Because I Could Not Stop for Death

1. Dickinson’s entire poem “Because I could not stop for Death” is a metaphor, likening death to a carriage ride. Throughout the ride, the speaker mentions several scenes and objects that have symbolic meaning. From the list of items below, choose 3, and explain the symbolic meaning of each using the following format:

_______________ symbolizes _________________. I know this because _______________________________________________________________.

For example:

Immortality symbolizes that the speaker has been granted life after death. I know this because at the end of the poem, she reveals that Eternity is her destination.

Choose 3 from this list:

• the carriage (Line 3)
• the speaker’s labor and leisure (Line 7)
• the school, where children strove (Line 9)
• the fields of gazing grain (Line 11)
• the setting sun (Line 12)
• the dew that creates a chill (Line 14)
• the gown made of gossamer (Line 15)
• the house in the ground (Lines 17-18)

2. Choose two literary devices used by Dickinson in “Because I could not stop for Death,” and show how those devices contribute to the poem’s theme of the gentle inevitability of death. Some options to choose from include rhyme scheme, tone, personification, metaphor, and symbolism, although don’t feel limited to this list. Cite direct quotes from the poem; be sure to analyze the quote to show how it serves as an example of a literary device, and how the use of that literary device contributes to the poem’s theme.

3. The meter and rhyme scheme of “Because I could not stop for Death” reflects that found in common Christian hymns. Try singing the poem to the tune of “Amazing Grace” to see for yourself! Emily Dickinson attended a Calvinist church, so she was likely highly familiar with the meter and rhyme scheme used in hymns. How does this knowledge of Dickinson’s religious background inform your understanding of the poem’s message about death? Do you think her descriptions and tone in depicting Death stand in opposition to traditional Christian beliefs, or in agreement with them? In an essay, argue for one side or the other, and provide a rationale for your choice, using at least three pieces of evidence from the text as support.