Emily Dickinson uses personification throughout her poem "Because I Could Not Stop for Death." Explain what she personifies in the poem. Then, analyze the impact of her use of personification on the overall meaning of the poem. Choose at least one additional rhetorical strategy that Dickinson uses to express the overall meaning of her poem. Be sure to use specific details to support your answer.

Answer 1

In her poem "Because I Could Not Stop for Death," Emily Dickinson personifies various concepts, most notably Death itself and Immortality. The personification of Death is evident in lines such as, "Because I could not stop for Death – / He kindly stopped for me" and "We paused before a House that seemed / A Swelling of the Ground." Here, Death is portrayed as a gentlemanly figure who takes the speaker on a leisurely carriage ride towards eternity.

Furthermore, Dickinson personifies Immortality in the lines, "Since then – 'tis Centuries – and yet / Feels shorter than the Day / I first surmised the Horses' Heads / Were toward Eternity." Immortality is portrayed as a presence felt by the speaker, as if it is almost a living being.

The use of personification in this poem enhances its overall meaning by making abstract concepts more tangible and relatable. Death and Immortality are given distinct characteristics and actions, allowing the reader to form a clearer image and understanding of these concepts. By personifying Death as a polite and patient companion, the poem suggests that death is not something to be feared or resisted, but rather embraced as a natural part of life's journey. The personification of Immortality as a presence that is more potent and timeless than a single day also conveys the idea that life is fleeting, while eternity is everlasting.

In addition to personification, Dickinson employs the rhetorical strategy of symbolism to express the poem's overall meaning. One notable symbol in the poem is the carriage ride itself, which represents the journey of life towards death. The slow and steady pace of the carriage symbolizes the passage of time and the inevitability of death. The "House" the carriage stops at signifies the speaker's final resting place, further emphasizing the theme of mortality.

Overall, through the effective use of personification and symbolism, Dickinson conveys the idea that death is a natural part of life's journey and that immortality exists beyond physical existence.