Because I Could Not Stop for Death

Definition

In this poem by Emily Dickinson, the speaker personifies death as a gentleman caller who takes her on a carriage ride through different stages of life and ultimately to the afterlife.

Related terms

Personification:

Giving human qualities or characteristics to non-human things.

Symbolism:

The use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities.

Allegory: A story or poem that can be interpreted to reveal hidden meanings or moral lessons.