Drowning is not so Pitiful
The poem explores the idea that death by drowning may be a more peaceful and serene experience than other forms of mortality. The speaker suggests that the body's struggle to stay afloat is a futile attempt to resist the inevitable, and that surrendering to the water can bring a sense of release and freedom.
By Emily Dickinson · First published 1890 · Genre: Poetry, Philosophical, Religious · 101 words
First lines
Drowning is not so pitiful As the attempt to rise.
Three times, 't is said, a sinking man Comes up to face the skies, And then declines forever To that abhorred abode Where hope and he part company, -- For he is grasped of God.
The Maker's cordial visage, However good to see, Is shunned, we must admit it, Like an adversity.
What this Textopian page supports
Drowning is not so Pitiful is listed on Textopian as a poem by Emily Dickinson, dated 1890 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Emily Dickinson
- Date: 1890 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Philosophical, Religious, Metaphysical, Symbolism
- Length: 101 words
- Structure: 1 section, 3 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
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Similar titles
- The Test by Emily Dickinson
- The Lockless Door by Robert Frost
- That Such Have Died Enables Us by Emily Dickinson
- Life And Death And Giants by Emily Dickinson
- Who Has Not Found The Heaven Below by Emily Dickinson
- Saved by Emily Dickinson
Genres
- Poetry — The work is structured in verse form, utilizing rhyme and meter typical of poetry.
- Philosophical — The themes explore existential concepts such as life, death, and the divine.
- Religious — References to God and the afterlife suggest religious undertones.
- Metaphysical — The poem delves into abstract ideas about the human condition and the soul's journey.
Tags
Poetry · Mortality · Existentialism · Philosophy · Death · Life · Nature · Symbolism · Imagery · Metaphor · Allegory · Psychological Insight