Question

In the final stanza of this poem, (choose two) responses a sleep and death do not coincide. b sleep and death are both irrelevant. c sleep is implicitly compared to death. d a literal sleep means a figurative death. e a figurative sleep means a literal death. 1) a sleep and death do not coincide. 2) sleep and death are both irrelevant. 3) sleep is implicitly compared to death. 4) a literal sleep means a figurative death. 5) e a figurative sleep means a literal death.

Answer 1

Sleep is often used as a metaphor for death in poetry, and in the context provided, it seems implicitly compared to death in the poetic works discussed. However, Dickinson's use of control over mood and metaphor helps prevent an overriding sense of melancholy in her contemplations of death and isolation.

Step-by-step explanation:

The students question about the final stanza of a poem involves understanding the relationship between sleep and death, as well as how they may or may not metaphorically correspond to each other. While the provided background does not give us the exact text of the stanza, based on the descriptions given, one could argue that sleep is indeed implicitly compared to death in these poetic works. This is particularly evident in discussions of Dickinson's poetry, where death and isolation are common themes, yet her careful control of mood and use of metaphor prevent these themes from resulting in a solely melancholy mood.

The student's task seems to be identifying the correct statements that reflect the relationship between sleep and death in the context of the poem and based on common literary interpretations of sleep as metaphorically indicative of death or respite.

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