Death in Poetry
...ble fate ahead of her. Despite the discrepancy between Dickinson and himself, Whitman also personalizes his poem “Song of Myself” to confront the tangles of the topic of death, as he does in section 52. As death draws near for Whitman, he refuses to stay calm or quiet; instead, venting his emotions through his “barbaric yawp,” he finds an outlet for his emotions. As shown through his diction, Whitman does not identify death with a personified spirit, but instead characterizes nature as death. To alter the usual role of nature, Whitman applies an alternative meaning of the word scud, choosing “wind-driven clouds, mist, or rain,” when he writes of his last breaths being wisped out of his body. Yet nature does not tear Whitman away from life, instead, the use of the word “coaxes,” infers the act of Whitman being led to his final resting place, as he willingly follows, holding the knowledge that death completes the circuitous cycle of life. Reiterating the repetition of the life cycle, his own death results in the birth of grass, allowing his soul to live on; hence as life continues for him, life also continues for those who have not yet reached that part of the cycle. Even though Whitman and Dickinson hold unlike writing styles, and the major themes of their poetry differ greatly, through their topic of death, unmistakable similarities come into view. Analyzing the perspective of both poems shows both poets choose to tackle death on a personal level, giving death an ominous connotation as a reminder that death lies ahead of us all, however they both seem willing, and almost eager, to continue their lives by accepting death. Stepping above the personal level and moving towards more altruistic themes, both Dickinson and even the seemingly narcissistic-at-times Whitman, acknowledge that after death the world continues and life goes on. Granted, both poets share some comparable thoughts on death, however, their differences on the topic far surpass the similarities, breathing life into their poetry on death. The wait for death occurs in two very different manners; while Dickinson waits for the arrival quietly, outwardly mourning death even before the moment, Whitman uses his last moments to expel all his previously restrained feelings, declare his emotions to the world. The company they share at the time of death separates the poems further; Dickinson, surrounded by intimates, achieves a tone of solitude by looking past the people, into nature, while Whitman, alo...