Analysis of Death Be Not Proud

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The poem, “Death, be not proud” by John Donne does interpret death to be a part of life. The uses of words are very symbolic pertaining to what the narrator is trying to convey to the reader and how he feels about death. For example, “And soonest our best men with thee do go, Rest of their bones, and soul’s delivery” (Donne, pg 457). This illustrates how the good people will die young and does reveal a religious view when the word soul was used because everyone does not believe in souls. It is clear that the meaning in this poem presents the narrator to not be afraid of death in any way shape or form because it is similar when someone goes to sleep. I feel as though it also means that death could really mean time without end in another life after death. “One short sleep past, we wake eternally. And death shall be more; Death, thou shalt die” (Donne, pg 457). These last two stanzas really sum up the whole point in the poem because it means death will come very peacefully and what happens afterlife is unknown, but the narrator still points out that he believes that death is really just the new beginnings elsewhere. The poem, “Because I could not stop for Death” by Emily Dickinson contains some similarities and differences regarding the poem “Death, be not proud.” Dickinson’s poem illustrates her journey after death with God leading her way to the gates in heaven. She is passing through her neighborhood or place she last resided at and is saying goodbye to her past life. “We paused before a House that seemed A Swelling of the Ground-The Roof was scarcely visible-The Cornice-in the Ground…” (Dickinson, pg 523). The only similarities that I feel are shown between these two poems are the use of the word “death,” and that there is a life after death. The differences between the two poems is that Donne’s poem is expressing his lack of fear for death, but is
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