because i could not stop for death essay questions

Because I could not stop for Death Questions

Bring on the tough stuff - there’s not just one right answer..

• Do you believe the speaker's relaxed attitude toward death? Sometimes we pretend to be confident when we're nervous and brave when we're scared. Is this an example of that? Which lines of the poem support your opinion?
• Why might the speaker not fear death?
• If Dickinson were writing this today, do you think she could still illustrate the journey to death with as a carriage ride, or would that be silly? What would be a good present-day equivalent?
• Try reading the poem out loud. How does the sound of the poem affect your reading of it? Think about the action in the poem (the driving, the stopping). When does the sound mimic the action?
• The speaker seems to speak fondly and clearly of her memory of death. What do you think that means about the afterlife? How do you imagine the place where she now speaks from?

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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" 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 —”

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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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 ’s meditation on death and immortality . Death is personified and is regarded as a suitor escorting his beloved. The greatest charm of the poem is in its 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 .

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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 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

The poet visualizes Death as a lover taking her out for a ride. With her love of Life, the poet has not sought death. She is busy with her daily course. On the contrary, Death has very kindly sought her. He stops for her and escorts her. lt is her final ride. Death has come with immortality as his companion. The poet, death and immorality travel in a carriage (horse).

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.

As the carriage progresses through its journey, the poet witnesses certain scenes Ior the last time: (a) children playing games during a school recess, (b) fields of ripe grain and (c) the sun setting. The children at play are joyful and unmindful of the passing carriage. They represent the indifference of humanity towards death. The ‘gazing grain’ suggests ripeness and maturity of nature. Nature is also indifferent to death. They stare in the dead poet’s eyes is transferred on to the gazing grain and thus the passivity of nature is given a cold vitality. Here is a paradox of suggesting the fixity of death to the living corn. The sunset symbolizes the soul’s passing beyond the warmth of living a life that is bound in time and space.

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.

It is instead a bridal dress. She fancies that she is dressed for a heavenly wedding. The theme of death is given an erotic touch.

The carriage then comes to a pause, before a house that looks like a grave as suggested by the swelling of the ground. The roof of the house is hardly visible. It has only a head of earth for its cornice. It is undoubtedly her grave.

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 –

Dickinson wastes no time warming up in this poem. She immediately lets the reader know that the poem is going to be about 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.

Dickinson capitalizes on death, which is something she does often to nouns (sometimes without any reason). In this particular case, she means to personify Death as a gentleman suitor who drives a horse-drawn carriage (personification means to give human characteristics or behaviour to something that is nonhuman).

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!

This is also kind of a spoiler. We have pretty good reason to believe now, by just the second line, that the speaker is going to escape this one alive.

The Carriage held but just Ourselves – And 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 . 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 , 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 ” more for emphasis than anything else.

Let’s take a look at these three important words.

By making “carriage” a proper noun (a capitalized noun), she makes it more specific and more important. In other words, it’s not just any old carriage, it’s her Death Chariot!

By “Ourselves” we can 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.

“ Immortality ” is the most complicated and interesting word of these three and certainly gets us thinking. Our first instinct might be to ask,

“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.

The shift from “We” to “He” in the same line is an important one. The “We” might allow the reader to think the speaker has some control over the pace, but Dickinson quickly reminds us that “He” is the one determining the relaxed progress and that the speaker’s just along for the ride.

While we’ve already determined that the speaker is not afraid of Death, this slow pace still creates a feeling of drawn-out suspense in the poem and keeps us wondering what might happen.

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 she’s given up thinking about or worrying about them too).

Line 8 works a couple of ways. First, we can read “For” as “because of.” So, she gave up thinking about work and play because Death is just so polite and charming that he distracted her from anything else.

Or, we can read the “for” as “in place of.” So, similar to the first interpretation, she has given up the worries (work) and joys (leisure) of life in exchange for his graciousness. We might even guess that she is starting to feel more civil and social 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 –

Dickinson is painting a little scene of what they are riding by. If you’ve ever taken a hayride in a carriage in the fall, maybe you saw something like this too.

They see children playing in the schoolyard during recess.

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 passed the Field of Gazing Grain –

We passed the Setting Sun –

More scene-setting. They pass “the fields of […] grain” and “the setting sun.” When she describes the grain as “gazing” maybe she thinks the thicker tops of the grain resemble heads, or perhaps that the grain seems to stand still and just look at the carriage as it passes.

The sun and field are much more general descriptions of the scene than the previous lines, yet might even have symbolic significance. The setting sun, for example, signifies the end of the day, but might also stand for the end of life. Ever heard of old people being in their twilight years?

We should also notice the repeated phrase, “We passed” (in poetry speak, a repeated word or phrase throughout a poem is called 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 –

Quite literally, the sun passes her because it falls below the horizon. But, reading a little deeper into it, Dickinson suggests that maybe that’s what death is like – the sun, light, and warmth leaving you to the cold darkness that is death.

Dickinson uses personification again as she refers to the sun. Why do you think that is? It seems the farther along in the journey they get, the farther from the living world they get. There are no other people or animals and it’s getting dark. It’s a little spooky at this point.

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 –

“Gossamer” is used here to describe her gown as one of very thin and delicate material.

“Tippet” is an old-fashioned shawl or shoulder cape, and this one’s made of “tulle,” which is silky and thin like gossamer.

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!

The fact that she is under-dressed for this journey also reflects that she is under-prepared. This stanza echoes what we discovered in the beginning line – this is not her choice and she was not planning this trip with Death.

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!

Your first instinct when you read this might be to scream something like, “Run for your life, lady. He’s going to kill you!” But let’s not forget how at ease the speaker feels with Death and how calmly she’s faced the whole experience so far.

