Death in Whitmans and Dickinsons Poetry - Essay Example

Death in Whitman’s and Dickinson’s Poetry Being rather different in their ways of expressing their feelings and perceptions, Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman are yet considered to be the most illustrious American poets of the 19th century – and even in general. The historical period they lived in was marked by the rise and consolidation of American nation and formation of its own authentic motifs and images in culture and art. The two poets to be discussed lived rather different lives with the heart of Whitman being fully devoted to American people and his soul engulfed by vigorous patriotic feelings, and the life of Emily Dickinson being very secluded and, probably, odd and melancholic. However, poetic legacies of both incorporate generally similar motifs and themes (at least, partially) and one of the most remarkable themes going through the poems of them is the theme of death. As the researcher Vivian Pollak wrote, Dickinson’s poetry mirrors her “lifelong fascination” with dying and death (Pollak). Some scholars attribute her interest for morbid to her personal background filled with traumas. In 1844, her dear cousin Sophia died from typhus, and this event turned out to be a psychological challenge for Emily, as she was close to Sophia (Ford). Moreover, since 1850’s, her mother had been bedridden because of chronic diseases. On the other hand, in Whitman’s poetic work, the theme of death probably emerged affected by more global events and factors. The Civil war, death of countless brave soldiers and his work as a warden man in hospitals during the war must have shaped and expanded his perception of death. However, despite diverse nature of this theme in their poetry, there are aspects in which images of death in Whitman’s and Dickinson’s poetry coincide or can be juxtaposed. Here, Whitman’s elegy “When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom’d” of 1865 and Dickinson’s “Because I could not stop for Death” will be compared and contrasted to reveal common and diverse features in perception of death. Because I Could Not Stop for Death The way Emily Dickinson dealt with the motif of death in her poems might be considered “one of her outstanding contributions to American literature. She wrote more than five hundred poems on the subject of death” (Ali). The poem under analysis is rather succinct and laconic, yet it reveals the general attitude towards death and its image in the poet’s mind. The poem begins with the moment when death “kindly stopped for” (Dickinson) the narrator. Already the first stanza of it gives the reader a hint that the woman, telling the story speaks from the afterlife. Death is depicted in the shape of a “suitor” who picks the female speaker up and escorts her to the netherworld. Death here assumes the shape of a gentleman (Lin), and it is expressed by the pronoun “he” applied to denote the woman’s companion. Once the woman found herself in the carriage driven by him, she seems to feel an air of intimacy, enjoying the company of Death and Immortality. The general serene tone of the poem evokes no awe or fear in the reader, the journey seems rather placid and peaceful. Moreover, Death “knows no haste” in escorting his passenger to the place of destination, and the first line of the second stanza suggests that the journey is an enjoyable experience for her. Passing the school where children are engaged in their everyday mortal lives alludes to the distancing from the world of the mortal and getting closer to the world of eternal life. Thereby, the narrator expresses no fear of death, and the metaphor present in the fifth stanza, proves it. Dickinson wrote: “We paused before a House that seemed/A Swelling of the Ground”. Taking into account the key theme of the poem, it is possible to conclude that this “house” is a grave. Nevertheless, even depiction of the grave doesn’t evoke dismay, its subtle metaphorical depiction softening the image of death for the reader. Thus, deploying various poetic means and embellishing the poem lavishly with symbols, the poet created a serene and rather neutral image of death. Death isn’t depicted as an evil entity taking people’s lives here, instead, he is seen as a courteous and serene gentleman, fulfilling his duties. Personification used by Dickinson adds human features to Death and makes the experience more personal. And – it is necessary to mention – the last lines of the poem imply uncertainty, leaving the outcome of the journey to the netherworld unclear, so that the reader can speculate on what is eternity like. When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom’d This poem by Whitman was written as an elegy devoted to assassination of Abraham Lincoln, the president who was long perceived as a symbol of American unity and democracy. As the poet personally idolized Lincoln, this soulful elegy was the last sincere tribute to the legendary president perfidiously killed in April 1865. As elegies are meant to be devoted to death, it is natural, that death is the key theme going through this poem. Although the poem is devoted to the death of Lincoln, neither his name nor circumstances of his assassination are revealed explicitly in it. Instead, Whitman used an extremely wide range of poetic means and symbols to convey his message. As the Lincoln’s coffin travels though the country to be buried in Springfield, the whole country – both black and white – mourn: “…Through day and night with the great cloud darkening the land, With the pomp of the inloop’d flags with the cities draped in black, With the show of the States themselves as of crape-veil’d women standing, With processions long and winding and the flambeaus of the night…” (Whitman) Describing