifth stanza, the carriage finally stops at what sounds like a house, though it is clearly a grave. Here the narrator will spend eternity. Interestingly, Dickinson has placed her narrator back inside the earth, rather than in a more heavenly setting. Thus, the cyclical earthly life that the narrator noticed from the carriage window now resonate with greater significance. By remaining in the ground, the narrator will eventually become one with Earth. They will join the cycle that fertilizes the grain and feeds the children at play.

In the final stanza, the narrator notes that centuries have passed since the carriage (with its “Horses Heads”) took them to eternity. In four lines, Dickinson unravels the meaning of time completely. Centuries feel “shorter than a day.” In fact, time itself ceases to mean anything to a dead narrator, for it carries on without interruption. The inconceivable notion of timelessness is one of the hardest ideas humans grapple with when facing death. Dickinson broaches the subject by offering both comfort and irony. Impossibly, her narrator recounts their death in a voice so seemingly alive.

Through this Emily Dickinson death poem, Dickinson gave herself the immortality she sought. She meets “Immortality” in the carriage ride. Moreover, her readers will remember her for as long as they read her poem, long after her death.

What’s next?

We hope you enjoyed our “Because I could not stop for death” analysis. For helpful guides to reading comprehension, essay writing skills, and more, visit our page on High School Success . You’ll find links to other literary analyses, such as The Lottery by Shirley Jackson , “We Real Cool” by Gwendolyn Brooks and “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin . And, pick up a collection of Emily Dickinson’s poetry in a bookstore near you!

High School Success

Kaylen Baker

With a BA in Literary Studies from Middlebury College, an MFA in Fiction from Columbia University, and a Master’s in Translation from Université Paris 8 Vincennes-Saint-Denis, Kaylen has been working with students on their writing for over five years. Previously, Kaylen taught a fiction course for high school students as part of Columbia Artists/Teachers, and served as an English Language Assistant for the French National Department of Education. Kaylen is an experienced writer/translator whose work has been featured in Los Angeles Review, Hybrid, San Francisco Bay Guardian, France Today, and Honolulu Weekly, among others.

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woman in repose floating through the air surrounded by ghosts

Because I could not stop for Death—

by Emily Dickinson

In “Because I could not stop for Death—,” one of the most celebrated of any poems Emily Dickinson wrote, the deceased narrator reminisces about the day Death came calling on her. In the first stanza, the speaker remarks that she had been too busy to stop for Death, so in his civility, he stopped for her. In his carriage, she was accompanied by Immortality as well as Death. Many readers have wanted to know why Immortality also rides in the carriage, but when thinking of the courting patterns in Dickinson’s day, one recalls the necessity of a chaperone. In any event, Dickinson considers Death and Immortality fellow travelers. This interaction with Death shows the complete trust that the speaker had placed in her wooer. It is not until the end of the poem, from the perspective of Eternity, that one is able to see behind the semblance of Death. Far from being the gentlemanly caller that he appears to be, Death is in reality a ghoulish seducer. Perhaps Dickinson, in her familiarity with the Bible, draws upon Satan’s visitation of God in similar pose as a country gentleman. In this way, Dickinson’s poem resembles the gothic novel, a popular Romantic genre given to the sinister and supernatural.

In the second stanza, the reader learns that the journey was leisurely and that the speaker did not mind the interruption from her tasks because Death was courteous. Along the way, they passed the children’s school at recess time and fields of ripened grain. They even passed the setting sun—or rather, it passed them, so slow was their pace. With the coming of evening, a coolness had fallen for which the speaker found herself unprepared with regard to clothing. They drew near a cemetery, the place where the speaker has been dwelling for centuries. In the realm of Death, time has elapsed into centuries for the speaker, though it seems shorter than her last day of life when she first “surmised” that her journey was toward Eternity.

