Documented Essay on Emily Dickinson’s Death Poems
Emily Dickinson explores death in most of her poems, and her perspective on the issue of death changes in some death poems and remains constant in others. “Because I could not stop for death” talks about death and the afterlife and uses several techniques to present other themes such as the nature of death (Cooney, 241-249). Additionally, the poem “I heard a fly buzz — when I died” presents death as a peaceful transition that some are ready for and embrace, unlike in the one mentioned above. People do not stop to think or worry about death but stop by them anyway. The third poem, “Apparently, with no surprise,” presents the idea that death is a natural and inevitable occurrence (Cooney, 241-249). In the above poems, Emily’s view of death and the afterlife vary and employ different styles and themes to pass her message across, as explained below.
“Because I could not stop for death” employs personification to bring out the idea of death and the afterlife. Emily states that it was impossible for her to stop death and what happens after, and therefore, death was kind enough to stop by and take her for a ride. Being the driver of the carriage, death took the woman in the poem through life cycles of school, work, and eventual death that led her to her afterlife. The persona has no control over what happens and is there to experience and follow-through from her choice of words. She says, “We slowly drove. He knew no haste, And I had put away My labor and my leisure too” (Dickinson). These words stamp that death is inevitable, and there is no need for anyone to haste towards it since it will eventually come. When death visits, one will have to abandon everything and follow it to where it leads them, and in this case, the afterlife.
Apart from personification, Emily uses the sunset to symbolize the persona’s death. While taking the ride, the persona says that “We passed the Fields of Gazing Grain We passed the Setting Sun or rather He passed us The Dews drew quivering and chill” (Dickinson). From her narration, the sunset signified the end of the earthly life of the narrator and the mentioning that the sun passed them points out to the fact that life on earth continues even after one dies. Additionally, the playing children the persona and death come across during their trail also stamps the continuation of life despite the death of one member of the society.
Besides the death inevitability, “Because I could not stop for death” explores the themes of immortality and uncertainties tied to what happens in the afterlife. The persona is a woman who has already encountered death and is narrating from the afterlife. She describes a place of abode that they came along in the course of her tour as, “a House that seemed, a Swelling of the Ground the Roof was scarcely visible The Cornice – in the Ground” (Dickinson). The description suits that of a grave where the body lies after death. Immortality comes in when the persona states that the trip happened centuries before, but it seems less than a day. Therefore, the persona does not bring out what happens afterlife. The audience can only tie it to the poet’s spiritual nature and the mention of eternity with a close association with Christianity.
“I heard a fly buzz — when I died” presents a distinct death perspective compared to “because I could not stop for death.” While the latter shows death as a cruel, shadowy, and mysterious nature of death, the former presents death as a peaceful transition and makes itself eminent every time it hits. Imagery and vivid description describe the persona’s last moments, the people around her when she dies, and the calm and stillness in the room. For instance, the person uses synecdoche when she says, “the eyes around had wrung them dry, and breaths were gathering firm for that last onset when the king be witnessed in the room” (Dickinson). The persona also mentions eyes as a representation of the people around her in the room where she dies while the king is the personification of death itself. Through these descriptions, the audience can create mental pictures of the environment where the persona dies and can fathom and imagine the fly’s buzzing sound.
Another technique employed in the poem is the use of simile and repetition. The simile likens the calmness in the room where the persona lay awaiting her death and the stillness present in the air. The persona states, “The room’s Stillness Was like the Stillness in the Air – Between the Heaves of Storm” (Dickinson). The contrast makes the audience relate to the atmosphere’s stillness, which represents the acceptance of the impending death both by the persona and the people present. Repetition of the buzzing sounds of the fly bares an emphasis on the relevance of these sounds, which mark the end of the persona’s life and the last vision she has before exiting the physical world.
Besides death as a theme, “I heard a fly buzz — when I died” explores acceptance of death’s unavoidability and embracing it when it comes. In the poem, the persona knows that death is coming and is at peace with it, and when death comes for her, she does not hesitate but embraces it and takes her last breath. The persona says that “I willed my keepsakes signed away. What portion of me be assignable, and then it was there interposed a fly” (Dickinson). The persona is giving up worldly possessions by signing the will, gets ready for her impending death, and when the buzz blocks her view of the world, she accepts it and closes her chapter on earthly life.
Lastly, “Apparently with no surprise” presents the same idea of the inevitability and the natural process of life and death but brings out death as cruel and brutal as expressed in “Because I could not stop for death.” Emily uses frost and flower as symbols representing the two processes. The poem uses the image of a happy and flourishing flower, whose existence comes to an end through beheading by a frost. The persona states that “To any happy flower the frost beheads it at its play –in accidental power” (Dickinson). Thus, the frost has the power to end the life within the flower even when it is happy living. The power exhibited by the frost could be accidental out of its strength but is familiar, and the flower has no option but to give in after beheading, which serves to end its life. The flourishing of the flower and the occurrence of the frost are natural processes that represent the nature of life and death.
Besides symbolism, Emily employs personification and metaphors in the poem. The flower can be happy, and the frost has powers just like humans, which is a form of personification. The poem’s first lines state, “To any happy flower the frost beheads it at its play –in accidental power” (Dickinson). Naturally, the flowers flourish just before winter. When winter kicks in, the frost starts appearing, and as time progresses, the flowers cannot withstand its power and die through beheading, which does not come as a surprise to anyone since the occurrence is a repetitive one year in year out. The metaphor comes in when the persona refers to the frost as an assassin. The narrator says that “The blond assassin passes on –the sun proceeds unmoved To measure off another day for an approving god” (Dickinson). The frost kills the flower, just like an assassin comes to kill their target intentionally. Thus, death, in this case, is brutal and cruel. Despite these happenings, life on earth continues. The sun continues to shine, and the process of life and death begins all over again.
Apart from the theme of the inevitability of death, “Apparently with no surprise” explores the theme of religion. The poet mentions that “The sun proceeds unmoved to measure off another day for an approving god” (Dickinson). Mentioning God and his approving nature of all that happens means that he is aware and approves what happens. Although the frost is harmful to the flower, God still allows it to happen, although he can prevent it. Similarly, God is aware of life on earth and approves the happenings in terms of death and life and is content with the way things stand. Additionally, there is no way to influence God and the processes, and all that one needs to do is accept them and live happily as the flower does since they can neither influence God, time, or these processes.
Conclusively, Emily Dickinson’s view of death, as represented in her poems, changes slightly in some while others exhibit the same perspective. The different techniques and styles employed in her poems bring out different themes besides death, making every poem unique in its ways. The poems on death exhibit Emily’s dedication to communicating about death to her audience and presents the lookouts humans have regarding death. Besides death poems, Emily has a way of throwing in a few lines of her spiritual aspect in her poems, acting as a pointer to her Christian life.
Works Cited
Cooney, William. “The death poetry of Emily Dickinson.” OMEGA-Journal of Death and
Dying 37.3 (1998): 241-249.
Dickinson, Emily. “Apparently With No Surprise (1668) – Emily Dickinson
Museum”. Emilydickinsonmuseum.Org, 2020, https://www.emilydickinsonmuseum.org/apparently-with-no-surprise-1668/.
DICKINSON, EMILY. “Because I Could Not Stop For Death – (479) By… | Poetry
Foundation”. Poetry Foundation, 2020, https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/47652/because-i-could-not-stop-for-death-479.
Dickinson, Emily. “I Heard A Fly Buzz – When I Died – (591) By Emily… | Poetry
Foundation”. Poetry Foundation, 2020, https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/45703/i-heard-a-fly-buzz-when-i-died-591.