The Concept of Death in Emily Dickinsons Poetry An Analysis

Death in Emily Dickinsons Poetry Introduction Emily Dickinsons 19th century anti-sentimental death poetry illustrates the awful struggle she faced with her spirituality and the realities of life, death and despair. Her attitudes were compelled by a perplexity regarding the prospect of Immortality and the afterlife. Dickinson almost appears at times to see in Death the personification of Relief. In other poems, she seems to see Death as something frightening and demanding of ones faith. In this sense, Emilys view of Death is both confounding and liberating as can be judged from her poetry, such as I heard a Fly Buzz When I Died, and Because I could not Stop for Death. In these poems as well as in others, one sees the juxtaposition of life and love to death and Immortality. This paper will compare and contrast Emily Dickinsons death poetry and show how her verses illustrate the double-nature of Death (as both confounder and liberator) as she imagined it to be in her life. 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