Analysis of Theme of Three Emily Dickinson's and Robert Frost's Poems Through Diction.
ABSTRACT
Dalam tugas akhir ini, saya menganalisis tema melalui diksi dari tiga puisi
Robert Frost yang berjudul “In a Disused Graveyard,” “Spoils Of The Dead,” dan
“Out,Out”, juga tiga puisi Emily Dickinson yang berjudul “Because I could not
stop for Death,” “The last Night that She lived,” dan “Those fair—fictitious
People—”. Keenam puisi tersebut menggambarkan kematian yang akan dialami
setiap manusia, tetapi diungkapkan oleh Robert Frost dan Emily Dickinson
melalui sudut pandang yang berbeda.
Puisi-puisi Robert Frost merefleksikan kesedihan dan ketakutan akan
kematian sedangkan puisi-puisi Emily Dickinson justru memperlihatkan bahwa
kematian adalah suatu kejadian indah yang tidak perlu kita takuti. Perbedaan
pandangan dari dua penulis ini dipengaruhi oleh era sastra di mana penulis hidup
dan berkarya. Meskipun terdapat perbedaan dalam tema yang mereka sampaikan
melalui puisi mereka, menurut saya Robert Frost dan Emily Dickinson sama-sama
berhasil menyampaikan ketakutan dan keindahan akan kematian dalam puisi-puisi
yang mereka tulis.
ii
Maranatha Christian University
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS .......................................................................................i
ABSTRACT ........................................................................................................... ii
CHAPTER ONE : INTRODUCTION ................................................................. 1
Statement of the Problem ............................................................................... 3
Purpose of the Study....................................................................................... 3
Method of Research ........................................................................................ 3
Organization of the Thesis.............................................................................. 3
CHAPTER TWO : THE THEME ANALYSIS OF THREE OF
ROBERT FROST’S POEMS THROUGH DICTION ..............................5
CHAPTER THREE : THE THEME ANALYSIS OF THREE OF
EMILY DICKINSON’S POEMS THROUGH DICTION .....................23
CHAPTER FOUR : CONCLUSION ................................................................. 35
BIBLIOGRAPHY ................................................................................................ 41
APPENDICES ...................................................................................................... 44
Poems of Robert Frost .................................................................................. 44
Poems of Emily Dickinson ......................................................................... 46
Biography of Emily Dickinson ..................................................................... 49
Biography of Robert Frost ............................................................................ 50
i
Maranatha Christian University
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study
Death is the greatest mystery in human life. It is a certainty, yet no one
knows when it will come. Thus, it is natural that most people are afraid of death.
Death is a fascinating topic and it has been the object of many literary works,
including poetry; this is what makes me decide to choose it as my topic.
I choose poetry because it is relatively short compared to prose and drama,
yet poems are full of meanings and ideas. They also connect more closely to our
senses, emotion and imagination. Poetry is also concerned with all kinds of human
experiences, including death.
In poetry, death can be seen not only as a frightening experience but also
as a beautiful occasion. For these reasons, I chose two American poets, Robert
Frost and Emily Dickinson, who view death from different perspectives.
Dickinson writes during the Romantic period while Frost writes during the
1
Maranatha Christian University
Modern period. Their poems are truly worth reading, especially the ones related
to death, and their contributions and achievements to the world of literature are
great. With her poems, Emily Dickinson contributed a great deal to the world of
literature in “her revolutionary way with words.” “Her isolation in that ‘room of
her own’ gave her more than just time to right and reflect” (Lombardi). During
her lifetime, she lived in seclusion and composed more than seventeen hundred
excellent poems, over five hundred of which deal with death. It is thus safe to
argue that death occupied a central place in her poetry. In the poems that I select,
Dickinson romanticizes death; she makes death look “better” or less scary.
Unlike Dickinson, who romanticizes death, Robert Frost is more realistic
when dealing with the topic of death. Frost portrays death as something that is
fearful, as most people normally feel. Frost witnessed death when he buried his
children and his wife early in his life. Frost’s son, Elliot, died of cholera, while his
daughter, Marjorie, died of fever after giving birth to her first child, leaving an
infant daughter. His wife, Elinor Miriam White Frost, died at the age of sixty-five
from a heart attack; and his thirty-eight-year-old son, Carol, committed suicide.
His experience with so many deaths definitely affected his way of talking about
death in his poems.
From many of their poems, I selected six poems that talk about death.
