Emily’s Dickinson “Because I Could Not Stop for Death” is a six stanza poem that talks about the narrator’s experience with death. This essay focuses on the third stanza of this poem, which provides a vivid description of the voyage in the company of Death. Although the entire poem reflects contrasting perspectives between life and death, this particular stanza is special because it captures the discrepancy between the two, while creating a harmony.
“We passed the School, where Children strove
At recess – in the Ring –
We passed the Fields of Gazing Grain –
We passed the Setting Sun –”
This four line stanza is written in iambic meter, but there is no rhyme scheme, as it is in the other stanzas of this poem. This third stanza is nevertheless, luxuriant in literary devices, such as personification, alliteration, repetition, metaphor or epithet. Although it is not mentioned in this stanza, it can be deduced, from the reading of the former lines, that by “We”, the author refers to herself and the Death, whom she personifies as her voyage companion. The distinct iteration of consonants like “r”: “children strove”, “recess”, ring”, “g” in “Gazing Grain” or “s” “passed the Setting Sun” is meant to create a special effect of mystery that describes this voyage.
The repetition of “We passed” in the first, the third and the fourth lines of the poem highlights the transience of life and the omnipresence of death, al element present throughout the world: in the school, at recess or in “the Fields of Gazing Grain” (Dickinson 3). Even the sun is mortal when compared with the Death, and its ephemeral nature is described through the epithet “the Setting Sun” (Dickinson 4). “The Fields of Gazing Grain” is a metaphor of life that blossoms and shines, creating an aesthetic imagery that encourages the admiration of living. Nonetheless, by passing it, the poet suggests that Death is greater than life and all the beauties and innocence it has to offer.
In only four lines, Emily Dickinson employs various literary devices for highlighting the greatness of Death, which she personifies and presents as an omniscience character, greater and older than life. Nevertheless, while describing the magnitude of Death, the poet grasps the beauty and innocence of living, harmonizing life and death.
Works Cited
Dickinson, Emily. Because I Could Not Stop for Death. [Online] N.d. Available from < http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems-and-poets/poems/detail/47652 >. 23 May 2016.
