Poem

Because I Could Not Stop For Death By Emily Dickinson First published in 1890.

Because I could not stop for Death He kindly stopped for me The Carriage held but just Ourselves And Immortality. 5 We slowly droveHe knew no haste And I had put away My labor and my leisure too, For His Civility

We passed the School, where Children strove 10 At Recessin the Ring We passed the Fields of Gazing Grain We passed the Setting Sun
Or ratherHe passed Us The Dews drew quivering and chill 15 For only Gossamer, my Gown My Tippetonly Tulle We paused before a House that seemed A Swelling of the Ground The Roof was scarcely visible 20 The Cornicein the Ground

Since then'tis Centuriesand yet Feels shorter than the Day I first surmised the Horses' Heads Were toward Eternity

Emily Dickinson was born on December 10, 1830, in Amherst, Massachusetts. Emily Dickinson was educated at Amherst College, which her grandfather founded, and the Mount Holyoke Female Seminary; although she missed a large portion of the school year due to frequent illness and depression. After leaving school in 1848, she began living a secluded life and seldom left her home. (Poets.org) It was during this time that Dickinson was most productive as a poet. On May 15, 1886, Dickinson died of kidney disease. (Bio.org) Prior to her death, her poetry [was] virtually unpublished. (Emily Dickinson Museum) It wasnt until 1890 four years after her death that her work would begin being published.

About the Author

Speaker
Its not stated in the poem or title who the speaker is. From the title and references to Death, its easy to infer that the speaker is dead or dying. In the first stanza, Death acts as a gentleman caller, so it can also be inferred that the speaker is a woman.

Situation
The speaker, along with Death, is travelling through town, stops briefly at her grave, and then continues to travel into the afterlife.

Tone
While death is usually depicted as a very serious event in most literature, the tone in this poem is more lighthearted and accepting of death. Examples: He kindly stopped for me (2) My labor and my leisure too,/ For His Civility (78)

Themes
Mortality and the Acceptance of Death Immortality in the Afterlife
Since then 'tis Centuries (line 21)

Title
At first glance, the title seems to either be referring to a near death experience, or a very sudden death.

Paraphrase
The poem is about the speaker reflecting on the day that she died and travelled into the afterlife. As she travels with Death, she observes the life they pass.

Perspective
Its not stated in the poem or title who the speaker is. From the title and references to Death, its easy to infer that the speaker is dead or dying. In the first stanza, Death acts as a gentleman caller, so it can also be inferred that the speaker is a woman.

Craft
The speaker personifies Death as a Carriage Driver who takes people into Eternity
Because I could not stop for Death / He kindly stopped for me / The Carriage held but just Ourselves / And Immortality. (1-4)

The speaker uses alliteration to describe some of her observations on life.

Gazing Grain / Setting Sun (11-12)

Craft (continued)
The speaker uses a metaphor to indirectly compare a grave to a house.
We paused before a House that seemed / A Swelling of the Ground (17-18)

The speaker uses a hyperbole to describe the amount of time she has been dead.
Since then 'tis Centuries and yet / Feels shorter than the Day (21-22)

The speaker uses hyphens at the end of most lines in the poem, as if the poem is being spoken in dying breaths.
Because I could not stop for Death He kindly stopped for me (1-2)

Attitude
While death is usually depicted as a very serious event in most literature, the tone in this poem is more lighthearted and accepting of death. Examples: He kindly stopped for me (2) My labor and my leisure too,/ For His Civility (78)

Shift
The shift occurs in between the third and fourth stanzas, as this is where the speaker leaves the physical world and faces death. Prior to shift: We passed the School / We passed the Fields of Gazing Grain / We passed the Setting Sun (9-12) After shift: The Dews drew quivering and chill (14), A Swelling of the Ground (18), toward Eternity (24)

Title
The title is fairly apt, since it does allow for the reader to easily predict the poems theme of death. However, it isnt very effective in reflecting the lighthearted tone of the poem.

Theme
Mortality and the Acceptance of Death Immortality in the Afterlife
Since then 'tis Centuries (line 21)

Works Cited
Dickinson, Emily. "Because I Could Not Stop for Death (712)." Poets.org. Academy of American Poets, n.d. Web. 17 Feb. 2014. "Emily Dickinson Biography." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 17 Feb. 2014. "Emily Dickinson." Poets.org. Academy of American Poets, n.d. Web. 17 Feb. 2014. "Emily Dickinson's Biography | Emily Dickinson Museum." Emily Dickinson's Biography | Emily Dickinson Museum. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Feb. 2014.