Dickinson’s poem, “Behind me, Dips Eternity” explains Dickinson’s curiosity of death and subsequent life after death as a part of the culmination of the human experiences.Throughout the poem, Dickinson creates a theme of eternity and immortality also how religion plays a factor into the topic. Through the utilization of imagery, diction, and symbolism, Dickinson questions one position between life and death, in doing so, she can convey her message of how death is a peaceful release from life’s pressure and a glorious entry into immortality.
To begin with, Emily’s usage of diction throughout the poem creates a literary device of repetition in the poem.
For instance, Line (1-2) “Behind me dips eternity, Before me, immortality-myself terms between.” Translates how the speaker’s brain is continually fluctuating as she is beyond any doubt of the life after for a particular measure of time then she alters her position meaning the phrase “behind me”, alludes to the past which gave her eternity and “before me”, alludes to the future which speaks immortality and the “term between” is what she’s captured by the need to live in the present over existence in the wake of death. With the speaker indecisiveness, one begins to see a relationship between faith and doubt. Additionally, in line (13-14) one can see a recurrence of the word “Tis Miracle” which illustrates a religious idea about the “Miracle” of heaven and life it also refer to death as something exceptional as it becomes god mission to take one into eternity. Together with, line (14) ” This Miracle before” the promise of resurrection in the afterlife. Furthermore, because the syntax of the poem is very repetitive, it implies the idea of confinement and doing the day to day routine that is presented through the societal standards of women in Dickinson’s time.
Also, Dickinson’s usage of metaphor Dickinson can make death charismatic by contrasting the morning dawn to death. For example in lines (5-6) “Death but the drift of eater gray-Dissolving into dawn away-Before the west begin” connotes the idea that life is “dissolving” into death and the notion of nature in this part of the poem creates an image that is lovely and serene. Dickinson does this to seek comfort from the truth of death making a topic of isolation amongst herself and the world. Furthermore, in line (4) Dickinson’s utilization of the word “drift” within the sentence creates a lack of purpose with the reality of death and in line (4-5) “dissolving into dawn away , before west begins” implicate Dickinson interconnectedness of the world and afterlife because the sentence deciphers that death commence in the day which in reality become parts of our world. Nevertheless, the poem displays metaphors within the poem in lines (7-12) “Tis Kingdom afterward they say, In perfect pauseless Monarchy, Whose Prince is Son of None Himself , His Dateless Dynasty Himself Himself diversify In Duplicate divine” creates an intense image of royalty and skepticism when Dickinson says “they say” which questions the Holy Trinity as to why there is one God yet with three substitutes in the afterlife and line (8) “In perfect, pauseless Monarchy” follows that with this god there is and never ending reign and this god is Jesus Christ. And “Tis Kingdom” is the domain of the God’s everlasting immortality.
Furthermore, The symbolism of death in this poem represents the end of a relationship between life and the soul. As indicated by the New Testament of the Bible, resurrection makes death a passage into life; the soul becomes immortal for this reason Dickinson believes that death is not a remark to be dreaded, rather a fundamental piece of life. Similarly, in the poem, readers can conclude that Dickinson is a person of faith therefore in her opinion the concept of death changes for her as a Christian and what ceases to be something negative becomes a blessing, a passage to attain eternal life. Correspondingly, death is the symbol of why one must fear God, but Dickinson sees this as an admiration compared to others who assume that death “denies” life. Instead death “brings back” one soul, with the symbolism of death one, begin to see a relationship between God vs. an Individual
Through the utilization of imagery, diction and symbolism in “Behind me dips eternity” concludes that death is represented in many forms, including eternity and immortality. Moreover, Dickinson is able to depict death as an inevitable power that is life and creates the recognition that without “death” there is no world and that if “God” is who that is the creation of this universe then he shall “rightfully” takes us away to his “Pauseless Kingdom” where everything is everlasting