1. What is your interpretation of the poem? What can you offer in terms of interpretation that can help deepen the understanding of the poem? What continues to confuse you? What do you notice about the use of poetic devices?
2. Comment on a classmate's interpretaion and/or question(s).
When I read this poem, I imagine it being read slowly. I think Dickinson intended the poem to have this kind of rythm because it is like the rythm of life's ticking clock, slow and steady. This poem has a peaceful outlook on death, Dickinson is reminding the reader to be prepared for death, that it is not always bad. When Dickinson wrote:
ReplyDelete"Because I could not stop for Death-
He kindly stopped for me-"
she meant that death is inevitable and eventually everbody dies. To me, this poem is about the circle of life. The parts of the poem that I didn't understand were the last two stanzas.
Madison B.
Per 5
After reading through the poem, the first thing I notice is her use of the word "He." I am interpreting this as if she was referring to death as "He." When she uses words such as "Immortality," she's emphasizing the symbolism of death in this poem and how some people remain immortal. However, although she talks about death, I think she begins to talk about her journey through life in the third, fourth, and fifth stanza. I think this because she first talks about school and children, symbolizing her childhood. Then, she mentions a gown, symbolizing marriage, the next very important step in her life. Finally, in the fifth stanza, she talks about a house and a roof, which is referring to growing up and owning a house with a family of her own. But, I believe that she revisits the idea of death in the last stanza because she says "Since then- 'tis Centuries- and yet Feels shorter than a day." She's explaining the fact that she lived a long and great life, but somehow it felt shorter than a day and it passed much too quickly. Also, I notice her use of the dashes once again, and she writes with a free verse structure.
ReplyDeleteMadison, I thought similar things about this poem as well! I like how you said that death is inevitable and it'll happen eventually, because I believe that could be the possible message of this poem.
Allie B. Period 6
To me, this poem gives a positive outlook on the ending of a person's life. Instead of mourning on her death, Emily Dickinson felt "surmised" that she was heading to eternity. There's personification of all the intangible things like, death , immortality, sun, gossamer, eternity which are all capitalized and treated as entities that can act. Emily's use of words also help a reader grasp the meaning of the poem. Like, death "kindly" stopped for her, and she "put away her labor and leisure" (i.e life) for Death's "civility", and then they pass the school where children "strove" at the recess. These words imply that death is better off then life.
ReplyDeleteMadison, I think the 5th stanza talks about the grave in which she is buried. The carriage "paused before a House that seemed a swelling of the ground". In the 6th stanza, it's been centuries after she has been buried timewise, but to her, it feels like a day, or rather "shorter than the day", the day she was buried. Basically, time loses its meaning after death.
-anjita p.6
After reading this poem, i feel that the overall idea of the poem is in relation to death, but at the same time it is describing the life. The author is using personification when making refrence to a "he" as death. I think that as the author is coming into a time of death, but she is thinking back into time. The author looks back on childhood life time, she talks about the happy and the good times "We passed the School, where Children strove At Recess – in the Ring – " But then all of a sudden it turns back to the darker and gray times of lifetime, "Or rather – He passed us – The Dews drew quivering and chill –" As the poem continues it as if she is on the "ride of death" she is dying and a carriage of death is carrying her into "the setting sun" or the end of her road.
ReplyDeleteThe last stanza reads "Since then – 'tis Centuries – and yet
Feels shorter than the Day- I first surmised the Horses' Heads -Were toward Eternity –" Here Dickinson is summing um her overall idea of the poem where she since the time of good and bad, a lot of time has passed. And how life has gone by so fast and all the leads up to death in the end.
Allie, I did not notice what the dashes meant, or that the poem was in a free verse structure
Grace Nardella
Period 6
After reading "712" the first thing I noticed was Dickinson's use of personification. Like Allie B. said, she refers to death as a "he." Not only was death described as a "he" but also Dickinson describes death to be kind. While reading the poem I tried to make it as straight forward as possible in order to get a better understanding and see more. So, I pictured in my head a man in a carriage suddenly warmly welcoming a young girl in a dress. Although the girl has work and other life tasks she has she puts it aside for the ride. Both her and "the man" continue riding and pass by the school, the field, and the setting sun. When suddenly, everything goes chill and she heads for her grave, realizing she's facing a forever sort of thing... What I found from that was the girl's death was obviously unexpected. Why would she have been wearing a dress if coldness had been expected? Dickinson carefully chooses her words so each and every one has a specific meaning that pertains to the message she's trying to send or the story she's trying to tell which makes the poem more interesting to read. I think by "712" Dickinson was trying to make it clear, death can be unexpected which is similar to your thoughts Madison which I definitely agree with.
ReplyDeleteJenna L. Period 5
[It may not make as much sense as I hoped... I'll explain manana if it doesn't :o)]
Allie, like we had been discussing in class, I agree with what you thought about this poem. I felt the first stanza shows that although the subject may not have wanted her life to end, she still was ready to when called upon her. Also, the idea of "Immortality" and "Eternity" made me think that she was referring to the afterlife, and that the rest of the poem was about reminiscing about her life, as Allie said.
ReplyDeleteHer main poetic device was never actually saying what she meant, but instead beating around the bush and making references. For example, the reference to a wedding from the wording of "Gown" and "tulle" in the 4th stanza.
Sreedevi D
p 6