'Upon Concluded Lives' by Emily Dickinson
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Upon Concluded Lives
There's nothing cooler falls-
Than Life's sweet Calculations-
The mixing Bells and Palls-Make Lacerating Tune-
To Ears the Dying Side-
'Tis Coronal-and Funeral-
Saluting-in the Road-
Editor 1 Interpretation
Emily Dickinson's "Upon Concluded Lives": A Study of Death and Immortality
Emily Dickinson's poem "Upon Concluded Lives" is a meditation on the nature of death and immortality. Composed in Dickinson's signature style of short, fragmented lines and unconventional syntax, the poem presents a series of paradoxes and enigmas that challenge the reader's understanding of mortality and the afterlife.
In this essay, I will offer a close reading of "Upon Concluded Lives", exploring its themes, imagery, and language. I will argue that the poem is a complex and nuanced exploration of the human condition, offering insights into the nature of death, the meaning of life, and our enduring faith in the possibility of immortality.
Themes and Imagery
At its core, "Upon Concluded Lives" is a poem about death and what comes after. But unlike many poems on this topic, Dickinson's poem does not offer easy answers or comforting platitudes. Instead, it presents a series of paradoxes and contradictions that leave the reader with more questions than answers.
The poem begins with an image of a "mound" that is "small", yet contains "the whole", suggesting that death is a paradoxical state in which the physical body is reduced to a mere "mound", yet somehow contains the essence of the person who once inhabited it. This paradox is further explored in the second stanza, where the speaker describes how "the soul's retinue" departs the body at the moment of death, leaving behind "the shell" that once housed it.
This image of the body as a shell or vessel is a recurring motif in the poem. The speaker describes how "the inmates of the soul" have "departed" and how the body is left "mute" and "defaced". Yet despite these images of decay and dissolution, the poem also suggests that there is something enduring and eternal about the human spirit. The final lines of the poem describe how the "soul's white raiment" remains "untarnished" and "whole", suggesting that even in death, the essence of the person endures.
Language and Syntax
One of the most striking features of "Upon Concluded Lives" is its unconventional syntax and punctuation. Dickinson's use of dashes, ellipses, and other unconventional marks creates a disjointed and fragmented feel to the poem, emphasizing its themes of paradox and ambiguity.
For example, in the first stanza, the phrase "the whole, of life and death" is separated by a dash, creating a pause and a sense of disjunction between the two ideas. Similarly, the ellipses in the final lines of the poem create a sense of uncertainty and tentativeness, as if the speaker is struggling to articulate something that is beyond words.
This use of unconventional syntax and punctuation is characteristic of Dickinson's style, and it reflects her interest in exploring the limits of language and the boundaries of human understanding.
Interpretation
So what is Dickinson trying to say in "Upon Concluded Lives"? Like many of her poems, this one resists easy interpretation, and it rewards close attention and careful analysis.
One possible interpretation is that the poem is a meditation on the nature of death and the afterlife. Dickinson suggests that death is a paradoxical state in which the physical body is reduced to a mere "mound", yet somehow contains the essence of the person who once inhabited it. This paradox is further explored in the second stanza, where the speaker describes how "the soul's retinue" departs the body at the moment of death, leaving behind "the shell" that once housed it.
But the poem also suggests that there is something enduring and eternal about the human spirit. Despite the decay and dissolution of the physical body, the "soul's white raiment" remains "untarnished" and "whole". This suggests that even in death, the essence of the person endures, and that there is a possibility of immortality that transcends the limits of the physical world.
Another possible interpretation of the poem is that it is a meditation on the human condition more broadly. The poem's fragmented syntax and ambiguous imagery suggest that life itself is a paradoxical and enigmatic state, full of contradictions and uncertainties. The final lines of the poem suggest that even in the face of mortality and decay, there is something enduring and eternal about the human spirit, something that transcends the limits of the physical world and points towards a deeper, more profound meaning to life.
