BECAUSE I COULD NOT STOP FOR DEATH
LITERAL MEANING
The poem is about a female persona who is taken for a carriage ride by a suitor, who happens to be death. She says that she could not stop for him, so he stopped for her instead. The occupants of the carriage are the persona, death, and immortality. They take a leisurely ride, which the persona facilitates, by putting away her work and fun activities because death is so polite. They rode past a school, fields, and the setting sun, and by early morning the persona started to feel a chill. They paused at a house, which was the persona's grave, and centuries passed. The persona muses that the centuries that have passed seem shorter than the day that death came for her.
The poem is about a female persona who is taken for a carriage ride by a suitor, who happens to be death. She says that she could not stop for him, so he stopped for her instead. The occupants of the carriage are the persona, death, and immortality. They take a leisurely ride, which the persona facilitates, by putting away her work and fun activities because death is so polite. They rode past a school, fields, and the setting sun, and by early morning the persona started to feel a chill. They paused at a house, which was the persona's grave, and centuries passed. The persona muses that the centuries that have passed seem shorter than the day that death came for her.
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2. Because I could not stop for Death -
He kindly stopped for me - The Carriage held but just Ourselves - And 4. Immortality. We slowly drove - He knew no haste And I had put away My labor and my leisure too, For 5. His Civility - We passed the School, where Children strove At Recess - in the Ring - We passed the Fields of Gazing Grain - We passed the Setting Sun 1. Or rather - He passed Us - The Dews drew quivering and chill - 6. For only Gossamer, my Gown - My Tippet - only Tulle - 3. We paused before a House that seemed A Swelling of the Ground - The Roof was scarcely visible - The 7. cornice - in the Ground - 8. Since then - 'tis Centuries - and yet Feels shorter than the Day I first surmised the Horses' Heads Were toward Eternity - Poet: Emily Dickenson |
LITERARY DEVICES
1. PERSONIFICATION
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IMPORTANT WORDS/ PHRASES
4. 'immortality' (Stanza 1, line 4)
This word literally means eternal life. Therefore, the persona is in a carriage with death and eternal life. The presence of eternal life, however, does not seem to nullify the power that death holds over the persona.
5. 'his civility' (Stanza 2, line 8)
This word means formal politeness and courtesy in behaviour. The implication is that these words characterize death, he is a gentleman. This character trait helps to soften death in the eyes of the reader.
6. 'For only Gossamer, my Gown - My Tippet - only Tulle -' (Stanza 4, lines 15-16)
The persona's gown was made of gossamer (a fine, filmy substance consisting of cobwebs that are seen in autumn), while her tippet (scarf or shawl) was made of tulle ( A soft, fine silk, cotton, or nylon material like net, used for making veils and dresses). This implies that the persona was unprepared for the early morning weather, as well as for death.
7. 'cornice in the ground' (Stanza 5, line 20)
A cornice is an ornamental moulding around the wall of a room just below the ceiling. The fact that this house's cornice is in the ground tells us that the 'house' is actually the persona's grave.
8. 'since then - 'tis Centuries' (Stanza 6, line 21)
This tells the reader that a lot of time has passed since death took her, implying that the persona is dead, and speaking from the grave.
4. 'immortality' (Stanza 1, line 4)
This word literally means eternal life. Therefore, the persona is in a carriage with death and eternal life. The presence of eternal life, however, does not seem to nullify the power that death holds over the persona.
5. 'his civility' (Stanza 2, line 8)
This word means formal politeness and courtesy in behaviour. The implication is that these words characterize death, he is a gentleman. This character trait helps to soften death in the eyes of the reader.
6. 'For only Gossamer, my Gown - My Tippet - only Tulle -' (Stanza 4, lines 15-16)
The persona's gown was made of gossamer (a fine, filmy substance consisting of cobwebs that are seen in autumn), while her tippet (scarf or shawl) was made of tulle ( A soft, fine silk, cotton, or nylon material like net, used for making veils and dresses). This implies that the persona was unprepared for the early morning weather, as well as for death.
7. 'cornice in the ground' (Stanza 5, line 20)
A cornice is an ornamental moulding around the wall of a room just below the ceiling. The fact that this house's cornice is in the ground tells us that the 'house' is actually the persona's grave.
8. 'since then - 'tis Centuries' (Stanza 6, line 21)
This tells the reader that a lot of time has passed since death took her, implying that the persona is dead, and speaking from the grave.
MOOD/ ATMOSPHERE
The tone of the poem is one of acceptance.
The mood of the poem is calm
The tone of the poem is one of acceptance.
The mood of the poem is calm
Contributor: Leisa Samuels-Thomas
Dickenson, Emily. 'Because I Could Not Stop for Death' in A World of Poetry. Edited by Mark McWatt and Hazel Simmonds McDonald. Pearson Education Ltd, 2005.
Dickenson, Emily. 'Because I Could Not Stop for Death' in A World of Poetry. Edited by Mark McWatt and Hazel Simmonds McDonald. Pearson Education Ltd, 2005.