They are “In a Disused Graveyard,” “Spoils Of The Dead,” and “Out, Out” by
Robert Frost and “Because I could not stop for Death,” “The last Night that She
Lived,” and “Those fair—fictitious People—” by Emily Dickinson.
2
Maranatha Christian University
I believe that the best way to reveal their views of death is through the
analysis of theme through poetic diction because the words and phrases they
chose are the keys to show their point of view of death. “Diction is the distinctive
tone or tenor of an author’s writings. It is also understood as the selection of
certain words or phrases that become peculiar to a writer” (“Diction”). Poetic
diction is complex since there are usually multiple layers of meaning to consider.
Theme is “the base topic or focus that acts as a foundation for the entire literary
piece. The theme links all aspects of the literary work with one another and is
basically the main subject” (“Theme”).
Statement of the Problem
The statement of the problems in this thesis is as follows:
1. What are the themes of three poems by Robert Frost and three poems by Emily
Dickinson?
2. How does the diction of the poems help to reveal the themes?
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of the study in this thesis is as follows:
1. To show the themes of three poems by Robert Frost and three poems by Emily
Dickinson.
2. To show how the diction helps to reveal the themes.
3
Maranatha Christian University
Method of Research
I conduct a library research for my thesis. After I read these poems, I
analyze the theme of the poems through the diction. Then, I search for a number
of references from books and Internet websites to help me with my analysis. In
the end, I draw a conclusion from my analysis.
Organization of the Thesis
I divide my thesis into three parts. Preceded by the Abstract, and the Table
of Contents, Chapter One is Introduction, which consists of the Background of the
Study, the Statement of the Problem, the Purpose of the Study, the Method of
Research, and the Organization of the Thesis. Chapter Two is Theme Analysis of
Three of Robert Frost’s Poems. Chapter Three is Theme Analysis of Three of
Emily Dickinson’s Poems. Chapter Four is the Conclusion. The thesis ends with
Bibliography and Appendices, which contain the poems I analyze by Robert Frost
and Emily Dickinson and the Biographies of both Robert Frost and Emily
Dickinson.
4
Maranatha Christian University
CHAPTER FOUR
CONCLUSION
In this chapter, I am going to draw a conclusion based on my analysis of
three of Robert Frost’s poems and three of Emily Dickinson’s poems revealed
through diction. Robert Frost’s poems that I have analyzed are: “In a Disused
Graveyard,” “Spoils Of The Dead,” and “Out,Out.” Emily Dickinson’s poems that
I have analyzed are: “Because I could not stop for Death,” “The last Night that
She lived,” and “Those fair—fictitious People—.”
The theme of Frost’s “In a Disused Graveyard” is Death is so fearful that
the living deny it. It is revealed through uses of diction that are related to denial,
such as “disused” and also “hate.” The feeling of “hate” that the living feel is a
strong evidence of the theme of this poem, because it shows the denial or refusal
to accept death as a fact of life. The word “disused” also signals the theme of
denial because it contains the hope of the living that the graveyard will always be
empty, or, in other words, that people would stop dying. This attitude shows that
humans fear death so they deny death as a finality of their life.
35
Maranatha Christian University
The theme of Frost’s “Spoils of the Dead” is Death, which may seem
calming and comforting at first, eventually will cause sorrow, as when one
dies one loses everything one has. The beginning of the poem shows that death
is calming and comforting, and it is revealed through these words: “summer,”
“flower,” and “bed.” However, at the end of the poem death is described as an
unpleasant event that brings sadness. It is revealed through uses of diction that are
related to sorrow, such as “sorrow,” “dread,” and “hate.” If we take a look at the
title we might feel confused as the word “spoils” has several meanings. However,
it generally has a negative meaning. In this context, the word “spoils” means
something stolen or taken by a thief, and in this poem this spoils of the dead
reminds the living that when one dies, everything will be stolen from one.
The theme of Frost’s “Out,Out” is Death is unpredictable, for it can
come all of a sudden. At the beginning of the poem we can feel a day that is so
beautiful that even the dust from the wood is described as sweet-scented stuff. The
setting is also beautiful and calming with the breeze and the mountain. These
beautiful sceneries are contrasted to the coming darkness of death. Rather than
using gloomy weather, Frost uses beautiful imageries to create a shocking effect
of the suddenness of death that relates directly to the theme. The phrase “nothing
happened” also suggests that this is just a normal working day like any other day.
