An Analysis Of '712' By Emily Dickinson

669 Words2 Pages

Priyal Patel
Ms. Thomas
American Literature (7)
28 January, 2014
Poetry Seminar
2. Summary
“712” by Emily Dickinson is about a woman's encounter with Death. Since she is not ready to carry on she asks Death to wait and he abides to the request. For centuries, they share a peaceful journey through places on Earth until the sun sets and the reality of death sets in. The last destination the woman is brought to, is a home which is buried in the ground hinting it is her burial home.
3. Connotations and Denotations:
Civility-formal politeness
Death’s chivalrous manner emphasizes the peaceful mood that the journey begins with.
Gossamer-something very light and thin
This article of clothing is way too thin to be worn especially since it is in the night time and provides no warmth.
Tippet-a scarf or shawl
The narrator is merely covered in this light piece of clothing further providing evidence that she is unaware about the cold reality of death.
Tulle-soft material, almost like net
This word is an extra detail to show how inadequate the tippet is for the narrator especially since she is wearing it at a time of cold weather.
*Gossamer, Tulle and Tippet share the meaning of being thin in clothing*
Cornice: ornamental molding around the wall and ceiling of a building
In this poem the cornice is in the ground showing that there is a home or a building deep under the ground as the cornice is normally found at the same level of the roof.
4. Literary Devices
One of the major literary devices used (lines 1-3,5,8,11,13,14) was personification to give death human characteristics. In line one, the “d” in death is capitalized to show it is a proper noun and the name of a person. Throughout the poem, Dickinson effectively uses imagery to create a pict...

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...ed to see many of her loved ones pass on which stood as an inspiration and place to vent her emotions out on.
Emily Dickinson was emotions were kept a secret although she faced tragic things such as deaths and loss in lovers. Thus, her tone reflected her feelings which often were heavy-hearted and cheerless.
7. Questions
Why does Dickinson include children playing and grass fields as landmarks of the journey that the woman and Death travel to?
Why isn’t the narrator properly clothed when the sun sets and the cool air and darkness comes in? What is the significance of this?
Why does Dickinson have her characters go on a journey that seems to be endless if it is going on for centuries?
Why does the poet personify death to be relaxed if many are afraid and horrified by the thought of it?
How can death be immortal if the purpose of it is to end one’s life on Earth?
8.

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