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I heard a Fly buzz – when I died

I heard a Fly buzz – when I died . By EmiIy Dickinson. Emily Dickinson - Bio. Born in Boston in 1830 She was born into a wealthy family In her early 20’s, she loved socialising In her 30’s, she became a reclusive Her poetic style is unique (punctuation/capitals/dashes etc.)

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I heard a Fly buzz – when I died

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  1. I heard a Fly buzz – when I died By EmiIyDickinson

  2. Emily Dickinson - Bio • Born in Boston in 1830 • She was born into a wealthy family • In her early 20’s, she loved socialising • In her 30’s, she became a reclusive • Her poetic style is unique (punctuation/capitals/dashes etc.) • Poetry reflects themes of death and mental suffering • Died aged 56 from a kidney disease in 1886

  3. I heard a Fly buzz –when I died -

  4. Stanza 1 • She says that as she passed away, a fly was buzzing in the room: ‘ I heard a Fly buzz – when I died’. • The quietness of the room is compared to the stillness experienced at the centre of a storm. • As she suffered on her deathbed, the room was noisy but her final moments were filled with calmness.

  5. Stanza 2 • The speakers loved ones were gathered around her. They had ‘wrung’ their hands dry from crying. • They held their breathes, waiting for the ‘last Onset’ or attack of the speakers illness when she would pass away. • Their loved ones are waiting for the ‘king’ (God) to come into the room at the moment of death.

  6. Stanza 3 • The speaker has signed her will ‘assigning’ her valued items to loved ones • But there is one part not ‘assignable’ a part she can’t give away, that is her immortal soul • As she begins to die, a fly appears positioning itself between her and the light. The fly interrupts all and there is little hope of an afterlife.

  7. Stanza 4 • The fly is in its ‘uncertain stumbling’ strips the speaker’s dignity of death • The window ‘failed’ to allow light into the room. The speaker’s vision was flooded with darkness as she died • As she passed away her sense of vision stopped working : ‘I could not see to see’. The room was filled with darkness • The positioning of the fly is puzzling. • Instead of hearing the fly, the speaker should be hearing the soothing words of her loved ones

  8. Themes • Death • Mental and physical anguish • Darkness

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