Wednesday, March 7, 2012

712

Because I could not stop for Death--
Could not stop what? Could Dickinson not stop to observe death or to actually die? Death is capitalized, just like I which makes me wonder if it is being personified.
He kindly stopped for me--
How nice! Did he stop and wait for you to catch up? Also why is death a 'he'?
The Carriage held but just Ourselves--
Riding in a carriage with only death. Does the carriage only have room for two or is it only one?
And Immortality
Why does this sentence not have the dashes next to it? If the carriage had room for just Dickinson and death, but Immortality fits as well; then is there some sort of conversation going on between death and immortality?
We slowly drove--He knew no haste
There is no hurry, but is Death or Immortality in the drivers seat? If I had to pick I would say Immortality because there is no end in sight.
And I had put away
I don't find anything particularly interesting about this sentence. Put away what, and where?
My labor and my leisure too,
At a stand still. No work and no play, almost as if you're just standing there.
For His Civility--
Every word is capitalized, this has to have some importance. Suggesting that death is civil, like 'oh how sweet, you came to wait for me'.
We passed the School, where Children strove
Where children used to try? The use of strove implies that this is no longer.
At Recess--in the Ring--
Recess and Ring are both capitalized, which seems somewhat unnecessary. In the ring leads me to assume that they are about to fight almost as a basic characteristic of childhood; similar to recess.
We passed the Fields of Gazing Grain--
What is the grain looking at, or rather where is it looking. This line almost sounds pretty compared to the previous. Must be the nature.
We passed the setting Sun--
This immediately made me think of Greek myths. The setting sun is lower and less bright than that of the rising sun. This implies an end to the journey in my mind.
Or rather--He passed Us--
The sun passed Dickinson, Death and Immortality?
The Dews drew quivering and chill--
I find it interesting that The Dews are the only things capitalized in this line. Im not sure why, but I picture a super cold graveyard.
For only Gossamer, my Gown--
What is a soggamer? Is this gown a sleeping gown? Gossamer and Gown are both capitolized.
My Tippet--only Tulle--
Is a tippet part of the gown, only tulle makes me invision a very undressed lightweight covering.
We paused before a House that seemed
I find it really interesting thast not only does this line just end, without dashes but it also just kind of leaves the reader hanging.
A Swelling of the Ground--
I picture the ground coming alive, like the dead are coming back to life.
The Roof was scarcely visible--
Could she not see the roof from where she was, or does it not exist? Is she possibly the only one that cannot see it?
The Cornice-- in the Ground--
The edge or the decorative part of the ground? Like a head stone?
Since then -- 'tis Centuries -- and yet
Since when? Since centuries ago? Also again, with the abrupt line endings.
Feels shorter than the Day
Like a memory? This reminds me of the cliche, just like yesterday. Like the memory is still fresh in her mind, or as if she were reliving it.
I first surmised the Horses' Heads
This has again a greek mythology imagry. When I read this line it made me think that it was kind of like the first time you realized that death is the end of the road for everyone. There is no such thing as immortality.
Were toward Eternity--
Were and Toward are both capitolized and it seems strange kind of. I pictured the way horses hold their heads up high almost looking to the sun or the above.

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