Emily Dickinsons Because I could not stop for Death is a remarkable masterpiece that exercises thought between the known and the unknown. In Dickinsons poem, Because I could not stop Death, there is much impression in the tone, in symbols and in the use of imagery that over flow with creativity. One might undoubtedly agree to an eerie, haunting, if not frightening, tone and use of symbolism in Dickinsons poem. Dickinson uses controlling adjectives slowly and passed to create a tone that seems rather placid.
For example, We slowly drove He knew no Haste / We passed the School / We passed the Setting Sun (5,9,11,12), sets a slow, quiet, and clam atmosphere. The tone in Dickinsons poem puts readers ideas on a track towards a boggling atmosphere. Dickinsons poem lives on complex ideas that are evoked through symbols, which carry her readers through her poem. Besides the literal significance of the School, Gazing Grain, Setting Sun, and the Ring much is gathered to complete the poems central idea. Dickinson brought to light the mysteriousness of the life cycle.
The cycle of ones life, as symbolized by Dickinson, has three stages and then a final stage of eternity. Schools, where children strove (9) may represent childhood; Fields of Gazing Grain (11), maturity; and Setting Sun (12) old age. In addition to these three stages, the final stage of eternity was symbolized in the last two lines of the poem, the Horses Heads (23), leading towards Eternity (24). Dickinson thought about the life cycle in terms of figurative symbols. Dickinson describes the scene such that mental pictures of sight, feeling, and sound come to life.
The imagery begins the moment Dickinson invites her reader into the Carriage (3). Death slowly (5) takes the readers on a sight seeing trip where they see the stages of life. The first site We passed was the School, where children strove (9). Because it deals with an important symbol, –the Ring this first scene is perhaps the most important. On this invited journey, one vividly sees Children playing. Laughing and singing. This scene conveys emotions and moods through verbal pictures. The imagery in the final scene, We passed the Setting Sun (12) is very emotional.
One can clearly picture a warm setting sun, perhaps, over a grassy horizon. The idea of a setting sun, aftermath a fact of slumber in a cold dark night. When Dickinson passed the Setting Sun, night drew nigh and it was time to go home and sleep. Symbolically, her tour of life was over; it was now time for Eternity death. While sight seeing in the carriage, one can gather, by the setting of the sun, that this ride was glimpse of life flashing before her eyes; just as said to happen before you die. Lines 14 and 15 seem to support this idea.
The dews drew quivering and chill / For only Gossamer, my Gown (14-15). This indicates a pleasant time cut short. Before she knew it, the cold Dew[s] (14) had set in. The imagery in this transcendent poem shines great light on some hidden similarities between life and death. This poem exercises both the thoughts and emotions of readers. Eternity and Death are two important characters in Dickinsons Because I could not stop for Death. In fact, eternity is a state of being. Dickinson believed in an eternity after death . Agreeably, Dickinson shows no fear of death in her poem.