Term Paper on "Death and Dying"

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In "Because I Could Not Stop For Death" (1890), Dickinson personifies Death, much like Donne did in his Holy Sonnet, and sees him, not as a slave or subordinate, but rather as a gentleman caller that accompanies her on her final carriage ride. This gentlemanly and chivalrous Death figure does not attempt to hurry the narrator in the poem to her destination, which in this case is "Eternity," but rather is patient with her and knows that the narrator will reach her destination at the right time. Unlike Donne's Death that is described as a slave, Dickinson's Death is described eloquently as she notes, "Because I could not stop for Death/He kindly stopped for me/we slowly drove, he knew no haste/And I had put away/My labor, and my leisure too. / For his civility" (lines 1-2, 5-8). In "Because I Could Not Stop For Death," the narrator accepts that Death is her companion, and possibly recognizes that Death has been her companion from the start of her journey -- from her birth -- and will continue to ride alongside her until the end of her journey, that is to say, that Death will be by her side until his duty has been completed.

As the poem develops, the narrator begins to point out the things that she has passed on her journey; the narrator points out "the School...the Fields of Grazing Grain,...[and] the Setting Sun" (Dickinson, 1890, lines 9, 11-12). As the narrator rides along the path, she knows that Death is at her side, but does not know when he will call upon her, that is until she feels a chill as he finally passes the carriage. It is as this moment that the narrator knows that her end is near. She describes the experience, "The Dews drew quivering and chill -- / For only Gossamer my Gown -- / My

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tippet -- only Tulle" (Dickinson, 1890, lines 14-16). By describing the way that she is dressed, the narrator implies that she is prepared for her final journey and knows that she cannot take anything of worth or value with her, thus she dressed simply and humbly. The narrator's carriage ride -- and life -- come to an end when she "paused before a house that seemed / A swelling of the Ground -- / The Roof was scarcely visible -- / The Cornice -- in the Ground" (Dickinson, 1890, lines 17-20). Dickinson uses the "swelling of the Ground" and "The Cornice -- in the Ground" to describe the graves that she sees at the end of her journey. The "swelling of the Ground" points to the mounds that are formed after a coffin has been buried -- the swelling is formed by soil that has been displaced by a coffin. "The Cornice -- in the Ground" is meant to be descriptive of the tombstones that mark each grave in the cemetery. Through her acknowledgement and recognition of the house as her final destination, and realizing that arriving at the house means that her life has drawn to an end, the narrator confesses that she knew at the instant that she met Death -- or at the instant that she knew about death as a part of life -- that she recognized and came to terms with her mortality. Furthermore, she contends that it does not seem like enough time has passed since she first met her gentleman caller.

While Dylan Thomas's "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night" (1951) is structured as a villanelle and is dependent on structure, Emily Dickinson's "Because I Could Not Stop For Death" is more loosely formatted and relies on literary devices. In addition to the imagery that Dickinson uses to describe the things that she sees as she rides, how she is dressed, and her final resting place, Dickinson also relies on alliteration and anaphora to highlight and bring attention to the landmarks in her life that are passed during the course of the carriage ride.

Alliteration (n.d.) is the repetition of a particular word or sound within a literary construct. In "Because I Could Not Stop For Death" (1890), Dickinson uses alliteration to bring attention to the things that have made an impression on the narrator after meeting Death. The alliterative words in the poem include School and strove, Recess and ring, Gazing Grain, and Setting Sun in the third stanza; passed Us, Dews drew, Gossamer and gown, and Tippet and Tulle in the fourth stanza; and Since and "tis Centuries, and surmised, Horses" and Heads in the last stanza. The use of alliteration not only brings emphasis to certain words or images that the narrator notices, but also forces the reader to pay attention to what Dickinson is writing.