But unfortunately, this poem is not a happy poem about nature. All of a sudden
the saw leaps out at the boy's hand, then cuts it; this event kills the boy.
The theme of Dickinson’s “Because I could not stop for Death” is Death
is a journey toward the beginning of a new life. It is revealed through uses of
diction such as “immortality,” “paused,” and “eternity.” Immortality signifies the
36
Maranatha Christian University
speaker’s thought that death is not the end, but something which will bring the
speaker to the next life. The word “paused” suggests that it is just a temporary
stop, implying that the speaker’s death lasts for only a short time. There is eternity
ahead, for death is just a temporary journey.
The theme of Dickinson’s “The last Night that She lived” is Death is
inevitable and to be accepted, as death can be relieving. It is revealed through
diction such as “must” and “consented.” The word “must” signifies the
inevitablility of death. The dying woman does not have a choice but must die. The
word choice “consented” here displays a calmness. “Consented” is associated
with willingness and approval, which shows that she is ready for death. Death is
unavoidable, and yet the speaker shows it is like a normal event to emphasize the
calmness and peace of death.
The theme of Dickinson’s “Those fair—fictitious People—” is Death
provides a brand new lifewhichis a better quality of life and it is revealed
through words that are related to a better life, such as “perfecter,” “fair,” and also
“blesseder.” They are related to the theme that being dead does not make us worse
but better. Now they live in a place that lacks nothing and it is somewhere
that gives great pleasure or enjoyment.
After analyzing the poems from Robert Frost and Emily Dickinson, I
found several similarities between Frost and Dickinson. Both of them are
American poets and in the poems I analyzed, they both talk about death. They are
aware that someday, sooner or later, death will come to us all. It means that they
know that death is inevitable. Death is an event that we will face; nothing in this
world can stop it. Death is a certainty no matter how we despise it. In Frost’s “In
37
Maranatha Christian University
a Disused Graveyard,” the rhyme on the gravestones emphasize what is written on
the gravestones about the coming of death. It emphasizes the message which the
gravestones want to deliver. It is a reminder of the fact that death will come in the
near future and it is inevitable. In other words, death is a certainty for the living.
In Dickinson’s “The last Night that She lived,” the word “final” signifies that the
dying woman’s fate cannot be changed. Her death is ultimate. Again, this is an
emphasis that death is inevitable, because in the future it will come for us.
In spite of the similarities, there are also several differences between their
poems. The poets’ perspectives about death are different. In the poems by
Dickinson that I analyzed, Dickinson romanticizes death and makes death look
“better” or less scary. Dickinson, with her romantic view, accepts death and has a
notion that death brings comfort to people who have lost their loved ones or are
facing death themselves. A person’s death is not seen as the end and death is
valued higher than being alive in the world.
In my opinion, Dickinson romanticizes death because “She rejected
absolutely the idea of man's innate depravity; she favored the Emersonian partial
reversal of Puritanism that conceived greatness of soul as the source of
immortality” (“Emily Dickinson’s Ideas”). She believes in the immortality of the
soul, that is, life after death. Because of this belief, Dickinson softens the sorrow
and is able to find comfort because of the knowledge that life still goes on even
after death. Dickinson wrote at the end of romantic period (1828-1865) and it is
very obvious that the characteristics of this period are reflected in her works, as
stated that: “The subject of human mortality is present in Dickinson’s poem, and
the question of what lies beyond death is discussed. This relates directly to the
38
Maranatha Christian University
subjects of romanticism; it is clear that in her poem, Dickinson has a desire for
knowledge and wisdom, especially for what the future – and eternity – holds”
(“Emily Dickinson”).
Unlike Dickinson, who romanticizes death, Robert Frost is more realistic
when dealing with the topic of death. Frost views death as something that most
people normally feel, which is fear. In his diction, one can see that Frost is
realistic because the diction signifies that one cannot find comfort in death. People
will deny death, because grieving is painful. No one knows when death comes or
whether it will be slowly or brutally. These uses of diction help to reveal the
themes to represent death as it really is and how people react to death. Like
Dickinson, Frost’s writing was influenced by the period in which he lived. Frost
wrote in Modern period of the American literature. The modernist “viewed the
world with a more pessimistic lens” (“Robert Frost: A Modernist or Not?”). That
is the reason why Frost came to this perspective of this painful death.
