PART 2

教师进入正文讲解:

● He kindly stopped for me--

Q1: Who is “he” in this sentence?

A1: In this sentence, “he” represents Death. Dickinson personifies Death, making death not as abstract as it really is.

Q2: How does Dickinson think of “Death”?

A2: She describes Death as a kind and civil driver, which suggests that deep in her heart, she can accept death with peace. What’s more, through this poem, she also wants to remind readers that death is not something to fear.

● The Carriage held but just Ourselves--

Q3: What does Carriage ride represent in this poem?

A3: In this poem, Carriage ride represents the cycle of life.

● We slowly drove -- He knew no haste,

Q4: Why the Carriage ride is slow?

A4: From the last question, we know that Dickinson compares the Carriage ride to the cycle of life. Life is a long journey, we live every day of it. Thus, the Carriage ride is slow.

● We passed the School, where Children strove

At recess -- in the ring--

We passed the Fields of Gazing Grain--

We passed the Setting Sun--

Q5: What does this stanza symbolize?

A5: This stanza depicts a picture of a woman sitting in a carriage. As the carriage slowly passing each of these places, the woman in it silently staring out of the window. It symbolizes a retrospect of a person’s past life.

● Or rather, He passed Us;

The Dews grew quivering and chill--

For only Gossamer, my Gown --

My Tippet -- only Tulle --

Q6: What is the function of the fourth stanza?

A6: The abrupt turn in the poem flags a movement away from the sentimental idea of death as an easy spiritual journey. Instead of moving smoothly past the setting sun to the heavens, the journey ends rather abruptly and the scene becomes threatening.

● We paused before House that seemed

A Swelling of the Ground;

The Roof was scarcely visible --

The Cornice but a mound --

Q7: What does the house represent?

A7: From the last stanza, we learn that the house seems a swelling of ground and the roof was scarcely visible; it implies that the house is actually beneath the ground and it is the grave.

Q8: What is the effect of describing it as a house?

A8: Dickinson intends to convey the idea that death is not fearful, and people should accept it in peace. Describing the grave as house can reduce the feeling of nervousness and make death look like a home to return to.

● Since then -- It is Centuries -- and yet each

Feels shorter than the Day

I first surmised the Horses' heads

Were toward Eternity.

Q9: What does the last stanza suggest?

A9: It suggests that true eternity lies in the single day in which we recognize death and thus capitalize on the present moment, which is itself infinite.

Q10: Dickinson has experienced life, but what does she specifically know about being dead?

A10: Dickinson does not know death specifically. All she tries to express here is that death is not as horrible as it is described and exaggerated. Death can also be tranquil. As it is unavoidable, we should better change our attitude and learn to deal with it.

Q11: Why does she make it feel like death is something that couldn’t be more natural?

A11: Because of her perspective towards death. From the second and the third stanza, we could tell that she does enjoy the time while she is living. And when death comes, she just takes a good look at the past and reviews it all over; then embraces death with ease.

Q12: Is Death actually a betrayer, and is his courtly manner an illusion to seduce her?

A12: No. Through the whole poem, we could see that the author doesn’t show any unwillingness or disaffection. Even at last, Death leads her to the grave; she takes it peacefully without complain.

Q13: What’s the theme of the poem?

A13: The theme of this poem is combined by two parts: death and immortality. The poet wants to tell us that death is nothing to be feared since it is a natural part of the endless cycle of nature. And it is only a beginning, because to die is to go on another journey.

Q14: What’s the style of this poem at phonological level?

A14: In this poem, Dickinson adopted her formal pattern: common meter which consisted of altering lines of iambic tetrameter and iambic trimeter. As for the rhyme, it is composed in six quatrains with the meter alternating between iambic tetrameter and iambic trimeter. Stanzas 1, 2, 4 and 6 employ end rhyme in their second and fourth lines, but some of these are only close rhyme or eye rhyme. In the third stanza, there is no end rhyme, but “ring” in line 2 rhymes with “gazing” and “setting” in lines 3 and 4 respectively. Internal rhyme is scattered throughout.