Anaphora (n.d.) can be described as the repetition of a word or phrase within a literary construct. In "Because I Could Not Stop For Death," Dickinson uses anaphora in the third stanza leading into the fourth. In the poem, the narrator notes, "We passed the School, where Children strove/At Recess -- in the Ring/We passed the Fields of Gazing Grain/We passed the Setting Sun/Or rather -- He passed us" (Dickinson, 1890, lines 9-13). By placing emphasis on the word "passed," Dickinson is not only establishing that time has passed, but she also creates a sense of movement and action within the poem. This lets the reader understand that the narrator was not in a race against Death, nor was she trying to escape him, but rather that she accepted him as a riding companion. Moreover, Dickinson has been prepared for Death since she first met him and states that she "surmised the Horses' Heads/Were toward Eternity" (lines 23-24).

Through their poetry, Thomas and Dickinson were able to explore their stances on Death. Thomas actively encouraged rebellion against death, arguing that it should only be accepted based on the individual's terms. Furthermore, Thomas argued that death was not peaceful or civil and that it was an intrusion on the living. On the other hand, Dickinson believed that death was a natural part of life and that it should be accepted without alarm. In "Because I Could Not Stop For Death," Dickinson is appreciative of Death for his patience and for allowing her to succumb to his will only when she was ready. Though Thomas and Dickinson differ on their perspectives about death, they both recognize that the event signals an end to life.

Works Cited

Alliteration. (n.d.). Accessed 22 April 2012 from, http://www.tnellen.com/cybereng/lit_terms/alliteration.html

Anaphora. (n.d.). Accessed 22 April 2012 from, http://rhetoric.byu.edu/figures/a/anaphora.htm

Dickinson, E. (1890) "Because I Could Not Stop For Death." Poets.org. Accessed 22 April 2012

from, http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15395

Donne, J. (1633) "Death Be Not Proud." Bartleby.com. Accessed 6 February 2012 from, http://www.bartleby.com/105/72.html

Donne, J. (1633) "A Valediction: Forbidden Mourning." The Norton Anthology of English

Literature. Ed. M.H. Abrams. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 1986.

Thomas, D. (1951). "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night." Poets.org. Accessed 22 April

2012 from, http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15377

Villanelle. (2012). Poets.org. Accessed 22 April 2012 from, http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/5796 READ MORE

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Quoted Instructions for "Death and Dying" Assignment:

“

Write an eight- to ten-page paper, in which you compare and contrast two literary works from this course that share the same theme (using the “Themes & Corresponding Works” list, below, as a guide).

The paper should be organized around your thesis (argument), which is the main point of the entire essay. When developing a thesis for a comparative paper, consider how a comparison of the works provides deeper insight into the topic of your paper (i.e., think about why you have chosen to look at these particular works in relation to one another). In your analysis, consider the relationships among the following elements:

* Content * Form (e.g., short story vs. poem) * Style

Assignment Requirements

* Topic: Must address one of the topics in the guidelines * Length: Your draft should be eight to ten double-spaced pages in length (excluding title and reference page) * Sources: Utilize at least six scholarly sources to support your thesis (including the course text and at least two sources from the Ashford Online Library). * APA: Your draft must be formatted to APA (6th edition) style. o Separate Title Page: Must include an original title o Separate Reference Page o Proper Citations: All sources must be properly cited, both within the text and in a separate reference page. * Elements of Academic Writing: All academic papers should include these elements. o Introduction with a thesis statement o Supporting paragraphs o Conclusion

Themes & Corresponding Works Choose only two of the works within your selected theme.

* Race / Ethnicity o Country Lovers (Gordimer) o The Welcome Table (Walker) o What It’s Like to Be a Black Girl (Smith) o Child of the Americas (Morales) * Gender Roles / Marriage o The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (Thurber) o I’m Going (Bernard) o The Story of an Hour (Chopin) o The Necklace (de Mauppassant) o The Proposal (Chechov) o Country Lovers (Gordimer) * Creativity / The Creative Process o Poetry (Neruda) o Constantly Risking Absurdity (Ferlinghetti) o You, Reader (Collins) * Death and Impermanence o Dog’s Death (Updike) o I Used to Live Here Once (Rhys) o A Father’s Story (Dubus) o Do Not Go Gentle into that Good Night (Thomas) o Nothing Gold Can Stay (Frost) o In Memoriam (Tennyson) o Because I Could Not Stop for Death (Dickinson) * Nature o Wild Geese (Oliver) o Dover Beach (Arnold) o The Oak (Tennyson) o The Path Not Taken (Frost) * Symbolism of the Journey o The Road Not Taken (Frost) o A Worn Path (Welty) o I Used to Live Here Once (Rhys)

References

Clugston, R. W. (2010). Journey into literature. San Diego, Bridgepoint Education.

