Emily Dickinson Analysis American Poetry is famous throughout the world and one of the most famous a
nd well known American poets is Emily Dickinson. Dickinson deals with many themes and tones in her
poetry however; one of the most dealt with themes is death. In "Because I Could Not Stop For Death"
and "I Heard a Fly Buzz - When I Died" Emily Dickinson shows that death is not always as bad as it
is portrayed and at times it can actually be a joyous thing. In the poem "I Heard a Fly Buzz - When
I Died" the first line "I heard a Fly buzz - when I died" shows a great significance. First the poe
m is in the first person. This shows that the narrator has already died and is recounting the exper
ience. Therefore what is written must be of some truth. Also the fact that the narrator was concen
trating on a fly rather than anything else when she was on her deathbed sets the mood of a calm and
ordinary scene. In the poem "Because I Could Not Stop For Death" Dickinson is again writing in the f
irst person and she also opens up the scene in a very casual type of manner. She says that death ca
me to pick her up in a carriage and "The Carriage held but just Ourselves - And Immortality". This
shows that once again death is as common a thing as taking a carriage ride with a friend or a beau r
ather than being a horrific ordeal with a great amount of pain. Dickinson also describes a "Stillnes
s in the Room" and compares to "the Stillness in the Air - Between the Heaves of Storm". The stilln
ess in the air is better known as the eye of a hurricane where everything is perfectly still and cal
m. This shows that at the moment of her death the mood was still, calm, and relaxing, even though i
t is known to be tense and overly emotional. Dickinson also describes her time with death by saying
"We slowly drove - He knew no haste". This shows that death just took his time and didn't just come
and take her and it was done. Instead he picked her up and they're simply going on a carriage ride
through eternity. While she is going on the ride with death she says that she "put away" her "labo
r" and her "leisure too, For His Civility". This shows that she just kind of forgot about what had
happened and what she was used to from her past life and just allowed death to take her to wherever
she was meant to be. She made no struggle or had any complaints it was simple and easy. As for dea
th being described as civil or as being polite and is taken by his good manners. Then compare this
to what people think death would really be like, a mean ugly old man that jerks off and doesn't give
you the time of day. Therefore Dickinson views death as just a peaceful thing where one doesn't ex
actly know what is going on but nonetheless is not overly upset to be there. Many people view death
to be an agonizing process with no pity and horrible details. However, Dickinson wants people to se
e that death isn't quite the grotesque picture that the community paints it to be. Dickinson was ra
ised in a strictly Puritan family where this picture was quite often painted. Therefore she felt op
pressed and that is why she wrote a lot of her poetry about death.
emily dickinson analysis america
n poetry famous throughout world most famous well known american poets emily dickinson dickinson dea
ls with many themes tones poetry however most dealt with themes death because could stop death heard
buzz when died emily shows that death always portrayed times actually joyous thing poem heard buzz
when died first line heard buzz when died shows great significance first poem first person this show
s that narrator already recounting experience therefore what written must some truth also fact that
narrator concentrating rather than anything else deathbed sets mood calm ordinary scene poem because
could stop again writing person also opens scene very casual type manner says came pick carriage ca
rriage held just ourselves immortality this once again common thing taking carriage ride with friend
beau rather than being horrific ordeal great amount pain also describes stillness room compares sti
llness between heaves storm stillness better known hurricane where everything perfectly still calm t
his moment mood still calm relaxing even though known tense overly emotional describes time saying s
lowly drove knew haste just took time didn just come take done instead picked they simply going ride
through eternity while going ride says away labor leisure civility kind forgot about what happened
what used from past life allowed take wherever meant made struggle complaints simple easy being desc
ribed civil being polite taken good manners then compare people think would really like mean ugly je
rks doesn give time therefore views peaceful thing where doesn exactly know going nonetheless overly
upset there many people view agonizing process pity horrible details however wants people quite gro
tesque picture community paints raised strictly puritan family where picture quite often painted the
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