I died for beauty, but was scarce

3. I died for beauty, but was scarce

I DIED for beauty, but was scarce Adjusted in the tomb, When one who died for truth was lain In an adjoining room.

He questioned softly why I failed?

the two are one;

We And so, as kinsmen met a night,

We talked between the rooms, Until the moss had reached our lips, And covered up our names

(Emily Dickinson, poem num. X, p. 180)

a. Heuristic Reading

in that line implies two different meaning. First, it means the cause of. Second, i

. The readers need to continue the reading process to find another signs which could give clearer explanation for that ambiguity.

In the first stanza,the becomes an important sign which indicates an allusion. In addition, Dickinson uses a predictable metaphor in line four. However, the word in line three indicates the sense of nothingness at the same time.

In this poem, there are two speakers talking about the reason of their deaths. In this conversation, Dickinson creates a euphemism through the usage of the word . As the conclusion,

becomes the reason of the Dickinson describesthe relation of

the two are one/we brethren .

through the uses of dash in

In the last stanza, Dickinson creates an affirmation of the relation between the t

in the third stanza have the similar meaning. Moreover, the use

gives a clear contribution in creating the circumstance of death. Dickinson gives several signs which helps the process of analysis. First, there is a change

in the first and second in the third stanza. Second, it is a repetitive description created by the poet.In this part, the scene of the conversation makes the readers feel the moment of forgetting that they are dead.

Dickinson declares the great ending Until the moss had reached our lips/and covered up

. This line becomes a reminder for the reader to realize t

to the scene of conversation between the spe

to create a to create a

b. Hermeneutic Reading

The conversation in the second stanza is the model which indicates the essential idea of this poem. Dickinson emphasizes that each of the speaker has certain reason of their deaths, there are

He questioned softly why I failed?

the two are one;

. In this poem, Dicki

beauty and truth become the speak

as the reason of death. Therefore, the matrix of this poem is beauty and truth.

The in this poem is an allusion. It reminds the reader created by John Keats. In his phrase, Keats concludes an important statement about the eternity of art.

that is all

Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know.

He emphasizes that human should see the beauty of an object as the truth. They do not need to look beyond the image itself. However, the eternal beauty of an object He emphasizes that human should see the beauty of an object as the truth. They do not need to look beyond the image itself. However, the eternal beauty of an object

In this part, is considered as the hypogram. In fact, is beauty and truth.

indicates that Dickinson is influenced by Keats

. This poem seems to be the continuation

In the first stanza, Dickinson creates a description about the reason of her death in l

I . Dickinson emphasizes that her death is different from the death of common people. Dickinson affirms her death as something precious. She wants to get the eternal beauty which could not be reached by human. The eternal beauty is more than what human see on their eyes. It is higher than the beauty of an image.

to affirm her statement.

Moreover, Dickinson cr When one who died to support her statement. She believes that no one will die for truth. Truth is a beauty which exists in this world and everybody could see it. In this stanza, Dickinson creates the circumstance of death

. It is a form of metaphor which can be e is a symbol of the body. It symbolizes the process of transformation and unconscious . It is a form of metaphor which can be e is a symbol of the body. It symbolizes the process of transformation and unconscious

rather than died which is an example of euphemism. Euphemism is an understanding of the effect of a statement. The word becomes the s the circumstance of death.

Dickinson expresses her indirection through the process of creating meaning. She uses dash as a sign which informs the

can be seen as a unity. More

to describe the . In fact, beauty and truth are the representation of art.

In this to represent the death. can be seen as the representation of life. This line indicates the sense of hope to continue the conversation into eternity. As the ending, Dickinson creates a great statement which becomes the revelation of this poem. The line until the moss had reached our lips/and covered up our

leads the reader to realize the reality. The reality is the death itself. In this leads the reader to realize the reality. The reality is the death itself. In this

Dickinson describes that the moss covered the lips and the names. The word clearly relates to the scene of conversation.

rather than the other possible objects such as tomb, room, mouth and body to end up her poem. It creates strong personal effect in

can be seen as an identity for someone. For example, the name of the dead body carved in a tombstone. In the Egyptians idea, name relates to the character and destiny of someone. As the power of words, name is the reflection of soul which could have a magical effect upon someone (Cirlot, 2001, p. 226). In this poem, Dickinson uses

as the representation of death. The moss has a power which could end up the effectiveness of human.

