Literary Analysis of Emily Dickinsons Poetry Essays

Literary Analysis of Emily Dickinsons Poetry Emily Dickinson is one of the most famous authors in American History, and a good amount of that can be attributed to her uniqueness in writing. In Emily Dickinsons poem Because I could not stop for Death, she characterizes her overarching theme of Death differently than it is usually described through the poetic devices of irony, imagery, symbolism, and word choice. Emily Dickinson likes to use many different forms of poetic devices and Emilys use of irony in poems is one of the reasons they stand out in American poetry. In her poem Because I could not stop for Death, she refers to Death in a good way. Dickinson states in the poem that He kindly stopped for me --†¦show more content†¦(14, 18). During this poem, Dickinson wants us to simply see her version of a persons trip during death. The imagery is supposed to lead us into seeing what the author is describing. With poems often being short in length, symbolism helps the author expand on a theme by using very little words. In ?Because i could not stop for Death,? Dickinson uses symbolism to give more substance to the journey with ?Death?. Dickinson symbolizes the ride in general as being a ride past her life to eternity. The setting sun is also a symbol for her dying life. As the sun sets and ends another day, her life ends as ?Death? takes her toward eternity. Thomas H. Johnson interprets this by saying ?the sun passed them, as it of course does all who are in the grave? (Johnson). In both cases, Dickinson symbolizes the ?sun? as a way of ending things, connecting it to the characters ending life. Dickinson also uses the third stanza as a symbol of how everything will go on normally while the character is being lead to the afterlife. The children and grain are growing which represents new life or the future (Melani). This symbol shows that ?Death? does not control everything, but can c ontrol on thing at a time. Symbolism is a key to many poems, to help the reader think deeper into the poem itself. In Emily Dickinsons poem, the most important poetic device is her unique word choice. All of the other poetic devices discussed so far have a directShow MoreRelatedPsychoanalytic Criticism on Emily Dickinson Essay1086 Words   |  5 Pagesposition throughout their literary writings, as well as understanding whom the author was and how their mind created such works. When considering the work of Emily Dickinson, psychoanalytic criticism comes into play with the role of explaining the many meanings behind her poetry, as to make the reader relate to such poetry on a deeper level or not to who she was as a human being. 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OtherRead More Analysis of Emily Dickinsons Because I Could Not Stop for Death803 Words   |  4 PagesAnalysis of Emily Dickinsons Because I Could Not Stop for Death In regard to Emily Dickinson’s poem, â€Å"Because I Could Not Stop for Death,† Critic Eunice Glenn says: â€Å"In the first two lines Death, personified as a carriage driver, stops for one who could not stop for him. The word ‘kindly’ is particularly meaningful, for it instantly characterizes Death. This comes with surprise, too, since death is more often considered grim and terrible† (Glenn). Critic Charles R. Anderson says, â€Å"DeathRead MoreEssay On Emily Dickinson1348 Words   |  6 PagesEmily Dickinson The beloved poet, Emily Dickinson lived as a recluse to become the greatest American woman poet of the 19th century. Even in such peculiar circumstances, her works remain alive as she unites people through her talent. Furthermore, her poems were not recognized until after her death, her art is now praised with its impact on society. She intrigues readers with prominent themes of life and death and its comparison to living and nonliving aspects. Dickinson’s unique background, interestingRead MoreEmily Dickinson Essay1254 Words   |  6 PagesEmily Dickinson Emily Dickinson was born on December 10, 1830 in the community of Amherst, Massachusetts. She was the second daughter of Edward and Emily Norcross Dickinson. Emily, her brother Austin, and her sister Lavinia were brought up and nurtured in a quiet reserved household headed by their father Edward. Throughout her life, her mother was not always around, or accessible, a fact that is said to have caused Emily’s eccentricity. They were raised in Puritanical Massachusetts,