Emily Dickinson's I Heard A Fly Buzz When I Died
Goodmorning teachers,
Death is the subject surrounding poetry, as stated by Billy Collins. Therefore it is hardly surprising that death is a subject of matter for Dickinson. This is profoundly shown throughout many of Dickinson's poems but specifically in Emily Dickinson's subtle observation and understanding of death that is shown in “I heard a fly buzz when I died.” Dickinson composed I heard a buzz fly when I died in 1862, a year of enormous fatalities during the American Civil War. Dickinson's puritanical context juxtaposed with her fascination of nature and the rawness of life explains her conflict and tension that is expressed around her concept of death throughout this poem. There are various techniques and words that are used …show more content…
Dickinson's obsessive use of dashes throughout this poem mimic death by lengthening out the process of how her poem is read. The creation of an interruption between the subject and the verb is also made, consequently making you think. In Billy Collins lecture video he is referring to her poem “I died for beauty” when expressing his view on Dickinson's perception of death, but this theme is shown so often throughout so many of her poems that I heard a Buzz fly when I died can be compared to Collins thoughts on Dickinson’s solitude understanding and obsession surrounding the societal, day to day consequence that everybody will face and interpret in their own way. A connection is something we as humans all look for throughout our lives so when we die we feel a sense of comfort and knowingness. Emily Dickinson found her connection with death itself and played with it in her poetry as a friend and a companion. In I heard a fly buzz when I died, Dickinson personifies death as not frightening or intimidating, but rather a “natural and raw”
Death is the subject surrounding poetry, as stated by Billy Collins. Therefore it is hardly surprising that death is a subject of matter for Dickinson. This is profoundly shown throughout many of Dickinson's poems but specifically in Emily Dickinson's subtle observation and understanding of death that is shown in “I heard a fly buzz when I died.” Dickinson composed I heard a buzz fly when I died in 1862, a year of enormous fatalities during the American Civil War. Dickinson's puritanical context juxtaposed with her fascination of nature and the rawness of life explains her conflict and tension that is expressed around her concept of death throughout this poem. There are various techniques and words that are used …show more content…
Dickinson's obsessive use of dashes throughout this poem mimic death by lengthening out the process of how her poem is read. The creation of an interruption between the subject and the verb is also made, consequently making you think. In Billy Collins lecture video he is referring to her poem “I died for beauty” when expressing his view on Dickinson's perception of death, but this theme is shown so often throughout so many of her poems that I heard a Buzz fly when I died can be compared to Collins thoughts on Dickinson’s solitude understanding and obsession surrounding the societal, day to day consequence that everybody will face and interpret in their own way. A connection is something we as humans all look for throughout our lives so when we die we feel a sense of comfort and knowingness. Emily Dickinson found her connection with death itself and played with it in her poetry as a friend and a companion. In I heard a fly buzz when I died, Dickinson personifies death as not frightening or intimidating, but rather a “natural and raw”