To sum up, Dickinson uses two kinds of conventional symbols, they are: tomb and name. This poem can be seen as an irony. If someone died for truth, it means there is no truth in the human life. There is no truth means there is no beauty which is created by human. It means that something wrong happens in this humanity. How

e is to create beauty through the art and creation.

As lately as today.

I know it by the numb look Such houses have always.

The neighbours rustle in and out, The doctor drives away.

A window opens like a pod, Abrupt, mechanically;

Somebody flings a mattress out, The children hurry by; They wonder if It died on that,

I used to when a boy. The minister goes stiffly in

As if the house were his, And he owned all the mourners now, And little boys besides;

And then the milliner, and the man Of the appalling trade, To take the measure of the house.

Of tassels and of coaches soon; The intuition of the news

In just a country town. (Emily Dickinson, poem num. CXXX, p. 243)

a. Heuristic Reading

This poem tells about the man who sees a scene of mourning in the opposite house. The man says that someone has died in the house across the road . In this poem, Dickinson chooses the man asa witness in that scene of mourning. Dickinson uses

I know it by the numb look .This line explains that the sad face of people indicates the event of death. give more explanation about the characteristics of death itself.The characteristics of death used by Dickinson in this poem are cliché. Death is something common, continuous and noticeable.

are easy to interpret. Those lines occur as cliché. the neighbours

describes the custom in the society. It is about giving respect and condolence to the deceased and the family. is a confirmation of the death. is a simile which represents the death. The

indicates the customfor someone who passed away

relates to the nature. It

which indicates the power of nature.

abrupt, m

In the next stanza, Dickinson describes that the activity in that house still are

is a custom which informs that someone just passed away in that mattress. Therefore, the family members start to

someb someb

to represent the deceased.

Dickinson creates an irony the minister goes stiffly in/as if the house were his/and he owned all the mourne

. The Minister arrived and took control of the situation as well as the mourners in that house. It seems that the minister as the representation of religion has an authority to control anything in that house. It indicates that religion is the main protection when people are experiencing terror and fear of the death.

In the fifth stanza, Dickinson describes that there is a milliner or hat-maker who prepares the attire of the deceased

the man of the appalling trade/to take the measure of the house can be seen as the undertaker who prepares the coffin. It can be seen as an irony. Dickinson describes that the work of undertaker is dreadful. However, the skill of undertaker is definitely needed in this kind of situation.

Dickinson tells about the funer parade/of tassels and of coaches soon .

indicates the scene of funeralwhen the mourners dressed in black.

or the or the

the intuition of the news/in just a country town tells how the people understand the event of death.

b. Hermeneutic Reading

Dickinson uses the been a death in the opposite house/as lately

as the model which indicates the topic of this poem. The main topic being discussed in the poem is the event of death. Therefore, the matrix of this poem is the event of death. The model leads the reader to understand the characteristics of the event of death. The model leads the reader to describe the event of death as something common, continuous and noticeable

I know it by the numb look

Thisis how Dickinson uses a cliché in her poem. In general, people believe that the event of death is an inevitable fact for all human lives. It is an ordinary event which happens continuously. It is a simple truth that can be seen through the manner of people in responding that event.

In the next stanzas, Dickinson shows several evidenceswhich seem to be a verificationof that description. In this poem, there are several evidences which indicate the event of death. All of those evidencesconvince the reader to believe that the event of death is something common, continuous and

I know it by the numb look/such .It explains that the numb look indicates the event of death which relates to fear, sadness and despair. There is a numb atmosphere surrounds that house which is caused by the death. It relates to the numb face of the mourners in that house.

First, Dickins

Moreover, that line indicates something cliché. The event of death happens continuously in a house. House relates to the material world where life and death are closely tied up to each other. In symbolism, house is a feminine aspect of the universe and the repository of all wisdom which relates to the tradition. House or home has spontaneous associations with life including the human body and human thought (Cirlot, 2001, p. 153).