I believe that Frost’s view is realistic because of the darkness of his life.
Frost witnessed death when he buried his children and his wife. Frost’s son, Elliot,
died of cholera, while his daughter, Marjorie, died of fever shortly after birth. His
wife, Elinor Miriam White Frost, died at the age of sixty-five from a heart attack;
his thirty-eight-year-old son, Carol, committed suicide. His experience with so
many deaths of people close to him definitely affected his way of talking about
death in his poems. As a modernist, he viewed death as the enemy of life, a distant
end point and best forgotten.
Both authors have given me new insights about death. I think Frost is
successful in presenting the reality of death in his poems. Three of Frost’s poems
39
Maranatha Christian University
that show the fear and hatred for death are very real. For example, in my favorite
poem, “Spoils Of The Dead,” at first, death seems comforting, but the reality is it
still brings sorrow. Reading his poems makes me more afraid to face death.
Another thing is, I believe, death is what everyone experiences at the end
of their life. There are no exceptions, because we are mortal beings. Time is the
only difference for everyone. Of course, death makes us feel worried and scared,
but Dickinson’s poems encourage me to deal with death because her poems make
death less scary - even makes it a beautiful occasion.
40
Maranatha Christian University
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Primary Texts
“Emily Dickinson.”PoemHunter. 2014.Web. 18 Mar.2014.
“Robert Frost.”PoemHunter. 2014.Web. 18 Mar.2014.
References
“Biography of Emily Dickinson (1830-1886).” Vcu.edu. 2014. Web. 13 Apr.
2014.
“Because I could not stop for Death.” Genius.com. 2016. Web. 22 Feb. 2016.
“Civility.” Collins Online Dictionary. Collins Online Dictionary, 2016. Web. 22
Feb. 2016.
“Come on.” The Oxford English Dictionary. 8th ed. 2010. Print.
“Diction.” Literary Devices. 2014. Web. 25 Apr. 2014.
“Dread.” Oxford Online Dictionary. Oxford Online Dictionary, 2015. Web. 9
November 2015.
“Emily Dickinson.” Poets.org. 2014. Web. 14 Apr. 2014.
“Emily Dickinson’s Ideas.” Cliffsnotes. 2015. Web. 23 Jun. 2015.
“Fair.” The Free Dictionary. 2015. Web. 23 Jun. 2014.
40
Maranatha Christian University
“Fear.” Oxford Online Dictionary. Oxford Online Dictionary, 2015. Web. 2
November 2015.
“Feathery.” Collins Online Dictionary. Collins Online Dictionary, 2015. Web. 2
November 2015.
“Jostle.”
Merriam-Webster
Online
Dictionary.
Merriam-Webster
Online
Dictionary, 2015. Web. 18 November 2015.
Lombardi, Esther. “Emily Dickinson Profile.” About.com Classic Literature.
2014.Web.12 Apr. 2014.
“Metonymy.” Literary Devices. 2014. Web. 04 Dec. 2014.
“Pluck.” Dictionary.com. 2015. Web. 21 Jun. 2014.
Prudchenko, Kate. “Discussing the Diction of a Poem.” Synonym. 2014.Web. 02
Oct. 2014.
“Rhyme.” Literary Devices. 2014. Web. 03 Dec. 2014.
“Robert Frost.” Poetry Project. 2014. Web. 11 Apr. 2014.
“Robert Frost’s Out,Out.” PoemShape. 2014.Web. 9 Oct. 2014.
“Rueful.” Collins Online Dictionary. Collins Online Dictionary, 2015. Web. 9
November 2015.
“Shrink.” The Free Dictionary. 2015. Web. 20 Jun. 2015.
“Snarl.” Oxford Dictionaries. 2015. Web. 22 Jun. 2015.
“Spoils.” Merriam-webster. 2015. Web. 21 Jun. 2015.
“Stay.” Oxford Online Dictionary. Oxford Online Dictionary, 2015. Web. 2
November 2015.
“Sorrow.” Oxford Online Dictionary. Oxford Online Dictionary, 2015. Web. 9
November 2015.
41
Maranatha Christian University
“Theme.” Literary Devices. 2014. Web. 25 Apr. 2014.
“Tread.” The Free Dictionary. 2015. Web. 20 Jun. 2015.
“Verse.” Oxford Dictionaries. 2014. Web. 12 Dec. 2014.
“What does snow symbolize.” 2015. Web. 21 Jun. 2015.
