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Poet: Emily Dickinson
Poem: 389.
There's been a Death, in the Opposite House,
Volume: Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson
Year: Published/Written in 1955
Poem of the Day:
Mar 30 2002
Comment 18 of 18, added on July 17th, 2008 at 10:20 PM.
I think the poem deals with how death affects daily life in a country town as opposed to death occurring in a city. People hardly notice death taking place in their neighbourhood in a city because of the busy lives they lead. But in a town it is easily noticable and not only that neighbours pour in to pay their last respects and participate in the ceremonies associated with burial.Notice that the poem opens with the news of the death taking place that day and how the house takes on a 'numb look' and the poems closes with the idea that death taking place in a country town is 'easy as a sign', that people intuitively come to know about it as soon as it takes place. The implied contrast is to death occurring in a city, where neighbours may not even come to know about a death in the neighbourhood. Also, the use of 'It' to denote the dead person is worth commenting upon. I think from a young person's point of view old people look so different from themselves and young adults that they seem to be not human beings, but an 'it'. The boys may have seen this old person occasionally outside his home and they may have studied with curiosity his withered hands, stooping form and croaking voice. It would have been difficult for them to imagine him young, healthy and good looking as themselves once upon a time. So, he is just an 'it' for them.
IMMANUEL from India
Comment 17 of 18, added on March 21st, 2008 at 3:20 AM.
Maylee>> The word 'house' in line 19 would probably suit the imagery of a coffin. From the previous lines we can see that the 'man of the appalling trade' (which probably be the undertaker) taking measures of the 'house'.
This poem is generally about a view from a neighbour opposite the house (obviously from the title). I agree with what kyle from US has posted. The attitude of the persona towards the whole situation is like a reflection of his past (when he was a child).
Mohd Hafiz from Malaysia
Comment 16 of 18, added on March 7th, 2008 at 9:08 AM.
the word 'house' in line 19 refers to?
maylee from Malaysia
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Comments
I think the poem deals with how death affects daily life in a country town as opposed to death occurring in a city. People hardly notice death taking place in their neighbourhood in a city because of the busy lives they lead. But in a town it is easily noticable and not only that neighbours pour in to pay their last respects and participate in the ceremonies associated with burial.Notice that the poem opens with the news of the death taking place that day and how the house takes on a 'numb look' and the poems closes with the idea that death taking place in a country town is 'easy as a sign', that people intuitively come to know about it as soon as it takes place. The implied contrast is to death occurring in a city, where neighbours may not even come to know about a death in the neighbourhood. Also, the use of 'It' to denote the dead person is worth commenting upon. I think from a young person's point of view old people look so different from themselves and young adults that they seem to be not human beings, but an 'it'. The boys may have seen this old person occasionally outside his home and they may have studied with curiosity his withered hands, stooping form and croaking voice. It would have been difficult for them to imagine him young, healthy and good looking as themselves once upon a time. So, he is just an 'it' for them.
IMMANUEL from India