Sunday, March 11, 2012

Civility


From poem number 718, I have chosen the word Civility, from the line “For His Civility--”   I have chosen this as the richest word in the poem for a number of reasons.  I feel that it refers to Death, specifically the personification of death.  In the poem Dickinson describes herself meeting Death and riding with him in a carriage, passing a school and children, then fields, then a house, etc.  I chose the word Civility because I find her descriptions of Death rather profound.  In this poem, death is not something or someone to be feared, but rather a kind of ferryman that rides with her, side by side, through life.  She says he kindly stopped for her, and he describes him as having civility.  In this manner, Death is seen as corresponding to life, as something natural and not to be feared.  Death is described more as a civil guide who carries you from life as you recall childhood, and adulthood, as the poem says, toward Eternity.  Civility, to me, really encapsulates this poem,  mainly because it seems to sum up Dickinson's attitude towards Death.

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