Death, Be not Proud by John Donne and Because I could not stop for Death by Emily Dickinson - Essay Example

? Compare and contrast the poems "Death, Be not Proud" by John Donne and "Because I could not stop for Death" by Emily Dickinson. John Donne, an English poet of the 17th century and Emily Dickinson, an American poet of the 19th century have both shown interest in the issue of death. In their respective poems, “Death, Be not Proud” “and Because I Could not Stop for Death,” they raise questions concerning society or expressing their philosophy of life. Both Donne and Dickinson deal with the problematic of death in their poems and employ personification to grant it human attributes; however, they have chosen completely different formats. Even though they treat the same theme, they also have different perceptions of the concept reflected in their diction and the format of the texts. Besides, their similar use of personification does not express their convergence of view. John Donne raises the issue of death in his poem, “Death, Be not Proud” in which he severely criticizes the power of death and its pride. He even questions that power that others grant death: “Mighty and dreadful, for, thou art not so” (line 2). He even pities death and challenges it, thereby adopting a defiant attitude towards what many people fear. The speaker informs: “poor Death, not yet canst thou kill me” (4). He considers death to be another form of sleep and rest, which indeed offers some comfort to human beings; therefore; death should be even more pleasant because it is deeper. The speaker continues: “Much pleasure; then from thee much more must flow” (6). Moreover, Donne foregrounds that death does not even have the monopole of killing because other forces also take lives. He calls death a slave to the other powers that are more responsible for killing people than death: “Thou art slave to fate, chance, kings, and desperate men” (9). Since death has been challenged by these other forces, it is not as powerful as it claims to be and does not certainly have to be proud: “why swell'st thou then?” (12) Donne regards death as just an ephemeral passage that leads to immortality, which represents the end of death itself. The speaker reveals: “One short sleep past, we wake eternally / And death shall be no more: Death, thou shalt die” (l3-14). Thus, Donne minimizes death and glorifies heaven that offers salvation and peace to human beings. Emily Dickinson treats in her poem “Because I Could not Stop for Death” the journey from life to death and presents death as a gentleman caller. She considers death as part of life that does not have to be feared and that it will pay you a visit on the right time regardless of your plans. The speaker indicates: “Because I could not stop for Death, / He kindly stopped for me” (lines 1-2). She emphasizes the inevitability of death that will occur timely, which reveals the vulnerability and helplessness of humans: “And I had put away / My labor, and my leisure too” (5-6). However, she accepts death with philosophy and the speaker presents it as an ordinary journey that even allows you to observe daily events: “We passed the school, where children strove / At recess, in the ring” (9-10). This connection between life and death reflects an acceptance of death that is part of human life. Moreover, the journey makes even more sense with the accomplishment of immortality that lies at the other end of life. The speaker notes: “I first surmised the horses' heads / Were toward eternity” (23-24). This expectation of immortality makes death a fundamental step towards the achievement of eternity. Donne makes an extensive use of personification in the poem. He gives death human attributes and addresses it as a person. This personification raises the tone of the poem because the speaker seems to be talking to a real person. Here are some examples: “Death, be not proud” (1), “Thou art slave to fate,” (9) “Death, thou shalt die” (14). Donne gives these attributes to death to convey his message more efficiently. Similarly, Dickinson employs personification in her poem. Presented as a gentleman caller, death is seen as a man who rides alongside the speaker. Here are some examples: “He kindly stopped for me,” (2) “he knew no haste,” (5) “For His civility” (8). This personification gives death a human aspect and makes him even a gentleman. Donne’s poem is a sonnet; therefore, the whole 14 lines constitute a single set. It comes from the collection called the Holy sonnets and has an irregular rhyme scheme. The language is simple but carefully chosen to convey the message Donne has about death. The author uses an anaphora by the end of the sonnet: “And dost with poison,” (10) “And poppy, or charms,” (11) “And better then thy stroke” (12) to emphasize the insignificance of death. On the other hand, Dickinson’s poem is made of 6 quatrains, which makes it easier to read. It does not follow any particular rhyming pattern. The author uses an anaphora to express her acceptance of death and its connection to ordinary life: “We passed the school,” (9) “We passed the fields” (11), We passed the setting sun” (12). She also uses a metaphor “house” (16) to refer to the grave. Conclusion John Donne and Emily Dickinson’s poems both raise the issue of death; however, If Dickinson advocates the acceptance of death as part of life, Donne chooses to challenge death and even question its powers. The authors adopt different formats that reflect the perception they have about death and the message they want to convey. Even though both writers employ personification, their poems exhibit different dictions that express their purposes. Works Cited Dickinson, Emily. "Because I could not stop for Death." An Introduction to Literature: Fiction, Poetry, and Drama. Ed. Sylvan Barnet, William Burto and William E. Cain. Boston: Logman, 2011. 564. Print. Donne, John. “Death Be not Proud.” An Introduction to Literature: Fiction, Poetry, and Drama. Ed. Sylvan Barnet, William Burto and William E. Cain. Boston: Logman, 2011. 794. Print. Read More