the sorrow of the whole country and associating the coffin with the huge “cloud darkening the land”, the author expresses the depth of the country’s and his personal sorrow. Here, Whitman grieves for the loss of the “dearest brother”, and – at the first sight, it might seem that his perception of death is based upon dismay, grief and sadness. However, taking a closer look at the poem, the reader sees respectful and even sometimes amicable attitude towards death. Death is viewed here as an inseparable part of life, it is called “sane and sacred”. As death of Lincoln drove the nation to unity and consolidation, the author seems to look at it as a sacred power. When going to put a farewell lilac sprig into the coffin, Whitman mentions that these flowers are devoted not only to the president, but to death, too: “O death, I cover you over with roses and early lilies” (Whitman). At the same time, Whitman uses three main symbols to create a solemn – but not intimidating – atmosphere in his elegy: lilac, the star in the western sky (which is planet Venus) and the “hermit thrush” singing in the secluded place. All these symbols assist in building up the image of death. Lilac – as Whitman wrote – is the flower blooming first, and it is associated with nature. To my thinking, the way lilac is described and mention of its perennial blooming with “ever-returning spring” alludes to death as something completely natural in its essence, though Lincoln died prematurely. Lilac will be in bloom every spring and the star will droop in the sky on and on – and it is the natural cycle; similarly dying is the natural part of the life continuum (French). Venus, the star in the western sky, which is another symbol, was low above the earth, indeed, when Lincoln was killed. Thus, to my opinion, as the author mourns for the drooping star, he actually identifies it with the deceased president: “O powerful western fallen star!” The third symbol, the bird, adds to the solemn atmosphere of the poem and expresses Whitman’s honorific attitude towards death. Here, the poet walks hand in hand with death, perceiving it as a companion, a trusted and caring friend. I suppose, the most marvelous depiction of Whitman’s perception of death unfolds in the thrush’s carol: “Come lovely and soothing death, Undulate round the world, serenely arriving, arriving, In the day, in the night, to all, to each, Sooner or later delicate death.” (Whitman) Thus, the author shows death as an inseparable fragment of life cycle: although it brings grief and mourning, Whitman seeks consolation, finding it in the idea that death is ‘a release from the sufferings of life’ (French). In this thoughts, death regains the solemn image of a trusted companion and a delicate, soothing power that inevitably comes for all of us. Thus, the image of death isn’t negative or filled with fear, it is rather solemn than terrifying. Common and Distinctive Features Having analyzed the image of death in both poems, one could say, that there are certain common features connecting them. Firstly, in both poems, death is personified: it is a gentleman in Dickinson’s poem and a companion walking hand in hand with Whitman (there isn’t clear mention about its gender, but it could be logically concluded that the death is ‘he’). However, to my thinking, in “Because I could not stop for death” the level of personification is a little bit higher, the death seems to possess more human features and be more tangible, almost inviting the narrator to join him in the journey. Second common feature, coming out of the first one, is that perception of death in both poems is somewhat biased, personal. Death isn’t viewed as an abstract distant ethereal power, its image in both works implies personal experience and contact. And the third key common feature lies in the essence of death in general. Neither Dickinson, nor Whitman depict it as an evil monstrous power, there are no such connotations in these poems. Talking about the key differences in the death’s perception, I would first of all mention the following: the narrator in Dickinson’s poem experiences a personal encounter of death, while Whitman is more of an outside observer (though he “walks hand in hand” with death). In other words, Dickinson’s narrator is, obviously, the dead herself, but Whitman has a look at death from the world of mortals. Moreover, Dickinson’s image of death seems to be more personal. Despite having certain distinct features, the images of death in “Because I could not stop death” and “When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom’d” are very similar in their nature. Perceptions of the two poets share one key common feature: death isn’t viewed as evil, it is viewed as a neutral entity, serene and solemn. Works Cited: Ali, Nabil Mohammed. Images of Death in the Poetry of Emily Dickinson, from: http://www.iasj.net/iasj?func=fulltext&aId=4278 Dickinson, Emily. “Because I Could Not Stop For Death (712)”. Religion and Literature: A Reader. Ed. Robert Detweiler, Westminster John Knox Press, 2000, 133. Print. Ford, Thomas W. Heaven Beguiles the Tired: Death in the Poetry of Emily Dickinson. University of Alabama Press, 1966. French, R.W. When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloomd [1865], Walt Whitman Archive, from: http://www.whitmanarchive.org/criticism/current/encyclopedia/entry_67.html Lin, Cliff K.N. Because I Could Not Stop For Death, 2013. From: http://www.cliffordlin.com/because-i-could-not-stop-for-death Pollak, Vivian R. "Thirst and Starvation in Emily Dickinsons Poetry". American Literature, Vol. 51, No. 1 (Mar., 1979), 33-49. Whitman, Walt. “When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom’d”. The Complete Poems of Walt Whitman, Wordsworth Editions, 1995, 300-308. Print. Read More