Emily Dickinson Diction

Emily Dickinson There is a multitude of poems written with the theme of death, be it in a positive light or negative. Some poets write poems that depict Death as a spine-chilling inevitable end, others hold respect for this natural occurrence. In Emily Dickinson’s poem “Because I could not stop for Death”, diction and personification is utilized to demonstrate the speaker’s cordial friendship with Death.
Dickinson uses exemplar diction to stress the calm and comfortable atmosphere the speaker is in when Death is present. The reader comes to understand that the speaker holds no fear of Death, rather, great respect for the eternal being. When the speaker uses the word “kindly” as an adverb describing the manner in which Death approaches them, the reader can assume that Death is in no way threatening the speaker. Furthermore, the speaker goes on to express that “I had put away/ My labor and my leisure too/ For his Civility” displaying the willing nature of the speaker to travel with Death. Likewise, the speaker’s opinion of Death’s demeanor is that of polite formality and courtesy. The speaker does not fear or score Death,
Through this, the reader can come to the conclusion that death not just an action to the speaker, but an important tangible figure. In the line “We drove slowly -- He knew no haste” Death becomes a sentient being that travels with the speaker. Likewise the line “We passed the school, where Children strove” creates a real image of the journey Death is taking the speaker on. Such personification emphasizes the respect and importance Death has for the speaker. If the speaker didn’t respect Death, Death wouldn't be a travel companion, rather an end or action that leads to an abyss. The humanization of Death allows the reader to better understand and fathom the respectful and pleasant relationship the speaker has with the