Abstract：
Death is the recurring theme of Emily Dickinson’s poems. Her poems of the theme are characterized by the large number, the peculiar point of views and the bold and innovative images，revealing the poet’s conflicting attitude toward death. The three poems, “I’ve Seen a Dying Eye”, “I Heard a Fly Buzz When I Died” and “Because I Could Not Stop for Death”, are good example. For instance, in the poem “I’ve Seen a Dying Eye”, with some indifference, the poet describes the change of a person’s eyes in detail at his last moment. Thus in the poem, she creates a ruthless and powerful Death image. However, in the poem “Because I Could Not Stop for Death”, she portrays Death as a polite gentleman leading the poet to a blessed new home. And in the poem “I Heard a Fly Buzz When I Died”, the poet writes about a fly that upsets the solemn atmosphere in which a “king” from heaven is expected. In this poem, the poet describes Death with some ironic tone, and creates a weak and unpleasant image of Death.
Dickinson’s conflicting attitude toward death derives from her religious outlook, as well as her reflections upon the Civil War and the deaths of her family and friends. The prevailing Puritan beliefs in the 19th century New England regard death as a transfer to heaven where family members and friends can enjoy reunion. But Calvinism believes in a severe God who chooses people to heaven at his own random will. Both the two religious beliefs influenced Dickinson and led to her conflicting views on death. Also the huge deaths caused by the Civil War and the frequent losses of her family and friends made her feel the terror of death and question the fairness of God believe in by Puritanism. The conflict and doubt is revealed in the three poems.
Key words：Emily Dickinson; Death Images; Conflicting attitude
摘 要：
死亡是艾米莉•狄金森诗歌中经常出现的主题, 这一主题著作数量多, 角度奇特, 意象新颖而大胆，这些诗作显示了狄金森对死亡所持的矛盾态度。“我看到一个临死的眼睛”，“在我死时听到苍蝇的嗡嗡声”和“因为我不能等待死亡”，这三首诗即是很好的例证。在“我看到一个临死的眼睛”一诗中，作者以一个冷漠的口吻详细的描写了临死之人在最后时刻眼神的变化。在这首诗中死神成了一个残忍并且强势的意象。然而，在“因为我不能等待死亡”中，死神被描绘成一位礼貌的绅士。他引导着诗人到达一个充满幸福的新家。在“在我死时听到苍蝇的嗡嗡声”中，诗人描写了在人们期待天国的君王降临的时刻，一只苍蝇打破了整个庄严的气氛。在这首诗中作者以讽刺的口吻把死神的描绘成了一个不受欢迎并且弱势的意象。
狄金森对死亡矛盾的态度来源于她的宗教观，并且她对美国内战和家人朋友相继死亡的反思也是很重要的因素。在十九世纪新英格兰清教思想盛行，当时的清教思想认为死亡是一个通往天堂的转折，在那家人和朋友可以得到重聚。但是，加尔文教派信奉的是一个严厉的上帝，他任意选择哪些人可以进天堂。这两种宗教信仰都对狄金森产生了作用，使她对死亡产生了矛盾的态度。同时美国内战带来的巨大的伤亡和狄金森亲人朋友频繁的去世使她恐惧死亡并且她对清教主义中上帝的公平性产生了质疑。这三首诗中的死亡意象即体现出这种矛盾和怀疑的态度。
关键词：艾米莉•狄金森；死亡意象；矛盾态度
，英语论文范文，英语论文范文 |
