She Walks in Beauty - Lord Byron & Annabel Lee- Edgar Allen Poe and Dickinson

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 5

Literature Digital X mas edition

Tekst

Edgar Allen Poe

Now fill in the TP CASTT for Annabel Lee

Homework next class: background info Edgar Allen Poe + fully TP CASTT Annabel Lee

Learning aims:

Better understanding of  the literary aspects used in the poem 'Because I could not stop for death' by  Emily Dickinson 

Title: because I could not stop for Death

When I looked at the first part of the title (Because I Could Not Stop for Death) I thought that the poem would be gloomy and death-filled. 

However, when I read the second part (He Kindly Stopped For Me) I thought that the author may have a different view on death because she describes it’s actions as kind.

Paraphrase

In the first stanza, the author is “kindly” picked up in a carriage by a personified Death.

In the second stanza, the author describes Death as civil and she talks about putting everything aside and going slowly in the carriage.

In the third stanza, they passed a school and a field of grain as the sun set.

In the fourth stanza, the author describes her clothes as thin and fragile.

In the fifth stanza, the author and Death approach a “house” which is really a grave.

In the sixth stanza, the author describes time as passing quickly and peacefully as she heads towards eternity.

Connotation

Beyond the literal, Because I Could Not Stop for Death…, is about Dickinson’s journey through life and her view on death. She uses words with alternate meanings to convey her message. The Carriage represents her travel, passing the school refers to leaving adolescence, setting sun represents the end of life, and the swelling of the ground refers to her grave.

Attitude

In the poem, Dickinson’s attitude toward death isn’t fearful, but accepting. She indicates that death is inevitable and, instead of running from it, she embraces it. Dickinson wants the readers to have the same feelings towards death as she does and encourages being accepting of things you cannot change.

Shift

There is a shift from the second to the third stanza where the author goes from talking about being picked up by Death (or dying) to traveling to the grave. 

Dickenson shifts from talking about being taken by death to looking back on her life starting from adolescence, as described by children at school, to her death, the setting sun.

2nd Shift between 3rd and 4th stanza

There is another shift between the third and fourth stanza where she goes from talking about the ride to the grave to arriving at the grave. She uses the setting sun to represent the end of life then shifts to talk about death. The mood shifts suddenly from the beauty of the setting sun to the cold darkness of death.

3rd Shift between 5th and 6th stanza

The last shift is between the fifth and sixth stanza where she goes from describing the grave to describing the time she spends in the grave. Dickinson shifts from talking about her grave to reminiscing on her death which represents eternity. The mood goes from being very dark to being a much more positive once Dickenson reaches her realization on the inevitable and eternal death..

Theme

After analyzing the poem , the theme of its tittle appears to relate to Dickinson’s relationship with death and how death is inevitable. Because death is referred to as being kind , it shows that Dickenson has a close relationship with death and that she embraces it whether than try to avoid it.

 

The theme of this poem is the inevitable and everlasting death and Emily Dickinson’s relationship with it. This poem is saying to embrace death rather than run from it, and that death is eternal. Dickinson’s optimism and her acceptance towards death separates her from other people of this time. Also she reveals that she believes in an afterlife in stanza six where she is looking back on her death. 

Connection

 Today’s society focuses more on the community as a whole and not solely on the individual. People lack individualism and rarely think for themselves. Also in our society, people have begun to rely very heavily on technology and have started to ignore the importance of being self-reliant. By giving up on believing in a higher power and an afterlife people have given up their quest for truth and no longer find the importance of the individual.

Which literary terms have you found in the poem?