If I should die

6. If I should die

IF I should die, And you should live, And time should gurgle on,

As it has usual done; If birds should build as early, And bees as bustling go,-- One might depart at option From enterprise below!

ks will stand

When we with daisies lie, That commerce will continue, And trades as briskly fly. It makes the parting tranquil And keeps the soul serene, That gentlemen so sprightly Conduct the pleasing scene!

(Emily Dickinson, poem num. LXVII, p. 211)

a. Heuristic Reading

The if I should die persuades the reader to think about death. As the effect, the reader creates a n assumption that the tone of this poem is

sad. They imaginesadnesscaused by the death. In fact, this poem tells about positive perspective on death which evokesblissful and peaceful feeling.

The lines if I are the interesting part of this poem. In this part, Dickinson shows a contrast. She creates the scene of separation by describing someone which should die and another one which should live. Therefore, those lines support the tone of sadness that derives by the title of this poem.

Moreover, Dickinson gives a surprise to the readers throughseries of imagery in lines and time should gurgle on/and morn should beam/and noon should burn/as it

. All of those lines areseries of signs which indicate the real tone of this poem. From those lines, the readers will realize that the tone of this poem is not sad, but calm and peaceful.

T is a personification thatmakes the readers realize the meaning of their life gratefully. The is a form of imagery. Dickinson clearly tells the readers that everyone has a choice to live their life

.Moreover, she creates an analogy between world and enterprise.

one might depart

in lines

e with da supports her analogy. She also creates a contrast between the words

that commerce will continue/and trades relates to Dic

However, the objects daisi are regularly used by Dickinson.

In the last stanza, Dickinson creates a confirmation about the meaning of this poem. The lines it makes the parting tranquil/and keeps the soul serene clearly represent the core meaning of this poem. Dickinson describes the intention of this

which indicates death.However, t have similar meaning. The

that gentlemen so sprig

conclusion which states that death as a pleasing scene.

supports supports

In this poem, Dickinson seems like to She creates the sense of sadness which is caused by

if I should die/and you . However, she creates a shifting tone which surprises the readers in lines and time should gurgle on/and morn should beam/and noon should burn/as it has . Therefore, the first and the second lines of this poem become the model which explains the main topic that being discussed.

The main topic of this poem is death. Hence, the matrix is death. Moreover, the third until the sixth lines of this poem become the model which leads the reader to find the nature of death.In brief, it is about a positive perspective on death. Dickinson emphasizes that she accepts death in calm way. She describes that when death comes to her, it could not change anything. In fact, this universe will run as usual. In this poem, Dickinson represents death as natural life cycle.

Furthermore, is one of great poems created by Dickinson. It unordinary way of thinking. There are some differences in the between Dickinson and other poets. For example, although Dickinson and Rossetti grow in the same era (romanticism to realism), but they have different ways in deliveringtheir ideas through a death poem.

When I am dead, my dearest, Sing no sad songs for me;

Nor shady cypress tress: Be the green grass above me With showers and dewdrops wet; And if thou wilt, remember, And if thou wilt, forget.

I shall not see the shadows,

I shall not feel the rain;

I shall not hear the nightingale Sing on, as if in pain: And dreaming through the twilight That doth not rise nor set, Haply I may remember, And haply may forget.

mous poem. This poem in another way. Rossetti talks about death that separates her and her

lover. In this poem, Rossetti creates a direct relation between death and love. Moreover, the readers can find that Rossetti feels defenseless and confuse. This poem indicates that death causes an uncertain relation between Rossetti and her lover. Rossetti said that maybe they will remember each other when somedaydeath comes to her.

The If When I am dead, my . Both poems are literary products from romanticism to realism era which contains full of indirect expression. Both poems are did not define death in explicit way, but rather to play on sequence of images and symbols using

language. According to their era, both poets did not create explicit explanation but lead the

Rossetti creates the sad tone from the first . It indicates that to separate with the dearest one is sadness. It can be seen as a cliché. In fact, many poets in previous era use this repetitive idea. It is easy for the readers to guess the flow and the meaning of this poem. Moreover, Rossetti usesnegative

sing no sad songs for me/plant thou no roses at my head/nor shady which support the sad tone of this poem. She also uses repetition in

I shall not see the shadows/I shall not feel the rain/I shall not hear the nightingale which not only support the tone of this poem but also indicatesless variationin

In this poem, there are several objects that can be seen as symbols, such as roses, cypress, shadows, rain, nightingale and twilight. In brief, all of them are conventional symbols. There are no object poems or detected as her personal symbols. Rossetti uses those symbols to represent love, beautifulness, wealth and goodness which disappear because of death. She also uses

twilight to symbolize confusion and uncertainty caused by death.

In contrast, Dickinson describes death in a different way. In fact, the readers could not easily guess the f

. Dickinson describes that her death does not affect anything. Therefore, the universe runs as usual.

and time should gurgle on/and morn should beam/and noon s

give comprehension to the readers give comprehension to the readers

almost have

similar meaning. It represents the start of life which is full of spirit and passion.

Dickinson creates personification in line if birds should build as early/and bees as bustling go . It is because of bird frequently used to symbolize human soul (Cirlot, 2001, p. 28).

which regularly o poems can be seen not only as a symbol of soul but also creative power (Cirlot, 2001, p. 24). In this part, the readers will realize that true. In fact, anim

human character. The life of a human is more valuably rather than the life of an animal. Hence, people shouldbe grateful with their life and they donot need to feel sad with death.

Furthermore, Dickinson shows her intelligence through her analogy and dictions. She states that world seems like an enterprise.She also uses the word ,

to support her analogy. In brief, the world should run as an enterprise which struggles to get profit and refuses bankruptcy. In this part, it can be seen t

o create broader meaning. In conclusion, it may causes

To sum up, is a death poem that does not containnegative sentences which indicate sadness and despair. In this poem, there is no gloomy dramatization of death. Precisely, Dickinsoncreates positive sentences which indicate To sum up, is a death poem that does not containnegative sentences which indicate sadness and despair. In this poem, there is no gloomy dramatization of death. Precisely, Dickinsoncreates positive sentences which indicate

indicate the occurrence of personal symbols. It is because those symbols are frequently used in Dickinson death. As a part of natural life cycle, death can be defeated byhuman. Therefore, it would be better to receive death in calm and peaceful way.