Literary Devices in "Because I Could Not Stop for Death"

Literary Devices in "Because I Could Not Stop for Death"

Emily Dickinson's "Because I Could Not Stop For Death" recounts how Death follows the narrator along her final journey and though the title insinuates that the narrator does not have time to see what her gentleman caller wants, he is patient and is in no rush to complete his task. In the poem, Dickinson personifies Death and makes it clear that she accepts death as a natural part of the life cycle and something that cannot be avoided. Dickinson uses several literary devices in the poem including personification, simile, alliteration, and anaphora to different degrees in order to demonstrate the interaction and relationship between the narrator and Death.

In "Because I Could Not Stop For Death," the narrator tells the story of how Death is one of her companions on her final carriage ride. In order to make Death more realistic and a tangible concept, Dickenson personifies him as a gentleman caller who is patient with her even though she refuses to stop for him. The narrator contends that Death is chivalrous and states, "Because I could not stop for Death/He kindly stopped for me…/We slowly drove, he knew no haste/And I had put away/My labor, and my leisure too,/For his civility" (Dickinson, 1890, lines 1-2, 5-8).

The narrator also describes the things that she sees along the way to her final journey, which include "the School…the Fields of Grazing Grain…[and] the Setting Sun" (lines 9, 11-12). When Death does pass her, the narrator states that she felt a chill. She states, "The Dews drew quivering and chill -- /For only Gossamer my Gown -- /My tippet -- only Tulle," and because she is simply dressed, she feels the chill's effects more than she would if she were properly dressed (lines 14-16). The narrator's carriage ride ends when the group stops in front of a house. This house is symbolic of a tomb and is described as "A swelling of the Ground -- /The Roof was scarcely visible -- /The Cornice -- in the Ground" (lines 18-20). The swelling of the ground references the mounds of soil that form over tombs due to the displacement of earth and the cornices refer to tombstones that mark each grave. The narrator does not deny that she is at the wrong place, but knew at the instant that she met Death that her end was near although she feels like time passed too quickly.

Alliteration is used in the poem to highlight the things that make an impression on the narrator. Examples of alliteration in the poem are labor and leisure in the second stanza, School and strove, Recess and ring, Gazing Grain, and Setting Sun in the third stanza; passed Us, Dews drew, Gossamer and gown, and Tippet and Tulle in the fourth stanza; and Since and 'tis Centuries, and surmised, Horses' and Heads in the final stanza. Alliteration also places emphasis on these words, which in turn makes the reader pay attention to the things that the narrator notices.