Poem Analysis - The Color Of The Grave Is Green

The Ethereal Landscape of Death

Emily Dickinson's "The Color of the Grave Is Green" offers a multifaceted meditation on death and its relationship to life, nature, and memory. The poem's tone shifts between serene observation and a more unsettling exploration of inner mortality. It gently guides the reader through different perceptions of death, beginning with the visible signs in the world and concluding with the internal experience of mortality. The poem masterfully uses vivid imagery and metaphorical language to explore these complex themes.

Dickinson's Unique Perspective: Mortality and Nature

Emily Dickinson's reclusive life and fascination with themes of death and immortality are well-documented. Living in Amherst, Massachusetts, in the 19th century, she experienced a time when death was a more commonplace reality, and mourning rituals were deeply ingrained in society. Her withdrawal from social norms allowed her a unique perspective, fostering an intense introspection that permeates her poetry. This historical context helps to understand her exploration of death not as a terrifying end but as an integral part of the life cycle, intertwined with nature.

The Duality of Outer and Inner Death

One of the central themes of the poem is the contrast between the external markers of death and the internal experience of mortality. The "outer Grave," initially green and later white, blends seamlessly with the surrounding landscape, suggesting that death is a natural part of the world. Dickinson uses the changing seasons to illustrate this integration, portraying the grave as being absorbed by the field in summer and disguised by snow in winter. This external death contrasts sharply with the "Grave within," which cannot be made white by snow or green by summer, implying an internal death resistant to the healing powers of nature and time.

Symbolism of Color and Landscape

The poem is rich in symbolism, particularly concerning color and landscape. The colors green and white initially represent the natural cycle of life and death, the outward signs of a grave's existence. Green, the color of life and growth, suggests the grave's integration with the earth. White, the color of snow, symbolizes purity and oblivion but also conceals the grave. However, the "Color of the Grave within" suggests a deeper, perhaps spiritual or psychological state, that transcends these natural signifiers. The "Daisy deep" becomes a symbol of remembrance that attempts to bridge the gap between the living and the dead.

The Elusive "Color": Mortality as a Memento

The final stanza introduces a peculiar image: the "Color" perhaps seen "Upon a Bonnet bound." This suggests that mortality, the awareness of death, can be observed indirectly, through fashion and symbols of mourning. The phrase, "When that you met it with before / The Ferret cannot find," implies that once one has encountered this awareness, it becomes difficult to ignore or dismiss. The ferret's inability to find it, despite its keen sense, suggests that this awareness is not easily located or defined, dwelling in the recesses of the mind and memory. A unique interpretation could be that the "Color" represents grief and that, after someone has had a significant loss, the awareness of mortality is always present.

The Poem’s Lingering Resonance

In conclusion, "The Color of the Grave Is Green" is a complex exploration of death and its relationship to life, memory, and the natural world. Dickinson's use of vivid imagery, contrasting perspectives, and subtle symbolism creates a haunting and thought-provoking meditation on mortality. The poem’s significance lies in its ability to transform the potentially morbid topic of death into a delicate reflection on the cyclical nature of existence and the enduring power of remembrance. Is the "Color of the Grave" then, a comforting reminder of life's natural end, or a persistent shadow on the present?