DiYanni, R. (2007). Literature: reading fiction, poetry, and drama (6th ed.). New York, McGraw-Hill.

Assignments for the Week

Comparing and Contrasting Literary Forms

Throughout this course we have explored the similarities and differences between the literary forms of the short story, the poem, and drama. For example, one major difference is that both poetry and drama frequently place a strong emphasis on performance before an audience that is physically present, while the short story is more commonly intended for individual reading.

With that said, it is important to remember that all literary works cannot always be easily classified into a single genre. Moreover, literary works which might be classified as belonging to one genre might possess many qualities more typical of other genres. For example, Shakespeare’s Macbeth is classified as drama, but in many respects takes the form of poetry. In other words, sometimes the differences between categories like drama, poetry, and the short story are not so easily defined. Often a short story might contain poetic or dramatic qualities, or a poem might include narrative and dramatic features.

In your post, summarize the major similarities and differences between the forms of drama, poetry, and the short story. Demonstrate your ideas with textual examples from the course readings. In your response, include at least one example of each literary form. If you wish, you may also point to examples which indicate the blurring of literary genres (e.g., the poetic qualities of Macbeth or the dramatic elements of Gift of the Magi).

Performance in Drama and Poetry

All literature involves some kind of performance which is intended for an audience. Sometimes, however, the performative quality of a work (i.e., the fact that it is being presented to an audience) is more obvious than at others. Drama and poetry, for example, tend to emphasize overt performance more than do short stories, which more often are read silently and in solitude.

How is the more direct performative aspect of drama and/or poetry reflected in these forms? (Consider for example, each genre’s uses of literary structure, language, technique, and style.) How do these literary elements affect your reading experience?

In your post, identify key qualities of drama and poetry which emphasize their performative qualities. Discuss how these characteristics shape your reading response. Support your views with at least one example of a dramatic text and one example of a poem.

Final Paper

In this course we have explored the many meanings which literature may have for us as well as literary themes, elements, and techniques common to the forms of the short story, poetry, and drama. In class discussions and written assignments, you have also had opportunities to reflect on your individual feelings, responses, and ideas about a number of literary works.

The Final Paper is intended as an exercise in bringing together, or synthesizing, your reflections on literature and your understandings of the course material. This is a comparative paper which analyzes two to three literary works from the course readings which share a common theme. The paper should be organized by a thesis (argument), which is the main point of the entire essay. When developing a thesis for a comparative paper, consider how a comparison of the works provides deeper insight into the topic of your paper. In other words, think about why you have chosen to look at these particular works in relation to one another. In your analysis, also consider the relationships among content, form, and style. For example, how are the ways in which themes and ideas are represented and communicated relevant to your reading experience and to the work as a whole?

o The Road Not Taken (Frost) o A Worn Path (Welty) o I Used to Live Here Once (Rhys)

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“Death and Dying.” A1-TermPaper.com, 2012, https://www.a1-termpaper.com/topics/essay/death-dying-go/311338. Accessed 14 May 2024.

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A1-TermPaper.com. (2012). Death and Dying. [online] Available at: https://www.a1-termpaper.com/topics/essay/death-dying-go/311338 [Accessed 14 May, 2024].

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1. Death and Dying [Internet]. A1-TermPaper.com. 2012 [cited 14 May 2024]. Available from: https://www.a1-termpaper.com/topics/essay/death-dying-go/311338

1. Death and Dying. A1-TermPaper.com. https://www.a1-termpaper.com/topics/essay/death-dying-go/311338. Published 2012. Accessed May 14, 2024.

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