Because I could not stop for Death Emily Dickinson

LIFE & DEATH Is life a happy idea? Is life a journey? What are the stages of life? Is death a happy idea? Is death a journey? What is the protocol for death?

Sooo…what is this poem about? In this poem, Dickinson captures the inevitability of death and suggests a belief in an eternal afterlife through the personification of Death as a coach driver who carries people toward their final resting place.

Because I could not stop for Death (Pg. 420) Because I could not stop for Death - He kindly stopped for me - The Carriage held but just Ourselves - And Immortality. We slowly drove - He knew no haste And I had put away My labor, and my leisure too, For his Civility - We passed the School, where Children strove At recess - in the Ring - We passed the Fields of Gazing Grain - We passed the Setting Sun - Or rather, He passed Us - The Dews grew quivering and chill - For only Gossamer my Gown, My Tippet - only Tulle - We paused before a House that seemed A Swelling of the Ground - The Roof was scarcely visible - The Cornice – in the Ground - Since then - 'tis Centuries - and yet each Feels shorter than the Day I first surmised the Horses' Heads Were toward Eternity.

Now, let’s go stanza through stanza Remember to think outside of the box like with the poetry puzzles

Stanza One Because I could not stop for Death - He kindly stopped for me - The Carriage held but just Ourselves - And Immortality. 1) On page 420, what is the picture of? 2) Why don’t we stop for death? What are we doing? 3) Is death kind? Carriage – Death is a coach driver Poetry Terms: Alliteration? Because, could, kindly, carriage Personification? Death kindly stopping for you. Vocabulary: Immortality - Unending life

Stanza Two We slowly drove - He knew no haste And I had put away My labor, and my leisure too, For his Civility - 4) Why did he slowly drive? Poetry Terms: Alliteration? He, haste, had, his Personification? Death driving slowly Vocabulary: Civility - Politeness

Stanza Three 5) What does the school symbolize? We passed the School, where Children strove At recess - in the Ring - We passed the Fields of Gazing Grain - We passed the Setting Sun - 5) What does the school symbolize? 6) What does the fields of gazing grain symbolize? 7) What does the setting sun symbolize? Poetry Terms: Repetition? We passed

Stanza Four Or rather, He passed Us - The Dews grew quivering and chill - For only Gossamer my Gown, My Tippet - only Tulle - The sun passed them – The sun is always working…always alive. We also show life as the sun rising and then sun setting. 8) What do the gossamer gown and a tulle tippet have in common? Poetry Terms: Personification? The sun passing us Vocabulary: Gossamer gown – Wedding dress for marrying death (buried in) Tippet – Scarf for neck and shoulders Tulle – Netting

Stanza Five We paused before a House that seemed A Swelling of the Ground - The Roof was scarcely visible - The Cornice – in the Ground - 9) What is the house and why is it swelling from the ground? Poetry Terms: Alliteration? Seemed/swelling Vocabulary: Cornice – horizontal molding along top of a wall.

Stanza Six Since then - 'tis Centuries - and yet each Feels shorter than the Day I first surmised the Horses' Heads Were toward Eternity. 10) How long has it been since she died? 11) Why does a century feel shorter than a day? Poetry Terms: Alliteration? Horse’s heads

Syllables and Meter Because I could not stop for Death - He kindly stopped for me - The Carriage held but just Ourselves - And Immortality. 12) What is the meter (syllables per line/stanza)? What are the terms for these types of meter?

Syllables and Meter Because I could not stop for Death - He kindly stopped for me - The Carriage held but just Ourselves - And Immortality. 12) What is the meter (syllables per line/stanza)? What are the terms for these types of meter?

Personification Because I could not stop for Death - He kindly stopped for me - The Carriage held but just Ourselves - And Immortality. 13) Describe what personification is and how it is being used in the stanza above.

Let’s Review! Because I could not stop for Death (Pg. 420) Because I could not stop for Death - He kindly stopped for me - The Carriage held but just Ourselves - And Immortality. We slowly drove - He knew no haste And I had put away My labor, and my leisure too, For his Civility - We passed the School, where Children strove At recess - in the Ring - We passed the Fields of Gazing Grain - We passed the Setting Sun - Or rather, He passed Us - The Dews grew quivering and chill - For only Gossamer my Gown, My Tippet - only Tulle - We paused before a House that seemed A Swelling of the Ground - The Roof was scarcely visible - The Cornice – in the Ground - Since then - 'tis Centuries - and yet each Feels shorter than the Day I first surmised the Horses' Heads Were toward Eternity.

Summarize 14) Write a quick summary of this poem in your own words.