The “we paused” marks the second stop in the poem. The first instance was the beginning of the journey when Death stops to pick up the speaker. So we might guess that this second stop could end their journey.

Using the word “House” to 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.

“A Swelling of the Ground” eliminates any possibility that we might think this is not a grave. Think of a freshly-dug place where a dog hides his bone; even after he covers it up there is a little rise in the ground.

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

These lines continue to explain this burial house, but it gets a little tricky. A cornice is the pointed part of the roof, and here it’s in the ground. So if the highest part of the house is on the ground, the rest of it must be too. Further grave evidence.

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.

The poem seems to be telling a recent memory, but this all actually happened a really long time ago. Meaning…yep, the speaker has been dead the whole time. Interesting.

“Feels shorter than the Day” is just an old-fashioned way of saying something like, “feels like just yesterday.” So this memory remains vivid for the speaker.

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.”

It’s also very bold of Dickinson to end on this image because this is the first we’ve heard of the horses, and suddenly she’s asking them to hold up the most important moment of the poem.

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

The Theme of Death: Emily Dickinson ’s voluntary withdrawal from society probably made death and after-death her daily obsession. She viewed death as a kind of new life and life as it is lived here is akin to death. For her “a death-blow is a life-blow’, and so she is ready to die dauntlessly. The pain at the death of our kinsmen is transformed into envy when we think of the gracefulness of death and its promise of immortality . To her death is always associated with immortality . Death is only an escape and relief from the ordeals of this world. Since a new life would begin after death, she is ever “ready to go”.

She presents death as a pilot leading the human souls through the sea of life to the shore of eternity. She is sure of the reward of eternity and so she is not afraid of death. Death is, after all, a homecoming of Emily to her cousins in heaven. The treatment of death as an aesthetic experience reflects Emily wit and originality.

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.

3. Describe the scenes witnessed by the poet as the carriage progressed through its last ride. Answer: As the carriage progresses through its journey, the poet witnesses certain scenes for the last time: (a) children playing games during a school recess, (b) fields of ripe grain and (c) the sun setting.

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.

5. Where does the carriage stop? Answer: The carriage stops before a house that looks like a grave as suggested by the swelling of the ground.

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 ? Answer: Self exercise

8. How does the poet present the metaphor of a funeral as the marital procession to eternity? Answer: Self exercise

9. In the way she writes of death in this poem, is Dickinson using simile or personification? Explain your answer.

Answer: Dickinson uses personification since Death is presented as a 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.

Answers may vary. Example: She is trying to show Death’s place in the natural cycle of life, not as something to be (or that can be) avoided.

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

Answer: The house is the speaker’s grave.

12. Rewrite the poem’s last stanza in simple prose.

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

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.

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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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Home — Essay Samples — Literature — Because I Could Not Stop for Death — Analysis of ‘Because I Could Not Stop For Death’

Analysis of 'Because I Could not Stop for Death'

• Categories: Because I Could Not Stop for Death Emily Dickinson Literature Review

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Words: 1803 |

10 min read

Published: Aug 30, 2022

Words: 1803 | Pages: 4 | 10 min read

Emily Dickinson, the renowned American poet, is celebrated for her unique style and introspective approach to her craft. Born in 1830 in Amherst, USA, into a prominent family associated with Amherst College, her literary legacy endures through her idiosyncratic writing style characterized by capitalization and dashes. Despite leading an isolated life, Emily Dickinson's poetry resonates with readers of all ages and backgrounds. Her work delves into themes of faith and death, offering deeply personal reflections. While her social commentary is limited, her intense and introspective exploration of the human psyche leaves a lasting impact.

One of her most iconic poems, "Because I could not stop for Death," published posthumously in 1890, is a masterpiece that takes readers on a journey with death itself. Through vivid imagery, Dickinson portrays death not as an end but as a transition to immortality, challenging traditional perceptions of mortality and sadness. This poem, like many of her others, showcases her penchant for dashes and careful word choices. Emily Dickinson's contributions to American poetry continue to be revered, inviting readers to ponder the mysteries of existence, death, and eternity through her thought-provoking verses.

Table of contents

Introduction about author and poem, critical analysis, conclusion of poem, works cited.

• Dickinson, E. (1955). Poems of Emily Dickinson. (R. W. Franklin, Ed.). The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press.
• Dickinson, E. (1981). Because I could not stop for death. In T. H. Johnson (Ed.), The complete poems of Emily Dickinson (p. 300). Little, Brown and Company.
• Dickinson, E. (1999). The Letters of Emily Dickinson (Vol. 1). (T. H. Johnson, Ed.). Belknap Press.
• Dickinson, E. (2000). Emily Dickinson: Selected Poems and Commentaries. (H. Bloom, Ed.). Chelsea House Publishers.
• Gelpi, A. (1985). Emily Dickinson: The boundaries of emily dickinson. In J. Walker, R. Davis, & A. Johnson (Eds.), On Emily Dickinson : The Best from American Literature (pp. 27-38). Duke University Press.
• Mudge, J. (2009). Emily Dickinson: A Book of Essays. Oxford University Press.
• Nesteruk, P. (2013). Because I could not stop for death: An analysis of Emily Dickinson’s style. International Journal of Humanities and Social Science Research, 2(2), 59-68.
• Piper, A. (2008). The Poetic Achievement of Emily Dickinson. Edinburgh University Press.
• Sewall, R. B. (1974). The Life of Emily Dickinson. Harvard University Press.
• Wolff, C. (1986). Emily Dickinson. Vintage Books.

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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.

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