Emily Dickinson Transcendentalism

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Emily Dickinson was a poet in the time/era of transcendentalism--a time when nonconformity and the love of nature and breaking free from the “chains” of work was common. These topics shine though the works of Dickinson. Found in her poems are also themes of life, death, faith, and nature. This particular poem, “I heard a Fly buzz when I died,” focuses on the topic of death, not death as a scary or unnatural thing, but rather peaceful and real in a sense of no fairytale type event.
Beginning the poem with the unexpected, “I heard a fly buzz--when I died,” The first stanza, Dickinson shows the ordinariness of death, instead of speaking deeply and reminiscing on life as it come to a close. The first stanza ends with discussion of how there was a tension in the room, filled with mourning loved ones that had been crying for a long period of time. That leads to the second stanza, “The Eyes around--had wrung them dry--.” The loved ones mourning for their soon to be dearly departed had cried so long they now have no tears left. And finally the end of the second stanza demonstrates that death has its expectations, which generally does not match a person's …show more content…

The third stanza speaks on the preparation for one’s death. The creation of the will, distribution of goods, all the material items one had in their lifetime now handed off. Our expectation of meeting God is then cut short when we notice the fly. “There interposed a fly--.” The fly is described in specificity in the very last stanza, “With blue-- uncertain stumbling buzz--.” The fly’s description at this point demonstrates Dickinson's attitude to death. One would believe this to be inappropriate or a bit gruesome, while Emily finds it normal and real. The whole mood is then shifted when the author then stops seeing, it is concluded that death arrived. Nothing else is added because the author herself doesn't know what happens after

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