In Emily DickinsonÆs ôBecause I Could Not Stop for Death,ö the poet uses imagery to convey her theme that Death is not something to be feared. Instead, her belief in immortality of the soul moves the poet to use imagery that makes death into a ôgentleman.ö As we are told, because the speaker could not stop for Death, ôhe kindly stopped for meö (Dickinson 1). Death not only stops for the speaker, but he treats her to a carriage ride in which she is dressed as an angel. The speaker could not stop for death because of her fear of mortality, but during her ride she realizes the immortality of the soul is eternal and this ameliorates her concerns: ôSince then ætis centuries, and yet / Feels shorter than the day / I first surmised the horsesÆ heads / Were toward eternityö (Dickinson 1).
Dickinson also uses personification to help underscore her theme that death is not something final or to be feared. Personification (1) is defined as ôgiving human qualities to animals or objects.ö Death is described in human terms, for he is ôcivil,ö knows ôno haste,ö and is ôkindö (Dickinson 1). By rendering ôDeathö in human terms, the poet is able to help underscore her main theme that death is not something final or to be feared but is instead a journey for eternity. By using imagery and personification, DickinsonÆs poem helps convey this theme more forcefully and visually for the reader.
ôPersonification.ö 6 February 2006 http://www.tnellen.com/ cybereng/lit_terms/personification.html, 1.
Dickinson, Emily. ôBecause I could Not Stop for Death.ö 6 February 2006 http://quotations.about.com/cs/poemlyrics/a/ Because_I_Could.htm, 1.
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