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Description
“Because I Could not Stop for Death” by Emily Dickinson is a poem in which the persona seems to be a deceased person who recalls the last moments just before death; “Because I could not stop for death he kindly stopped for me…” and the ‘afterlife’ thereafter “since then ’tis centuries…” (506, 507). The persona brings out the paradox of how immortal mortality is, and likens the tomb to a house in which they briefly paused on the way to eternity.
Theme
Dickinson personifies death and starts by painting a picture of the involuntary nature of death, where the deceased has no choice to choose between dying or not. However, here, death is not portrayed as cruel in nature as the author states that it “kindly stops” for the deceased (506). The main theme that comes out clearly throughout the poem is that of irony as Dickinson brings out the immortality in mortality. The persona is speaking from the grave, centuries after transition into the afterlife. The poet also brings out the tenderness and kind nature of death contrary to the general perception that death is always cruel and unpleasant, and the transition is often characterized by a painful and bumpy ride into mortality. It appears that the poet is trying to demystify the misconceptions that have been firmly held since time immemorial, and replace them with the pleasant touch of death. He asserts that the persona “had to put away labour and leisure too” and give in to the politeness and meekness of death (506).

From these, Dickinson also emphasizes that death itself is immortal, it cannot be killed, and no one needs to be afraid to die.
Idea #4 Imaginary Interview
Death: Why are people always afraid of me and think of me as ugly, frightening and cruel?
Persona: Because you strike without any notice and take away their loved ones.
Death: Do you honestly think I strike without any notice? I am the only sure and guaranteed thing in existence. The guest who never fails to show up. Only that the time of visitation differs. Right?
Persona: You are most certainly right.
Death: So do you like it here or you would rather be in the other world full of turmoil, fear of the unknown, and all kinds of disruptions?
Persona: Of course, I like it here. Can I ask you for something in return?
Death: Yes, you may.
Persona: Do you take pleasure in taking away life?
Death: Not really, I’m just a bridge. The bridge that people need so desperately to transition into this side of ‘life’. Life on the other side is so lifeless.
Works Cited
Schwiebert, John E., Reading and Writing from Literature. 3rd Ed. Wadsworth Publishing. CA.2004