Calm DeathThe afterlife is an abstract concept that delves into the realm of faith. The concept allows people to trust death, allows people to accept it. In “Thanatopsis,” a poem by William Cullen Bryant, he attempts to ease the pain of death by explaining that death is a natural process. It explores events before and after death, arguing that the dead become one with nature. Bryant believes that death is peaceful and beautiful, and is simply a period of transition from earthly existence to the afterlife. He uses several stylistic choices to suggest that death is a smooth transition from one world to another. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Throughout the poem, Bryant discusses sources of comfort for the dying. In the first verse, Bryant describes a man who has a strong connection with nature. When man feels joyful, nature “has a voice of gladness, and a smile / And the eloquence of beauty” (4). The sounds of nature are peaceful and calm. When he begins to fall into darker thoughts, nature cleverly “steals away / Their sharpness, before he knows it” (8-9). The comforting aspects of nature are already highlighted. Nature can remedy man's dark thoughts by accentuating its healing properties. Interestingly, Bryant then shifts his focus from the man to the readers themselves. According to him, when readers reflect on their moments of death, they should “list / The teachings of Nature” (14-15) as it contains the remedy for those thoughts. Suddenly, Bryant speculates that the readers face a sad fate: they will die soon. He believes that the Earth “that has nourished you [the readers]” (22) will decompose the readers' bodies so that they can become one with nature; Bryant suggests that nature is the afterlife of the dead. In the second verse, Bryant reassures readers that they are not alone in this endeavor. Instead they retreat to their “eternal resting place” where they will “lie / With the patriarchs of the infant world” (31; 33-34). Their bodies will decay into the same earth made up of the decayed bodies of past lives. Bryant explains that the various forms of nature are simply decorations “of the great tomb of man” (45). Oceans, forests, plains and rivers decorate the Earth where the bodies of the dead decay. Bryant tells readers that they can "get lost in the continuous woods / Where Oregon runs" (52-53), but death will be there. Readers may try to escape death, but all attempts are futile because death happens to everyone sooner or later. However, the omnipresent nature of death comforts readers. If no one notices their death, Bryant assures that “All that breathes / Will share your fate” (60-61). He comforts readers by assuring that, even if no one notices their departure, they will ultimately share the same fate. In the third stanza, Bryant finalizes his efforts to comfort the readers. As readers approach the climax of death “where each will take / his own chamber in the silent halls of death” (75-76). Ultimately, readers sleep in their still, quiet chambers of death, which helps develop the theme of death as an interval between earthly life and the afterlife. Structure and tone play a significant role in the exploration of life after death. The structure of the poem reinforces the sense of calm and connection with others after death. For example, the entire poem is written in free verse. Free verse seems like normal speech, and regular is what Bryant was aiming for. Structures the poem in free verse to provide a sense of natural discourse; convinces readers to trust him. The languagenatural reinforces the idea that death happens, and that idea alone should be comforting. Therefore, the free verse nature of the poem provides a sense of tranquility. The poem lacks a rhyme scheme, but iambic meter unifies the poem. The drive comforts readers and provides them with a sense of regular rhythm. An example of iambic meter relating to life after death is iambic meter itself. “To him who holds in the love of Nature” (1). Accents are every other syllable; Ups and downs prevail in life. At the moment of death you are weak and fragile, not stressed. After death, a bright new life is suggested due to the stress immediately following. Tone also plays a role in exploring the theme of death as just a period of rest before the afterlife. For example, Bryant uses diction to describe the grave of the dead as “one might sepulchre” (37). Although the grave or headstone were perfect substitutes, Bryant opted for the tomb. The reason is that the word has a religious weight, which introduces the element of a possible afterlife. Specifically, the tomb is seen in Christian history as Jesus rising from the dead from an Easter tomb. This suggests that the grave is a break from life and that the dead will be resurrected into a holier plane like Jesus. Another example of strange diction is near the beginning of the poem. While Bryant describes man as having a strong love of nature, he states that man “is in communion with its visible forms” (2). Communion is another Christian ritual in which a person eats the body of Christ. Even though Jesus died, people are still able to connect with the living and essentially have an afterlife. Man in the first stanza connects to nature on that level, meaning that the dead merge with nature and are also connected to man. Therefore, once man becomes one with nature, he communes with other people, which reinforces the theme of the afterlife. Through the use of structure and tone, Bryant helps reinforce the theme of the afterlife. Bryant uses poetic devices to reinforce the theme of a peaceful death in the afterlife. The use of symbolism emphasizes the underlying serenity of death as death is simply a period of rest for the afterlife. After describing the grave of men, Bryant says, "The golden sun, / The planets, all the infinite host of heaven, / Shine on the sad abodes of death" (45-47). The sunlight reaches the gloomy houses of death, creating a contrasting effect. The beams of light coming from the sun counteract the perception of a dark death; now, death seems like a quiet summer day. The sun shining on death also means the beginning of a new day, which suggests that a new life begins after death. Therefore, the sun symbolizes the tranquility of death before the afterlife. Bryant also connects sleep with death through the use of symbolism by telling readers to “lie in pleasant dreams” (81). Sleep is the time for rest and recovery; after sleep a new day begins. Bryant also tells readers to have pleasant dreams, because he believes the dying should embrace the peaceful aspects of death. So, when the dead wake up from sleep, they experience a new and bright life. Bryant also uses imagery extensively throughout the poem to explain the comfort of the grave. It details the various aspects of nature through the use of imagery to represent the serenity of death. When describing the grave of men, he says, "the venerable groves - rivers that move / With majesty, and the plaintive streams / That make the meadows green" (40-43) are all calming decorations provided by nature. Death is not a torturous fate, but rather a relaxing and peaceful one. Appealing to readers' sense of sight and sound,.