Three of Three.....

"I heard a Fly buzz - when I died"
This poem tells of the expierience of death, rather than the contemplation of it, as Dickinson's other peoms did. The fly represents death hanging around, and signals to the speaker that the end is near. The lines "I willed my Keepsakes - Signed away What portions of me be Assignable," tell the reader that the speaker has given up all of her mortal belonging, including her body, over to death. With the line "the Eyes around - had wrung them dry," the reader understands that the speaker does not think that anyone is crying for her death, but rather that there was a "Stillness in the Air-." The death of the speaker seems like a quiet calm occasion where they just breath in and out and their "Widows," or eyes, just close and they can not longer "see to see" what goes on about them. Their time in this life is over. I feel that Dickinson yet again gives death a more peaceful feel. It is just something that happens, there is nothing terrible, or wonderful about it, but it is just the end of this part of the path.

Two of Three...

"Behind me - dips Eternity"
This poem was rather difficult to "unpack."
Dickinson's speaker reflects upon what death is, rather than be experiencing it as in her other poems. The speaker, a female most likely, is thinking about what it really could be, and feeling herself just a small blip in the pathways of life. She reflects upon what others have said, " 'tis Kingdoms - afterward- they say." Using the phrase "they say" gives the reader the feeling that the speaker hold a good bit of doubt towards the 'Kingdom'. When the speaker goes on to say  the lines "pausless Monarchy," and "dateless Dynasty," she gives an idea that humans cannot really understand, and something that especially as 'kingless' thinkers may not find to be agreeable. Dickinson also refers to Christ in the lines "Son of None," and "Duplicate Divine" in that Jesus was the son of no man, but rather a divine entity, and that Jesus and God are thought to be the same, and rule as one. At the end of the poem "Maelstrom - in the Sky" shows that the speaker feels confused about death, and what it really is. In this poem I feel that there is confusion about what it really is, the speaker feel small and unimportant to the flow of time, and the entity that is death, and the speaker feels doubt for what everyone else believes the afterlife to be.

First of three....

"Because I could not stop for Death.
He kindly stopped for me....."

Emily Dickinson gives death a whole new persona in this poem. She personifies death and gives it a more gentle and kind nature. Death is seen as a polite and pleasant carriage ride through eternity. Emily does not speak of a heaven or a hell, which is something unheard of in her time. She uses the symbol of a old and buried house, which is really her grave, to show that when a person dies, they have a completely different concept of time, “Since then – ‘tis centuries – and yet Feels shorter than the Day.” I feel that her poem really has a nicer concept than that of heaven and hell, it is neither a paradise, nor a, well, hell, for eternity, but something that we neither have to look forward to or dread, it is just a path to take after life.

Purpose of this Blog....

In thanks to a wonderful *cough* teacher of mine, I shall be discussing three of Emily Dickinson's poems about death. I've carefully picked three of my more favorite poems out a a book I have of her poetry, and will be analyzing each briefly. I encourage all who read this to consider commenting on anything you find interesting, and any questions or comments you may have. Enojoy*