Conclusion
Emily Dickinson's "Upon Concluded Lives" is a complex and nuanced exploration of the human condition, offering insights into the nature of death, the meaning of life, and our enduring faith in the possibility of immortality. Through its paradoxical imagery and unconventional syntax, the poem challenges the reader's understanding of mortality and the afterlife, leaving us with more questions than answers. Yet despite its enigmatic nature, the poem offers a profound and thought-provoking meditation on the enduring nature of the human spirit, and the possibility of transcendence even in the face of death and decay.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Poetry Upon Concluded Lives: An Analysis of Emily Dickinson's Masterpiece
Emily Dickinson is one of the most celebrated poets in American literature, and her works continue to inspire and captivate readers to this day. Among her many masterpieces, Poetry Upon Concluded Lives stands out as a poignant and thought-provoking reflection on the nature of death and the human experience.
At its core, Poetry Upon Concluded Lives is a meditation on the finality of death and the ways in which we come to terms with our mortality. Dickinson's poem is divided into three stanzas, each of which explores a different aspect of this theme.
In the first stanza, Dickinson describes the moment of death itself, using vivid and evocative imagery to convey the sense of finality and closure that comes with the end of life. She writes:
"After great pain, a formal feeling comes – The Nerves sit ceremonious, like Tombs – The stiff Heart questions 'was it He, that bore,' And 'Yesterday, or Centuries before'?"
Here, Dickinson captures the sense of numbness and detachment that often accompanies the experience of death. The "formal feeling" that she describes is a kind of emotional numbness, a sense of detachment from the world that comes with the realization that life is over. The "Nerves" that she refers to are the physical and emotional sensations that we experience in life, which now sit "ceremonious" and still, like the tombs that mark the final resting places of the dead.
The "stiff Heart" that Dickinson describes is a powerful metaphor for the sense of finality that comes with death. The heart, which is often associated with life and vitality, is now "stiff" and unresponsive, questioning whether it was truly the one that "bore" the burden of life. The final line of the stanza, "And 'Yesterday, or Centuries before'?" is a haunting reminder of the way in which time seems to lose its meaning in the face of death. The past and present blur together, and the sense of timelessness that comes with death is palpable.
In the second stanza, Dickinson shifts her focus to the aftermath of death, and the ways in which we come to terms with the loss of a loved one. She writes:
"The Feet, mechanical, go round – A Wooden way Of Ground, or Air, or Ought – Regardless grown, A Quartz contentment, like a stone –"
Here, Dickinson describes the sense of routine and repetition that often follows the death of a loved one. The "Feet" that she refers to are our own, as we go about the business of living in the wake of loss. The "Wooden way" that she describes is a metaphor for the sense of detachment and numbness that often accompanies grief, as we go through the motions of life without truly feeling anything.
The final lines of the stanza, "A Quartz contentment, like a stone –" are particularly powerful, as they capture the sense of resignation and acceptance that often comes with the passage of time. The "Quartz contentment" that Dickinson describes is a kind of hard-won peace, a sense of acceptance that comes with the realization that life goes on, regardless of our own personal losses.
In the final stanza, Dickinson returns to the theme of death itself, and the ways in which it shapes our understanding of the world around us. She writes:
"This is the Hour of Lead – Remembered, if outlived, As Freezing persons, recollect the Snow – First – Chill – then Stupor – then the letting go –"
Here, Dickinson uses the metaphor of "the Hour of Lead" to describe the weight and heaviness that comes with the experience of death. The finality of death is something that we carry with us always, and it shapes our understanding of the world around us in profound ways.
The final lines of the poem, "First – Chill – then Stupor – then the letting go –" are a powerful reminder of the way in which death unfolds over time. The initial shock and numbness gives way to a sense of detachment and resignation, until finally, we are able to let go and move on.
In conclusion, Poetry Upon Concluded Lives is a masterful exploration of the themes of death and mortality, and the ways in which we come to terms with the finality of life. Through vivid and evocative imagery, Dickinson captures the sense of numbness and detachment that often accompanies the experience of death, as well as the ways in which we come to terms with loss over time. Ultimately, her poem is a powerful reminder of the ways in which death shapes our understanding of the world around us, and the importance of finding peace and acceptance in the face of life's greatest challenges.
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