Perhaps the best known of Dickinsor’s poems are the melancholic ones — those that deal with death and the after life. This may be tied in with the notion that because Dickinson was reclusive. she was also angsty and nun-like. It may also be linked to a general fascination with those who beat their own path, particularly if they seem to do it alone. The grim reaper in this poem is a civil gentleman who takes the narrator — already ghostlike in gossamer and tulle — gently towards death. It’s a hopeful, meditative poem about the promise of immortality. - The poem — Because I could not stop for Death — deals with heavy subjects such as death, time and eternity. But Emily Dickinson deals with them in a simple manner so that the idea or intention of the poem is clearly visible to the reader. One can comprehend infinite meanings on the poem and this is one of the crowning pieces of Dickinson; because of the way Death is personified as a gentleman and how the true nature of death causes a realization in the speaker about the eternity of being in a grave. BECAUSE I COULD NOT STOP FOR DEATH Because I could not stop for Death — : He kindly stopped forme- The Carriage held but just Ourselves — And Immortality. phveweLer Shee ter tse SMe Cordiniviiger We slowly drove — He knew no haste And I had put away My labor and my leisure too, For His Civility — O sich eb epbecae SI 1 ALailer Ge rips st We passed the School, where Children strove At Recess — in the Ring — We passed the Fields of Gazing Grain — We passed the Setting Sun — lef Be PLIES get FE vuamiucu wiur Carwt, eho inept ah Lé¢ Or rather - He passed Us — The Dews drew quivering and Chill — For only Gossamer, my Gown — My Tippet — only Tulle — et be wt nEN SLPS ee Jodo br w-——— Lad WG pete oka ge See We paused before a House that seemed A Swelling of the Ground — The Roof was scarcely visible — The Cornice — in the Ground — Ppbometn fist Se erick BRrackif bben peg ut GIP a Peg dy Since then — ‘tis Centuries — and yet Feels shorter than the Day I first surmised the Horses' Heads Were toward Eternity — take the speaker on 2 supematural journey beyond the grave We can take it that the speaker has no fear of Death. Death is kind, drives with care and has a formal politeness about him. The most striking feature of this poem is the use of the dash (- ) to temporarily pause a sentence or clause, where the reader takes a fleeting breath before continuing. This tends to isolate a phrase in a manner different to, say. 2 comma or colon and is used frequently by Emily Dickinson in most of her poems.” There és 2 regular four beat/three beat rhythm in each quatrain which heips reinforce the idea of a steady drive in a horse-drawn carriage. The rhyme scheme is abeb. each second line being full or slant with the fourth line: meimmorality away civility ground/ground day"eternity Note that im stanza four the rhythm is changed, three beats begin and end, suggesting a simple strange twist to proceedings as the Sun passes them and chills the scantily dressed occupant. A tippet is a long cape or scarf and tulle is fine silk or cotton net. Gossamer is a delicate, light material. bringing an unreal aspect to the speaker, who may well be a spirit form. Three Important Contrasts: At different points in the poem definite contrasts arise which allow for restructure of meaning and reflection. * The opening two lines affirm the reason why Death stops. Because I could not stop for Death - He kindly stopped for me - © The end line of stanza three and opening line of stanza four. We passed the Setting Sun - Or rather - He passed Us - * And in the opening two lines of the last stanza. Since then - ‘tis Centuries - and yet Feels shorter than the Day veammicu wiur Val