Question

question 16 of 20
how does whitmans attitude toward death in \song of myself\ differ from dickinsons attitude in \712: because i could not stop for death\?
a. whitman sees death as a return to earth, but dickinson views death as leading to a spiritual afterlife.
b. whitman sees death as final, while dickinson sees death as the start of something new.
c. whitman sees death as insignificant in the circle of life, while dickinson sees death as the most significant thing in the circle of life.
d. whitman sees death as sorrowful for those left behind, while dickinson views death as freeing to loved ones.

Explanation:

In Song of Myself, Whitman expresses that death is a natural part of the cycle, with the body returning to the earth (e.g., “I bequeath myself to the dirt to grow from the grass I love”). In 712: Because I could not stop for Death, Dickinson depicts a carriage ride with Death leading to an afterlife (e.g., the “house” that seemed “a swelling of the ground” representing a tomb, but also a place in the after - world).

Answer:

A. Whitman sees death as a return to earth, but Dickinson views death as leading to a spiritual afterlife.