42
Maranatha Christian University
Dalam tugas akhir ini, saya menganalisis tema melalui diksi dari tiga puisi
Robert Frost yang berjudul “In a Disused Graveyard,” “Spoils Of The Dead,” dan
“Out,Out”, juga tiga puisi Emily Dickinson yang berjudul “Because I could not
stop for Death,” “The last Night that She lived,” dan “Those fair—fictitious
People—”. Keenam puisi tersebut menggambarkan kematian yang akan dialami
setiap manusia, tetapi diungkapkan oleh Robert Frost dan Emily Dickinson
melalui sudut pandang yang berbeda.
Puisi-puisi Robert Frost merefleksikan kesedihan dan ketakutan akan
kematian sedangkan puisi-puisi Emily Dickinson justru memperlihatkan bahwa
kematian adalah suatu kejadian indah yang tidak perlu kita takuti. Perbedaan
pandangan dari dua penulis ini dipengaruhi oleh era sastra di mana penulis hidup
dan berkarya. Meskipun terdapat perbedaan dalam tema yang mereka sampaikan
melalui puisi mereka, menurut saya Robert Frost dan Emily Dickinson sama-sama
berhasil menyampaikan ketakutan dan keindahan akan kematian dalam puisi-puisi
yang mereka tulis.
ii
Maranatha Christian University
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS .......................................................................................i
ABSTRACT ........................................................................................................... ii
CHAPTER ONE : INTRODUCTION ................................................................. 1
Statement of the Problem ............................................................................... 3
Purpose of the Study....................................................................................... 3
Method of Research ........................................................................................ 3
Organization of the Thesis.............................................................................. 3
CHAPTER TWO : THE THEME ANALYSIS OF THREE OF
ROBERT FROST’S POEMS THROUGH DICTION ..............................5
CHAPTER THREE : THE THEME ANALYSIS OF THREE OF
EMILY DICKINSON’S POEMS THROUGH DICTION .....................23
CHAPTER FOUR : CONCLUSION ................................................................. 35
BIBLIOGRAPHY ................................................................................................ 41
APPENDICES ...................................................................................................... 44
Poems of Robert Frost .................................................................................. 44
Poems of Emily Dickinson ......................................................................... 46
Biography of Emily Dickinson ..................................................................... 49
Biography of Robert Frost ............................................................................ 50
i
Maranatha Christian University
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study
Death is the greatest mystery in human life. It is a certainty, yet no one
knows when it will come. Thus, it is natural that most people are afraid of death.
Death is a fascinating topic and it has been the object of many literary works,
including poetry; this is what makes me decide to choose it as my topic.
I choose poetry because it is relatively short compared to prose and drama,
yet poems are full of meanings and ideas. They also connect more closely to our
senses, emotion and imagination. Poetry is also concerned with all kinds of human
experiences, including death.
In poetry, death can be seen not only as a frightening experience but also
as a beautiful occasion. For these reasons, I chose two American poets, Robert
Frost and Emily Dickinson, who view death from different perspectives.
Dickinson writes during the Romantic period while Frost writes during the
1
Maranatha Christian University
Modern period. Their poems are truly worth reading, especially the ones related
to death, and their contributions and achievements to the world of literature are
great. With her poems, Emily Dickinson contributed a great deal to the world of
literature in “her revolutionary way with words.” “Her isolation in that ‘room of
her own’ gave her more than just time to right and reflect” (Lombardi). During
her lifetime, she lived in seclusion and composed more than seventeen hundred
excellent poems, over five hundred of which deal with death. It is thus safe to
argue that death occupied a central place in her poetry. In the poems that I select,
Dickinson romanticizes death; she makes death look “better” or less scary.
Unlike Dickinson, who romanticizes death, Robert Frost is more realistic
when dealing with the topic of death. Frost portrays death as something that is
fearful, as most people normally feel. Frost witnessed death when he buried his
children and his wife early in his life. Frost’s son, Elliot, died of cholera, while his
daughter, Marjorie, died of fever after giving birth to her first child, leaving an
infant daughter. His wife, Elinor Miriam White Frost, died at the age of sixty-five
from a heart attack; and his thirty-eight-year-old son, Carol, committed suicide.
His experience with so many deaths definitely affected his way of talking about
death in his poems.
From many of their poems, I selected six poems that talk about death.
