Death by Anonymous

Type and Form

• The poem is a ballad – a narrative poem meant to be sung.
• Written in quatrains (stanzas of four lines) with a rhyming scheme.
• The tone is light-hearted but conveys a deeper lesson.
• The poem is written in first-person to provide insight into the speaker's thoughts and emotions.

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Summary and Analysis

Lines 1-4:

• The speaker is restless in bed, suffering from insomnia.
• He is anxious and troubled, thinking about his last journey (death).

Lines 5-8:

• The speaker wakes up feeling tired and calls for water to refresh himself.
• He notices Death personified sitting on the bowl's rim.

Lines 9-12:

• He goes to church to pray, hoping to escape Death.
• However, Death follows him and sits beside him.
• This suggests he cannot stop thinking about his own mortality.

Lines 13-16:

• The speaker hides in his bedroom, believing it to be a safe space.
• Despite locking the door, Death comes from underneath the floor, showing that it is inescapable.

Lines 17-20:

• He attempts to escape by sea, thinking Death cannot float.
• However, before reaching deep waters, he realises Death is the captain of the ship.
• This symbolises that Death is in full control, and the speaker has no escape.

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Themes

• Inevitability of Death – Death is omnipresent (everywhere) and unavoidable.
• Fear of Mortality – The speaker constantly tries to escape Death, reflecting human fear of dying.
• Powerlessness – The speaker attempts to control his fate but ultimately fails, showing that death is beyond human control.

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Diction and Figurative Language

Personification:

• Death is personified throughout the poem (capitalised as "Death").
• Examples:
  • "Death on the bowl's rim" (line 8)
  • "Death sat upon my seat" (line 12)
  • "Death creeps underneath the floor" (line 16)
  • "Death is captain of the ship" (line 20)

Metaphor:

• "My mind was heavy" (line 3) – Reflects anxiety and fear.
• "Death is captain of the ship" (line 20) – Suggests death is in control of life's final journey.

Euphemism:

• "My last journey" (line 4) – A softer way of referring to death.

Alliteration:

• "Fleeting foot" (line 2) – The repetition of 'f' sound emphasises how quickly sleep disappears.

Irony:

• Despite all efforts to escape, the speaker cannot avoid Death, highlighting the futility of his attempts.

Repetition:

• "Thinking sure/Thinking sure/Thinking surely" – Reflects false hope and the realisation that Death is unavoidable.

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Tone and Mood

• Shock – The speaker is shocked that Death follows him everywhere.
• Fear/Anxiety – He desperately tries to avoid Death.
• Humour – A hide-and-seek element makes Death seem playful yet terrifying.
• Solemnity – The poem ultimately carries a serious tone as it reflects the finality of death.

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