The poem, "Thanatopsis," written by William Cullen Bryant, is a wonderful literary work which explores the often controversial questions of death. William Cullen Bryant wrote Thanatopsis when he was seventeen years of age. Thanatopsis was written in blank verse. Within his well written lines Bryant attempts to show the relationship between death's eternal questions and the ongoing cycle of nature and life. Upon concluding the poem many readers are able to reaffirm their faith of an afterlife, while others are left aimlessly pondering this strange possibility.He uses strong words to describe the feelings and visions one sees when they are in their last hours and even after they have passed away. The author makes death seem like something that should not be feared and should almost be looked forward to. He then goes on to show how one should really feel when dying. Thanatopsis tells about how when one dies the grave becomes an endless world,how the deceased become one with the earth, the trees, and everything that is great within the earth, and how when one dies they do not die alone. Throughout the poem Bryant creates images which connect death and sleep. In fact, once the reader gets halfway through the poem they discover that Bryant uses these words almost interchangeably. In the second stanza he writes, "All that tread the globe are but a handful to the tribes that slumber in its bosom." Instead of referring to death he uses the word "slumber." These connections continue in a number of places. Other examples include lines 57 and 66. In line 57 he writes, "In their last sleep the dead reign there alone," and in line 66, referring to death and burial, Bryant writes, "And make their bed with thee." This connection between death and sleep creates a metaphor which adds depth and meaning to the poem. By using this strange metaphor Bryant wishes to suggest his faith in an afterlife. While examining the differences and similarities of death...
