Death is an inevitable result for everyone. Both poets Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman had interest in this factor. Their poems of course self discussed their perspective and views on what death meant to them.
Dickinson had a growing interest for death and its value to her. She wondered about the afterlife due to her personal issues of living such as love, exploring the world, or being alive. One of her poems titled "Because I Could not Stop for Death" talks about her love for death though death itself is described as the opposite partner for her. She states "Because I could not stop for Death/ He kindly stopped for me/ The Carriage held but just ourselves/ And Immortality". Death is described as a partner and mate to Dickinson. According to New York University in their article titled "Death and Immortality" it is stated that "Dickinson analyzes Death and attemps to portray it as a stage of existence that acts as a bridge between life and eternity". The picture below can summarize the side that Dickinson believes about death, it is a mere hanging of the heart in which anytime we can die if the connection/string is broken between life which is the tree.
Dickinson had a growing interest for death and its value to her. She wondered about the afterlife due to her personal issues of living such as love, exploring the world, or being alive. One of her poems titled "Because I Could not Stop for Death" talks about her love for death though death itself is described as the opposite partner for her. She states "Because I could not stop for Death/ He kindly stopped for me/ The Carriage held but just ourselves/ And Immortality". Death is described as a partner and mate to Dickinson. According to New York University in their article titled "Death and Immortality" it is stated that "Dickinson analyzes Death and attemps to portray it as a stage of existence that acts as a bridge between life and eternity". The picture below can summarize the side that Dickinson believes about death, it is a mere hanging of the heart in which anytime we can die if the connection/string is broken between life which is the tree.
Walt Whitman on the other hand believes death is the start of a new beginning comparing it to the idea of a phoenix. A phoenix in mythology dies only to be returned to life from its ashes. In his poem "When the Lilacs last in the Dooryard Bloom'd" Death is welcomes as a song or outlet. It goes to say in the poem, "Passing the visions, passing the night/ Passing, unloosing the hold of my comrades' hands/ Passing the song of the hermit bird, and the tallying song of my soul/ Victorious song, death's outlet song, yet varying, ever-altering song/ As low and wailing yet clear the notes, rising and falling, flooding the night". Whitman sees death as a new beginning when a person dies only symbolizing it as a song to the victories. The image below is of a phoenix dying and re-birthing from its old body forming a new beginning similar to Whitman's belief.
Both poets have different views on the topic of Death and dying. Dickinson believes it is a connection that is personal to us for living and having immortality, while Whitman distinguishes it as a rebirth to the old self. Death is death, where we all die but what we interpret after is dependent on what we think happens.