I could not stop for death--my interpretation

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 but a mound.
Since then 'tis centuries, and yet each
Feels shorter than the day
I first surmised the horses' heads
Were toward eternity.
--Emily Dickinson

Part of life in any society seems to involve avoiding death. Death is mysterious, often feared, and very few people ever want to die. Emily Dickinson confronts this mystifying aspect of life in her poem #712, “Because I could not stop for Death.” The speaker of this poem reflects Dickinson’s view of death—she does not fear it, realizing it is an inevitable part of life. Dickinson depicts Death as a gentleman coming for the speaker to carry her off in his carriage to immortality. Throughout the speaker’s journey from death to immortality there are many genteel symbols representing aspects of life, giving the journey through death a sense of quiet gentleness and serenity. Thus, Dickinson portrays death not as the absolute end, but as the beginning of eternity.

Though many may struggle with death, it is indeed inescapable for each individual. In the opening lines of the poem the speaker introduces Death: “Because I could not stop for Death— / He kindly stopped for me” (1-2). Even in the beginning of the poem, however, Dickinson provides the glimpse of hope in life after death by saying, “The Carriage held but just Ourselves— / And Immortality” (3-4). In this opening stanza Dickinson conveys that death will inevitably come for all, but it comes to carry us into immortality. Dickinson is confronting the truth while conveying a hope for the future.

The speaker describes Death with two pertinent words that set the tone of the poem and provide Dickinson’s ultimate portrayal of Death. These words are kindly and civility—“He kindly stopped for me—” (2) and “...I had put away / My labor and my leisure, too / For His Civility—” (6-8). These crucial words show that Death is like a gentleman taking a lady on a carriage ride. He comes not in terror and destruction, but in kindness and gentility. Ultimately, this poem reveals that Death does not come as a dark and evil subjugator, but as a mere facilitator that escorts one’s soul to the underworld of immortality.

In the speaker’s journey with Death, she passes by a series of three images. These images represent various stages of life and the passing of time: “We passed the School, where Children strove / ...We passed the Fields of Grazing Grain— / We passed the Setting Sun—” (9-12). The speaker is watching her life pass by in this stanza; the children playing represent her coming into the world as a child, the fields of grain represent her life as an adult, and finally, the sunset at the end of a day represents the end of life—death. One may go deeper in interpreting Dickinson’s use of symbolism in the sunset for though the sun sets and ends a day, it will indeed rise again, bringing a new day; so also will it be with death, according to Dickinson, for as it ends one life it is the beginning of a new immortal life in eternity.

In this poem, the terror and fear of death are objectified by the image of a kind and civil gentleman who gracefully facilitates one’s journey to immortality. In the final stanza the speaker confirms the element of hope in immortality introduced at the beginning: “Since then—‘tis Centuries—and yet / Feels shorter than the Day” (21-22). This poem suggests that Dickinson viewed death not as grim and fearful, but peaceful, calm, serene. It also suggests that Dickinson possessed a profound understanding of the human psyche’s negative conception of death, which she cleverly and precisely confronts. Dickinson’s poem ultimately portrays that at one’s appointed time, death is inevitable; however, it is not the end or even a sting, but a process, a journey to a life that is forevermore.