Emily Dickinson Essay

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"I Never Saw A Moor" What is the contrast that the poet establishes between the first and second halves of this poem? The poet establishes a contrast between the first and second halves of the poem by contrasting the action of seeing a moor to speaking with God. "A Word is Dead" Explain what the poet means when she says the word "lives" once it has spoken. When Dickinson says the word “lives” once it is spoken, she’s making a point that using words brings them life. If a word existed, but was never used, it would not have a “life” or a period of meaningful existence. "Because I Could Not Stop For Death" What kind of person is Death? How does the poet characterize him? The poet characterizes Death as a gentleman by referring to his "kindness" and "civility." What does the "house" in stanza # 5 symbolize? The “house” in stanza 5 symbolizes one’s last moments of life. The house is clearly old and depilated with its “scarcely visible” roof and “cornice but a mound” (Dickinson 19, 20). The poet’s choice to describe the cornice like a mound could be referencing to burial mounds, while the “swelling of the ground” brings about an image of one breathing slowly and deeply before they die (Dickinson 18). Readers often have different opinions about the final stanza of the poem. Some believe it holds a tone of terror, while others think it expresses confidence and acceptance. What do you think? Explain your answer. I think that the final stanza of the poem expresses confidence and acceptance. The speaker does not seem to be afraid of the world she now inhabits. Instead, the speaker is firm the statements made. There is a tinge of what seems to be regret when she states each day “feels shorter” but I think the aspect that makes such an unsettling impact on the reader is how calm and composed the speaker remains as she abstractly references time.

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