Second, Di the neighbours rustle in and . In the past, a simple funeral is organized by families, friends and neighbors. It was a popular custom in American society. This is how people show their respect and care for the deceased (Schvaneveldt, 1989, p. 1).

the doctor drives away is a cliché. In general, a patient with serious ill is intensively treated by under close care of a doctor. Therefore,

can be seen as a scene of losing hope. It seems to be a confirmation that the death are truly happens.

Third, the custom. People Third, the custom. People

which relates to the nature. The line seems like an analogy. Automatically, the pod is burst out when it is ripe enough. It is similar with the scene of people who open the windows because someonedied in a house.In addition, the line

explains that all of those things happen automatically. It seems like a machine. In this part, Dickinson emphasizes about the power of nature which organizes anything including death.

custom. It informs that someone just passed away in that mattress. Therefore, the family member brings the mattress out to clean the germ which is carried by the deceased. It can be seen as a custom which prevents the spirit to come back to its mattress and into the house (Untiedt, 2008, p. 6).

Fourth, t

some

is a

the children hurry by/they wonder if It clearly states thatseeing the mattress is dreadful for the children. It becomes a scary experience because they see and imagine that someone died on that mattress.

Fifth, Dickinson creates an irony the minister goes stiffly in/as if the house were his/and he owned all the mourners now/and little boys besides . The minister has an important role in the event of death. The minister is the person who performs and takes charge of the prayer for the deceased. In this part, Dickinson shows that the minister as the representation of religion who has an authority to control anything in that house. Dickinson shows the ultimate power of religion which could control anything. Religion can be seen as a place where people getthe serenity of life and release their fear of death.

Sixth, the milliner is one of important element in the event of death. It directly relates to the deceased which becomes the central point in the funeral procession. It is important to prepare the appearance of the deceased. The milliner and dressmaker prepare the attires which reflect the status and the characteristics of the deceased(Patkin, 2008, p. 166).

Seventh, t the man of the appalling trade/to take the measure of the can be seen as the undertaker who prepares the coffin. Coffin is a status symbol. The earliest coffinsaremade of stone which could preserve the deceased from resurrection. For the poor, a coffin is used only to transport the deceased to the grave site. Moreover, the first European Americans had no coffins, but they were wrapped by cerecloth. For the rich, the newest models of coffinswhich aremade of lead, wooden and fiberglass aremore preferable (Untiedt, 2008, p. 7).However, Dickinson Seventh, t the man of the appalling trade/to take the measure of the can be seen as the undertaker who prepares the coffin. Coffin is a status symbol. The earliest coffinsaremade of stone which could preserve the deceased from resurrection. For the poor, a coffin is used only to transport the deceased to the grave site. Moreover, the first European Americans had no coffins, but they were wrapped by cerecloth. For the rich, the newest models of coffinswhich aremade of lead, wooden and fiberglass aremore preferable (Untiedt, 2008, p. 7).However, Dickinson

Eighth, d indicates the scene of funeral procession. It happens when the mourners dressed in black and marched. In symbolism, black relates to death and other negative things. Therefore, black is one of the proper mourning attire in several places. As the color of death and mourning, black has been adopted by Christians as a sign of death in this world(Ferber, 2007, p. 28).The dark parade consists of tass

which means the use of horse and carriage.

or the ornaments of death. It includes

In the end of this poem, Dickinson states that all of those things can be seen as signs. All of this signs are useful to spread the death news in a neighborhood. Dickinson emphasizes that this is what happens in a country town. It is about people who use their senses and intuition to understand the condition of their society.

In conclusion, Dickinson describes eight evidences which indicate the event of death. She describes that the event of death is common, continuous and noticeable in people daily life. Dickinson uses four kinds of conventional symbols such as house, window, coffin and black. In this poem, Dickinson emphasizes that death is a cultural event. She describes how people practice their customs and traditions in In conclusion, Dickinson describes eight evidences which indicate the event of death. She describes that the event of death is common, continuous and noticeable in people daily life. Dickinson uses four kinds of conventional symbols such as house, window, coffin and black. In this poem, Dickinson emphasizes that death is a cultural event. She describes how people practice their customs and traditions in