Power Of Death

700 Words2 Pages

Many, including I, have heard this statement a thousand times, “I have so much to do and so little time.” This statement explains what two poets were trying to say through their poems. In the poems, Death Be Not Proud by John Donne, and Because I Could Not Stop for Death by Emily Dickinson, the power that death has over one’s life and the power that one has over death becomes a race for time. Both poems explained death in two different perspectives but both still showed the underlying current that death cannot be stopped. With the use of symbolizations and metaphors, both authors show the power of death.
In Because I Could Not Stop for Death, death is personified as an unintimidating guide in charge of bringing you to eternity. In the first stanza, death is said to be a kind helper. “Because I could not stop for Death—He kindly stopped for me.” (Stanza 1) Deaths job is not to take you away from life but lead you towards a new life: eternity. Dickinson goes further into describing death as knowing no haste and being a patient leader. In the carriage while being lead to eternity they pass the school where they see children outside playing. This symbolizes the innocence and happiness of life. “We passed the Fields of Gazing Grain—We passed the Setting Sun.” (Stanza 3) The gazing grain shows the simplicity and beauty of life. And the setting sun not only symbolizes the end of the day but also, metaphorically, the end of a life. Unlike other views of death as being a grim reaper, death here is peaceful and fearless, gently stopping you in your busy life so take you to immortality. In Death Be Not Proud, death is viewed as a more powerful figure. Just like in Dickinsons poem, death is once again personified. “Death, be not proud, thou...

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...quered Death and won the battle showing that he has not truly died, in Because I Could Not Stop for Death, the speaker allows Death to take her and willfully follows Death to eternity.
With the use of metaphors, imagery, and symbolization both authors show the power that death has over one’s body. Through personification both authors show how death can be thought of as a leader—either a gentle leader or strong, mighty leader—grabbing you out of your busy life and leading you to eternity. Dickinson painted the picture of death through the setting suns gazing grains, and the children playing in the yard, reminiscing on her beautiful life that was filled with happiness and joy. Whereas Donne showed how he conquered death and how death was a slave to chance rather than a powerful being. Both poems showed their ride to eternity and their perspectives on Death himself.

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