Cite this page as follows:

"Because I could not stop for Death— - The Poem." Critical Guide to Poetry for Students, edited by Philip K. Jason, eNotes.com, Inc., 2002, 15 Oct. 2024 <https://www.enotes.com/topics/because-i-could-not-stop-for-death/in-depth#in-depth-the-poem>

Forms and Devices

Tone, or the emotional stance of the speaker in the poem, is a central artifice in “Because I could not stop for Death—.” Though the subject is death, this is not a somber rendering. On the contrary, Death is made analogous to a wooer in what emerges as essentially an allegory, with abstractions consistently personified. Impressed by Death’s thoughtfulness and patience, the speaker reciprocates by putting aside her work and free time. Judging by the last stanza, where the speaker talks of having “first surmised” their destination, it can be determined that Death was more seducer than beau. The tone of congeniality here becomes a vehicle for stating the proximity of death even in the thoroughfares of life, though one does not know it. Consequently, one is often caught unprepared. The journey motif is at the core of the poem’s stratagem, a common device (as in poem 615, “Our Journey had Advanced”) in Dickinson’s poetry for depicting human mortality.

Stanza 3 offers an example of Dickinson’s substantial capacity for compression, which on occasion can create a challenge for readers. This stanza epitomizes the circle of life, not so much as to life’s continuity despite death, but more in fusion with the journey within the poem—life as procession toward conclusion. Thus, “the School, where Children strove” applies to childhood and youth. Dickinson’s dictional acuity carries over to “Recess—in the Ring.” Early life, with its sheltering from duress and breakdown and death, its distance in experience from the common fate, is but a deceptive lull—its own kind of seduction and, hence, recess from decline. Yet children are said to be in the “Ring.” Time is on the move even for them, though its pace seems slow. Ironically, the dictional elements coalesce in the stanza to create a subrendering of the greater theme of the poem: the seduction of the persona by Death. The children are also without surmise, and like the speaker, they are too busy with themselves (as represented in the verb “strove”) to know that time is passing.

Dictional nuance is critical to the meaning of the last two lines of the third stanza. The word “passed” sets up verbal irony (the tension of statement and meaning). The carriage occupants are not merely passing a motley collection of scenes, they are passing out of life—reaching the high afternoon of life, or maturity. Maturation, or adulthood, is also represented in the “Fields of Gazing Grain.” This line depicts grain in a state of maturity, its stalk replete with head of seed. There is intimation of harvest and perhaps, in its gaze, nature’s indifference to a universal process. Appropriately, the next line speaks of “the Setting Sun,” meaning the evening of life, or old age.

Reiteration of the word “passed” occurs in stanza 4, emphasizing the idea of life as a procession toward conclusion. Its recurring use as a past-tense verb suggests the continuation of an action in the past, yet the non-continuance of those actions in the present in keeping with the norms of the imperfect tense. Human generations will collectively engage in the three life stages, dropping out individually, never to engage in them again.

Dictional elements in stanza 5 hint at unpreparedness for death. The persona’s gown was but “Gossamer,” a light material highly unsuitable for evening chill. For a scarf (“Tippet”), she wore only silk netting (“Tulle”).

The poem is written in alternating iambic tetrameter and trimeter lines, with near rhyme occasionally employed in the second and fourth lines. Regular rhyme occurs sporadically and unexpectedly in its spatial distancing. The use of the dash in the stanza’s concluding line compels the reader to pause before entering into the monosyllabic prepositional phrase in which there is a heaviness that suggests the grave’s finality. The seemingly disheveled rhyme scheme in actuality intimates one of the poem’s central themes: unpreparedness.

"Because I could not stop for Death— - Forms and Devices." Critical Guide to Poetry for Students, edited by Philip K. Jason, eNotes.com, Inc., 2002, 15 Oct. 2024 <https://www.enotes.com/topics/because-i-could-not-stop-for-death/in-depth#in-depth-forms-and-devices>

Bibliography

Boruch, Marianne. “Dickinson Descending.” The Georgia Review 40 (1986): 863–877.

Brantley, Richard E. Experience and Faith: The Late-Romantic Imagination of Emily Dickinson . New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2004.