They are “In a Disused Graveyard,” “Spoils Of The Dead,” and “Out, Out” by
Robert Frost and “Because I could not stop for Death,” “The last Night that She
Lived,” and “Those fair—fictitious People—” by Emily Dickinson.
2
Maranatha Christian University
I believe that the best way to reveal their views of death is through the
analysis of theme through poetic diction because the words and phrases they
chose are the keys to show their point of view of death. “Diction is the distinctive
tone or tenor of an author’s writings. It is also understood as the selection of
certain words or phrases that become peculiar to a writer” (“Diction”). Poetic
diction is complex since there are usually multiple layers of meaning to consider.
Theme is “the base topic or focus that acts as a foundation for the entire literary
piece. The theme links all aspects of the literary work with one another and is
basically the main subject” (“Theme”).
Statement of the Problem
The statement of the problems in this thesis is as follows:
1. What are the themes of three poems by Robert Frost and three poems by Emily
Dickinson?
2. How does the diction of the poems help to reveal the themes?
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of the study in this thesis is as follows:
1. To show the themes of three poems by Robert Frost and three poems by Emily
Dickinson.
2. To show how the diction helps to reveal the themes.
3
Maranatha Christian University
Method of Research
I conduct a library research for my thesis. After I read these poems, I
analyze the theme of the poems through the diction. Then, I search for a number
of references from books and Internet websites to help me with my analysis. In
the end, I draw a conclusion from my analysis.
Organization of the Thesis
I divide my thesis into three parts. Preceded by the Abstract, and the Table
of Contents, Chapter One is Introduction, which consists of the Background of the
Study, the Statement of the Problem, the Purpose of the Study, the Method of
Research, and the Organization of the Thesis. Chapter Two is Theme Analysis of
Three of Robert Frost’s Poems. Chapter Three is Theme Analysis of Three of
Emily Dickinson’s Poems. Chapter Four is the Conclusion. The thesis ends with
Bibliography and Appendices, which contain the poems I analyze by Robert Frost
and Emily Dickinson and the Biographies of both Robert Frost and Emily
Dickinson.
4
Maranatha Christian University
CHAPTER FOUR
CONCLUSION
In this chapter, I am going to draw a conclusion based on my analysis of
three of Robert Frost’s poems and three of Emily Dickinson’s poems revealed
through diction. Robert Frost’s poems that I have analyzed are: “In a Disused
Graveyard,” “Spoils Of The Dead,” and “Out,Out.” Emily Dickinson’s poems that
I have analyzed are: “Because I could not stop for Death,” “The last Night that
She lived,” and “Those fair—fictitious People—.”
The theme of Frost’s “In a Disused Graveyard” is Death is so fearful that
the living deny it. It is revealed through uses of diction that are related to denial,
such as “disused” and also “hate.” The feeling of “hate” that the living feel is a
strong evidence of the theme of this poem, because it shows the denial or refusal
to accept death as a fact of life. The word “disused” also signals the theme of
denial because it contains the hope of the living that the graveyard will always be
empty, or, in other words, that people would stop dying. This attitude shows that
humans fear death so they deny death as a finality of their life.
35
Maranatha Christian University
The theme of Frost’s “Spoils of the Dead” is Death, which may seem
calming and comforting at first, eventually will cause sorrow, as when one
dies one loses everything one has. The beginning of the poem shows that death
is calming and comforting, and it is revealed through these words: “summer,”
“flower,” and “bed.” However, at the end of the poem death is described as an
unpleasant event that brings sadness. It is revealed through uses of diction that are
related to sorrow, such as “sorrow,” “dread,” and “hate.” If we take a look at the
title we might feel confused as the word “spoils” has several meanings. However,
it generally has a negative meaning. In this context, the word “spoils” means
something stolen or taken by a thief, and in this poem this spoils of the dead
reminds the living that when one dies, everything will be stolen from one.
The theme of Frost’s “Out,Out” is Death is unpredictable, for it can
come all of a sudden. At the beginning of the poem we can feel a day that is so
beautiful that even the dust from the wood is described as sweet-scented stuff. The
setting is also beautiful and calming with the breeze and the mountain. These
beautiful sceneries are contrasted to the coming darkness of death. Rather than
using gloomy weather, Frost uses beautiful imageries to create a shocking effect
of the suddenness of death that relates directly to the theme. The phrase “nothing
happened” also suggests that this is just a normal working day like any other day.
