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8 views3 pages

AF499

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6Writers Experts
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Module Two Project Proposal

I like reading various forms of English literature and one of the works that stood out to

me is the poem Because I Could not Stop for Death by renowned literary icon Emily Dickinson.

I was drawn to it for its matter-of-fact tone in addressing the inevitability of death that is destined

for all of mankind. In the poem, the persona speaks calmly about death and makes comments

about the things, environments and people that surround them while on their journey aboard the

carriage of death. Ironically, Emily Dickinson wrote that immortality sat in death’s carriage as

the persona is powerless to stop death or access eternal life. The poem is written in a cryptic

tone, at times appearing that the persona is dead and at other times as if they are capable of

interacting with the surrounding environment (Ashraf, 2015). Also, the poet is vague in her

description of immortality, neither clarifying whether it is an object undisturbed or a silent

chaperone aboard the carriage of death. I suspected that by immortality, Emily Dickinson

referred to the Sacred idea of an afterlife. This theory holds some water, granted that this theme

runs throughout Dickinson’s creative works. I think that Emily Dickinson was successful in

communicating her divided views on the ambiguity, mystery and inevitability that is death, and

the poem encourages one to explore their ideas on what their existence may be like after earthly

life has run its course.

My second cultural work of interest is the Mona Lisa painting by Italian artist Leonardo

da Vinci. I do not know much about European history, and have never understood the

importance of the Mona Lisa. I sought to study more about it so that I am more familiar with one

of the most recognizable pieces of art across the globe. After some in-depth research, I found that

the Mona Lisa is a portrait of La Gioconda, the wife of Francesco del Gioconda, a wealthy

Italian merchant (Hatfield, 2014). I also realized that she is dressed in typical Florentine
garments, and has an enigmatic expression that is both aloof and alluring at the same time. Aside

from being commissioned by a rich merchant, little else is known about what da Vinci attempted

to portray aside from the picturesque landscape behind the subject and the strong gaze of the

Mona Lisa that appears to follow viewers around the room. I believe that Leonardo da Vinci

succeeded in delivering the portrait that was expected of him and that the work remains a

testament to his abilities and innovative painting techniques.

Looking at diverse cultural works through the lens of the humanities affects my

understanding by elaborating the inspiration behind the message captured in these works. For

instance, understanding the conflict in Europe and Asia at the time allows one to be more

informed when consuming period cultural works like television shows, fashion, movies and

music from the 20th century. Many forms of media at the time embraced concepts like war, racial

tensions and economic development to mimic real-life situations, and understanding this

background is important to taking time to understand various forms of media rather than

dismissing them as uninteresting and irrelevant.

Learning more about cultural works from other cultures can give me valuable insight into

their backgrounds, practices, names and even physical appearance. This allows me to be more

empathetic, analytical and understanding of the nature of different people and cultures. I believe

that this can help me relate to others better and even establish a social network in a place that is

foreign to me. I believe that learning more about cultural works can teach me some of the

unspoken cues of other cultures like family ties, community responsibilities and the value of

work.
References

Ashraf, A. (2015). Representation of death in poems of Emily Dickinson and Robert Frost: A

stylistic analysis because I could not stop for death. American International Journal of

Contemporary Research, 5, 4.

Hatfield, R. (2014). The Three Mona Lisas. Milan, Italy: Officina Libraria.

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