Because I Could Not Stop For Death Emily Dickinson Analysis

Roney 2Kate RoneyMrs. ReaAP English - B13 October 2017Happy Death DayAs this minute goes by, there will be about 108 more people pronounced dead - by theend of the day, 155,520. Death seems to be a very common thing; however, it is not verycommon to discuss it. One author, Emily Dickinson, is very famous for writing short poemsabout this rarely spoken travesty called death. She especially elaborates on death in her poem,“Because I Could not Stop for Death.” The title already clues in on the poem's main subject,death. Though at first, one may think the poem will be very dark because of the title, with deeperanalysis it becomes clear the poem has a positive attitude. Just like the title and poem contradictone another, so do the main two themes,

Then, she says, “we paused before a house that seemed a swelling of the ground” (lines17-18) as a metaphor for her grave. Her welcoming tone continues as she uses a house, which isknown to be a friendly environment, to describe the place she is buried once she dies.Throughout the poem, there is a definite rhythm scheme which helps keep the poemsoothing. Rhythm is very important because it dictates the direction; whether it is a positive ornegative direction. When there is a nice rhythm it keeps the flow in a nice harmony which showsthe poem is meant to have a positive attitude. The first and third line in every stanza are made upof eight syllables, four feet, and the whole poem uses the basic iambic meter. This furtherintensifies the poem by helping create a flow. The use of rhymes and slant rhymes also give thepoem a flow. "Me" rhymes with "immortality" and, farther down the poem, with "civility" and,finally, "eternity." There are also slant rhymes like "chill" and "tulle" which helps balance out therhythm. Dickinson also capitalized nouns, which intensified the structure to help the rhythm ofthe poem. Capitalization makes the words stand out more which emphasizes their importance.Those dashes have a