Analysis Of Thanatopsis

Analysis of “Thanatopsis” The poem, “Thanatopsis,” written by William Cullen Bryant, is about a peaceful view of death, comfort for the living, and re-birth. Bryant suggests that nature teaches one many things about death that no other human could possibly teach. He shows one that death is just another phase of life. It is the only thing in life that is certain. One should not fear death because no one will be dead alone. He also advises that one should live each day as one’s last, so that when death does come one will have no regrets. Bryant tells one that death is apart of nature and if one wants to learn more about it go outside and let nature teach it. Nature, “speaks a various language; for his gayer hours she has a voice of gladness, and a smile and eloquence of beauty,” (Bryant, lines 3-5). No one understands death more than nature does. No one can explain death better than nature can. Nature gives one a peaceful view of death. It suggests that the “Earth, that nourished thee, shall claim thy growth, to be resolved to earth again, and lost each human trace, surrendering up thine individual being, shalt thou go to mix forever with the elements,” (Bryant lines 22-26). It is suggested that one will become brother to the earth after death. In the beginning one was dust and in the end dust is what one will be. Bryant comforts the living by letting one know that when one dies one will not be alone. No one will ever have to worry about being alone because, “thou shalt lie down with patriarchs of the infant world-with kings,” (Bryant lines 33-34). It is said that the whole earth is a massive grave. There are centuries of people that lie underneath ones feet. Everyone is going to die. No one is going to escape death it is inevitable. One must accept it because there is nothing one can do to change it. Bryant believes all one can do is