Carruth, Hayden. “Emily Dickinson’s Unexpectedness.” Ironwood 14 (1986): 51–57.

Eberwein, Jane Donahue. An Emily Dickinson Encyclopedia . Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 1998.

Ferlazzo, Paul, ed. Critical Essays on Emily Dickinson . Boston: G. K. Hall, 1984.

Grabher, Gudrun, Roland Hagenbüchle, and Cristanne Miller, ed. The Emily Dickinson Handbook . Amherst: University of Massachusetts Press, 1998.

Juhasz, Suzanne, ed. Feminist Critics Read Emily Dickinson . Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1983.

Kirk, Connie Ann. Emily Dickinson: A Biography . Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 2004.

Lundin, Roger. Emily Dickinson and the Art of Belief . Grand Rapids, Mich.: William B. Eerdmans, 2004.

MacNeil, Helen. Emily Dickinson . New York: Pantheon Books, 1986.

Pollack, Vivian R. A Historical Guide to Emily Dickinson . New York: Oxford University Press, 2004.

Vendler, Helen Hennessey. Poets Thinking: Pope, Whitman, Dickinson, Yeats . Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 2004.

"Because I could not stop for Death— - Bibliography." Masterpieces of American Literature, edited by Steven G. Kellman, eNotes.com, Inc., 2006, 15 Oct. 2024 <https://www.enotes.com/topics/because-i-could-not-stop-for-death/in-depth#in-depth-bibliography-bibliography-1>

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Because I could not stop for Death— - eNotes.com
Explore insightful questions and answers on Because I could not stop for Death— at eNotes. Enhance your understanding today!
Because I could not stop for Death — Summary & Analysis
"Because I could not stop for death" is one of Emily Dickinson's most celebrated poems and was composed around 1863. In the poem, a female speaker tells the story of how she was visited by "Death," personified as a "kindly" gentleman, and taken for a ride in his carriage.
Emily Dickinson's Because I Could Not Stop for Death Analysis
We’ll give you: An overview of the life and career of Emily Dickinson. A thorough “Because I could not stop for Death” summary. A discussion of the “Because I could not stop for Death” meaning. An explanation of the top three themes and top two poetic devices in the poem. Let’s begin!
Analysis of Emily Dickinson’s Because I could not stop for Death
Scholars have suggested that Dickinson’s carriage ride with Death was inspired by a biographical incident—the 1847 death of Olivia Coleman, the beautiful older sister of Emily’s close friend Eliza M. Coleman, who died of a tubercular hemorrhage while out riding in a carriage.
Because I Could Not Stop For Death - Smart English Notes
COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS. 1. Why is death called a civil suitor? Answer: Death is called a civil suitor because it is a gentle driver. It drives slowly and gracefully. It knows no haste and never snatches life abruptly. 2. What does the poet do in return to his civility?
Because I Could Not Stop for Death Poem Analysis Essay - IvyPanda
This paper will analyze Dickinson's poem "Because I Could Not Stop for Death" to reveal its most significant motives and metaphors.
Because I could not stop for Death: Study Guide | SparkNotes
From a general summary to chapter summaries to explanations of famous quotes, the SparkNotes Because I could not stop for Death Study Guide has everything you need to ace quizzes, tests, and essays.
Emily Dickinson's Because I could not stop for Death - Analysis
Because I Could Not Stop for Death - Analysis of Emily's Dickinson's famous poem. Our expert discusses the meaning of the poem.
Because I could not stop for Death— Analysis - eNotes.com
Dive deep into Emily Dickinson's Because I could not stop for Death— with extended analysis, commentary, and discussion

Because I could not stop for Death — Summary & Analysis by Emily Dickinson

The Full Text of “Because I could not stop for Death —”

“Because I could not stop for Death —” Summary

Death, Immortality, and Eternity

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Lines 13-16

Lines 17-20

Lines 21-24

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Personification

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Theme 1: The Inevitability of Death

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Emily Dickinson’s Because I could not stop for Death – Analysis

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Because I could not stop for Death—

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