But unfortunately, this poem is not a happy poem about nature. All of a sudden
the saw leaps out at the boy's hand, then cuts it; this event kills the boy.
The theme of Dickinson’s “Because I could not stop for Death” is Death
is a journey toward the beginning of a new life. It is revealed through uses of
diction such as “immortality,” “paused,” and “eternity.” Immortality signifies the
36
Maranatha Christian University
speaker’s thought that death is not the end, but something which will bring the
speaker to the next life. The word “paused” suggests that it is just a temporary
stop, implying that the speaker’s death lasts for only a short time. There is eternity
ahead, for death is just a temporary journey.
The theme of Dickinson’s “The last Night that She lived” is Death is
inevitable and to be accepted, as death can be relieving. It is revealed through
diction such as “must” and “consented.” The word “must” signifies the
inevitablility of death. The dying woman does not have a choice but must die. The
word choice “consented” here displays a calmness. “Consented” is associated
with willingness and approval, which shows that she is ready for death. Death is
unavoidable, and yet the speaker shows it is like a normal event to emphasize the
calmness and peace of death.
The theme of Dickinson’s “Those fair—fictitious People—” is Death
provides a brand new lifewhichis a better quality of life and it is revealed
through words that are related to a better life, such as “perfecter,” “fair,” and also
“blesseder.” They are related to the theme that being dead does not make us worse
but better. Now they live in a place that lacks nothing and it is somewhere
that gives great pleasure or enjoyment.
After analyzing the poems from Robert Frost and Emily Dickinson, I
found several similarities between Frost and Dickinson. Both of them are
American poets and in the poems I analyzed, they both talk about death. They are
aware that someday, sooner or later, death will come to us all. It means that they
know that death is inevitable. Death is an event that we will face; nothing in this
world can stop it. Death is a certainty no matter how we despise it. In Frost’s “In
37
Maranatha Christian University
a Disused Graveyard,” the rhyme on the gravestones emphasize what is written on
the gravestones about the coming of death. It emphasizes the message which the
gravestones want to deliver. It is a reminder of the fact that death will come in the
near future and it is inevitable. In other words, death is a certainty for the living.
In Dickinson’s “The last Night that She lived,” the word “final” signifies that the
dying woman’s fate cannot be changed. Her death is ultimate. Again, this is an
emphasis that death is inevitable, because in the future it will come for us.
In spite of the similarities, there are also several differences between their
poems. The poets’ perspectives about death are different. In the poems by
Dickinson that I analyzed, Dickinson romanticizes death and makes death look
“better” or less scary. Dickinson, with her romantic view, accepts death and has a
notion that death brings comfort to people who have lost their loved ones or are
facing death themselves. A person’s death is not seen as the end and death is
valued higher than being alive in the world.
In my opinion, Dickinson romanticizes death because “She rejected
absolutely the idea of man's innate depravity; she favored the Emersonian partial
reversal of Puritanism that conceived greatness of soul as the source of
immortality” (“Emily Dickinson’s Ideas”). She believes in the immortality of the
soul, that is, life after death. Because of this belief, Dickinson softens the sorrow
and is able to find comfort because of the knowledge that life still goes on even
after death. Dickinson wrote at the end of romantic period (1828-1865) and it is
very obvious that the characteristics of this period are reflected in her works, as
stated that: “The subject of human mortality is present in Dickinson’s poem, and
the question of what lies beyond death is discussed. This relates directly to the
38
Maranatha Christian University
subjects of romanticism; it is clear that in her poem, Dickinson has a desire for
knowledge and wisdom, especially for what the future – and eternity – holds”
(“Emily Dickinson”).
Unlike Dickinson, who romanticizes death, Robert Frost is more realistic
when dealing with the topic of death. Frost views death as something that most
people normally feel, which is fear. In his diction, one can see that Frost is
realistic because the diction signifies that one cannot find comfort in death. People
will deny death, because grieving is painful. No one knows when death comes or
whether it will be slowly or brutally. These uses of diction help to reveal the
themes to represent death as it really is and how people react to death. Like
Dickinson, Frost’s writing was influenced by the period in which he lived. Frost
wrote in Modern period of the American literature. The modernist “viewed the
world with a more pessimistic lens” (“Robert Frost: A Modernist or Not?”). That
is the reason why Frost came to this perspective of this painful death.
I believe that Frost’s view is realistic because of the darkness of his life.
