Emily Dickinson

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Emily Dickinson
Because I Could Not Stop For Death...
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Emily Dickinson (1830-1886)

• An American lyrical poet born in Amherst,
  Massachusetts
• Extremely eccentric, private person
• only seven of her poems were published during
  her lifetime
• She seldom left her house, and rarely had
  visitors
• Her poetry reflects her loneliness, and usually
  focuses on her own feelings and what matter to
  her most
• Sister in law published her poems after
  Dickinsons death
• Dickinson did not care about money and fame, and
  didnt want the public to read her poems

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Because I could not stop for Death He kindly
stopped for me The Carriage held but just
Ourselves And Immortality.
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• Dickinson describes Death as a person
• She describes the meeting as a pleasant event
  that takes place in a carriage
• Poem starts off with death having to stop for
  Dickinson

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We slowly droveHe knew no haste And I had put
away My labor and my leisure too, For His
Civility
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• She walks away from her busy schedule, such as
  work and even her leisure time for death

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We passed the School, where Children strove At
Recess--in the Ring We passed the Fields of
Gazing Grain We passed the Setting Sun
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• It is thought that here, Dickinson is talking
  about the different stages of her life
• Can also be thought of as her seeing her own
  life flash before her eyes
• the children at recess symbolizing the beginning
  of her life
• the fields of grazing grain refers to
  adolescence/adult
• the setting sun is the writers final years

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Or rather--He passed us The Dews drew quivering
and chill For only Gossamer, my Gown My
Tippet--only Tulle -----------------------------
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• She is restating that the phases of her life has
  passed her by
• Describing being inside the ground being cold
• Also talks about what she is wearing (tippet
  Tulle)

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We paused before a House that seemed A Swelling
of the Ground The Roof was scarcely visible
The Cornice--in the Ground

• The house/swelling of the ground that she is
  describing is her gravesite

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Since then--'tis Centuriesbut each Feels
shorter than the Day I first surmised the
Horses' Heads Were toward Eternity--
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• Time (centuries) has passed since her carriage
  ride with death
• Ends with her realizing that towards the end of
  her ride with death she figured out that this
  wasnt temporary
• Horses Heads were toward eternity meaning the
  horses pulling the carriage were taking her
  somewhere she couldnt return from
• -realizes she is dead that this ride is
  for all eternity

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If you need help understanding Dickinsons Poems,
please check out these sites

• http//www.poets.org/poets/poets.cfm?45442B7C000C0
  7000F
• http//www.bartleby.com/113/