November Graveyard Analysis ‘November Graveyard’, by American poet Sylvia Plath, was written in a somewhat unique manner in comparison to the rest of her poems (the ones we had studied). Plath had used the poem as a representation of nature’s rather negative yet honest depiction of death and putridity. However, in order to apply this portrayal to reader’s minds the poet puts an emphasis on the images, efficiently sorting them into groups. By doing this, she is moving the poem in a particular direction while maintaining the same backdrop throughout the poem. This brings forth the message of the poem in the end.
In this paper, I am going to compare and contrast John Updike’s “Dog’s Death” and Emily Dickinson’s “Because I Could Not Stop for Death”. The basis of comparison will be the themes, narrative styles, uses of personification, content, form, tones, and languages, among other aspects. I chose these two poems because they talk about an issue of universal relevance to each one of us, which is death. Both poems explore the subject of death, and they show how it is unavoidable, in spite of our efforts to pre-empt it or our pre-occupations. In the poem ‘I Could Not Stop for Death’, the speaker says: “And I had put away/My labor and my leisure too” (6-7).
A good example of irony in this story is the fact that Mrs. Mallard died after she heard the news of her husband being dead. Although this is not funny like most ironic things it still is irony. Foreshadowing is a literary device to show or indicate beforehand. It is used in stories and movies with the use of hints or clues to suggest what will happen later in the piece of literature. In the short story by Kate Chopin shows foreshadowing in the first sentence making it really easy to identify.
Because I Could Not Stop for Death by Emily Dickenson is a poem full of language devices and symbolism used to draw the reader’s attention towards the idea that death is attractive, comfortable, and that there is life after it. The first technique that strikes the reader is the capitalization and personification of “Death” (1). Throughout the poem, this personification gives us the image of death as a gentleman, a suitor. The speaker also seems to like him. She describes him as kind and civil, someone for which she would “put away” (6) her “labour” and “leisure” (7), just to go on a carriage ride with.
The poem’s theme appears to be about unrequited love and a man wooing his “coy mistress” to sleep with him, but this poem does has a deeper meaning, which is really impressive and therefore is striking. The theme of mortality is highlighted in this poem through word choice and by using imagery which reinforces the idea of death. Words relating to death such as “ ashes” and “grave” are used to emphasise the lack of time that we have and the stark contrast between the slow, idyllic first stanza and the sped up, heavier second stanza shows the difference between the idealistic eternity and the reality that we are all mortal and have to die at some point. Another deeper theme introduced is the idea of “carpe diem” which is shown through the lustier language in the poem, word choice such as “time devour”, and also through the quickened pace of the second stanza. The speaker is not simply asking the “coy mistress” to sleep with him, what he is saying is if there was all the time in the world then life would be ideal but there is not so they have to live for the moment.
After those lines, the poem resumes its normal pattern, suggesting that death is just a normal part of life, and when someone dies, people should not be sad or change their course. The stanzas also follow this pattern. The first and third stanza are a bit more alarming overall, as they talk about the speaker being called to death and the aftermath of it. The second and fourth stanzas begin with contradictory words, balancing what has been said in the first and third stanzas. The second and fourth stanzas are more like a reassurance that death will happen, and it is okay.
The form of Thomas’s poem, “Do Not Go Gentle into that Good Night,” provides rhyme, repetition, and length that present the concealed theme to fight death. For one thing, adding rhyme to his poem, “Do Not Go Gentle into that Good Night,” Dylan Thomas uses this technique of form to offer the dominant idea, fighting death. When Thomas uses rhyme in his poem he provides the audience with words that define the theme. For instance, in addition to rhyming, Thomas uses words metaphorically in each stanza of his work. Metaphoric words are used as a figure of speech to compare two objects, but not taken literally.
The poem, “Because I could not stop for Death-“, alludes to a possible afterlife or existence in different manifestations, especially in the last two lines “I first surmised the Horses’ Heads Were toward Eternity_”. Dickinson’s references to the “Setting Sun” and the “Dews” give suggestions to an organic or naturalistic view of life and death. Dickinson is very composed and calm in this poem as she tells a story about taking a carriage ride with death. Death is a kind gentleman and in no rush. She has no fear and sees her death as a positive event instead of a negative
The techniques that Sassoon has used in the poems are: imagery, simile, metaphor and onomatopoeia. A good poem may lead to sadness, joyful or simply wandering, but it always leads us to think more deeply about life for the following reasons: Firstly, it creates emotion; secondly, it shows us the brutality of war; and finally, hardships faced by soldiers and also by showing about death. Through this it becomes evident that a good poem may lead to sadness, joyful or simply wandering. A good poem may lead to sadness, joyful or simply wandering because it creates emotion. Emotion refers to a natural instinctive state of mind deriving from one's circumstances, mood, or relationships with others.
This however, does not reduce the meaning of either, but strengthens the meaning of both. Each stanza symbolizes two complete opposites, life and afterlife. The actual death of the woman is not spoken of in this poem, it is only implied. Wordsworth’s choice to hide the death between the two stanzas is interesting, possibly illustrating that the speaker is unable to verbalize the pain that comes along with the woman’s sudden death. The choice to keep life and afterlife completely separate illustrates the contrast between what the speaker thinks of the woman while she is alive from when she is dead.