Frost witnessed death when he buried his children and his wife. Frost’s son, Elliot,
died of cholera, while his daughter, Marjorie, died of fever shortly after birth. His
wife, Elinor Miriam White Frost, died at the age of sixty-five from a heart attack;
his thirty-eight-year-old son, Carol, committed suicide. His experience with so
many deaths of people close to him definitely affected his way of talking about
death in his poems. As a modernist, he viewed death as the enemy of life, a distant
end point and best forgotten.
Both authors have given me new insights about death. I think Frost is
successful in presenting the reality of death in his poems. Three of Frost’s poems
39
Maranatha Christian University
that show the fear and hatred for death are very real. For example, in my favorite
poem, “Spoils Of The Dead,” at first, death seems comforting, but the reality is it
still brings sorrow. Reading his poems makes me more afraid to face death.
Another thing is, I believe, death is what everyone experiences at the end
of their life. There are no exceptions, because we are mortal beings. Time is the
only difference for everyone. Of course, death makes us feel worried and scared,
but Dickinson’s poems encourage me to deal with death because her poems make
death less scary - even makes it a beautiful occasion.
40
Maranatha Christian University
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Primary Texts
“Emily Dickinson.”PoemHunter. 2014.Web. 18 Mar.2014.
“Robert Frost.”PoemHunter. 2014.Web. 18 Mar.2014.
References
“Biography of Emily Dickinson (1830-1886).” Vcu.edu. 2014. Web. 13 Apr.
2014.
“Because I could not stop for Death.” Genius.com. 2016. Web. 22 Feb. 2016.
“Civility.” Collins Online Dictionary. Collins Online Dictionary, 2016. Web. 22
Feb. 2016.
“Come on.” The Oxford English Dictionary. 8th ed. 2010. Print.
“Diction.” Literary Devices. 2014. Web. 25 Apr. 2014.
“Dread.” Oxford Online Dictionary. Oxford Online Dictionary, 2015. Web. 9
November 2015.
“Emily Dickinson.” Poets.org. 2014. Web. 14 Apr. 2014.
“Emily Dickinson’s Ideas.” Cliffsnotes. 2015. Web. 23 Jun. 2015.
“Fair.” The Free Dictionary. 2015. Web. 23 Jun. 2014.
40
Maranatha Christian University
“Fear.” Oxford Online Dictionary. Oxford Online Dictionary, 2015. Web. 2
November 2015.
“Feathery.” Collins Online Dictionary. Collins Online Dictionary, 2015. Web. 2
November 2015.
“Jostle.”
Merriam-Webster
Online
Dictionary.
Merriam-Webster
Online
Dictionary, 2015. Web. 18 November 2015.
Lombardi, Esther. “Emily Dickinson Profile.” About.com Classic Literature.
2014.Web.12 Apr. 2014.
“Metonymy.” Literary Devices. 2014. Web. 04 Dec. 2014.
“Pluck.” Dictionary.com. 2015. Web. 21 Jun. 2014.
Prudchenko, Kate. “Discussing the Diction of a Poem.” Synonym. 2014.Web. 02
Oct. 2014.
“Rhyme.” Literary Devices. 2014. Web. 03 Dec. 2014.
“Robert Frost.” Poetry Project. 2014. Web. 11 Apr. 2014.
“Robert Frost’s Out,Out.” PoemShape. 2014.Web. 9 Oct. 2014.
“Rueful.” Collins Online Dictionary. Collins Online Dictionary, 2015. Web. 9
November 2015.
“Shrink.” The Free Dictionary. 2015. Web. 20 Jun. 2015.
“Snarl.” Oxford Dictionaries. 2015. Web. 22 Jun. 2015.
“Spoils.” Merriam-webster. 2015. Web. 21 Jun. 2015.
“Stay.” Oxford Online Dictionary. Oxford Online Dictionary, 2015. Web. 2
November 2015.
“Sorrow.” Oxford Online Dictionary. Oxford Online Dictionary, 2015. Web. 9
November 2015.
41
Maranatha Christian University
“Theme.” Literary Devices. 2014. Web. 25 Apr. 2014.
“Tread.” The Free Dictionary. 2015. Web. 20 Jun. 2015.
“Verse.” Oxford Dictionaries. 2014. Web. 12 Dec. 2014.
“What does snow symbolize.” 2015. Web. 21 Jun. 2015.
42
Maranatha Christian University