While all of Dickinson’s poems are worthwhile in their own right, 479 was particularly interesting to me for its interpretation of death and the race against it. Generally speaking, people interpret death as something to be avoided and outpaced, for the end of your story comes when death catches up to you. However, Dickinson portrays death as something more akin to a traveling companion, someone to be welcomed and respected rather than an uncaring force of nature. In the poem, the speaker describes how death “kindly stopped for [them]” and how they “slowly drove” and “knew no haste,” implying that to drive alongside death rather than trying to speed ahead of it might result in a more fulfilling life.
In a similar vein, Dickinson presents immortality and death as two sides of the same coin. Both Death and Immortality reside in the carriage that the speaker rides in, which says something about the nature of immortality. By definition, immortal means to be unable to die, yet to ride in the same carriage as both would mean that one would be simultaneously at the mercy of death and far above it. In essence, one is immortal until death decides to claim them. One cannot die until death decides it’s time, which also then brings up the question of free will and the choice to die or survive. Maybe that last part is a bit of a stretch, but I just found it interesting how many questions this poem brings up and its fairer representation of death.
Death and Immortality in 479
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I agree! I think this poem is such an interesting reflection on our relationship with death as a culture. I think our culture absolutely expresses a desire to “outpace” death both physically and mentally, but Dickinson dismisses this attitude. I think along with creating death as a companion to ride alongside, she reminds the reader of their lack of agency in the process. There is almost an ironic overcast of slowness and calmness from death considering that it usually happens suddenly and is a very black and white moment.
I found this poem similarly interesting because it seemed to imply to me that death and immortality are inherently intertwined, and in some ways, the same. The poem seems to imply that this journey she embarks on with death is never-ending, and yet seems incredibly peaceful. She doesn’t attempt to resist it, and the whole story has a feeling of coming to rest and acceptance rather than the fear we typically associate with death. I also found it incredibly interesting that this portrayal of death implies that consciousness remains in this eternal state, which actually does inspire fear in me. I wonder if that was her intent or just an implied effect!