Question

How are the main concepts of "Some Keep the Sabbath Going to Church" and "Because I Could Not Stop for Death" treated in both poems?
They are treated with great reverence and kept at a distance.
They are treated as if they are utterly unimportant and trivial.
They are treated evenly and in a very matter-of-fact manner.
They are treated as if they are ultimately incomprehensible.

Answer 1

Answer:

They are treated evenly and in a very matter-of-fact manner.

Explanation:

Emily Dickinson's poems "Some Keep The Sabbath Going To Church" and "Because I Could Not Stop For Death" are two of her major poems that touches on the theme of religiosity and belief. But, it also deals with the issue of life and death/ faith and belief in a matter-of-factly manner.

"Some Keep The Sabbath Going To Church" talks of her decision to be religious even from the space of her own home. She believes that one can worship God even without the need to attend church, all dressed up, as long as one held the statues and characters of God's children.

Likewise, "Because I Could Not Stop For Death" also deals with the very important part of a human's life- that is death, which the poet said visited her as she was busy to even have time to die. Personifying death as a "kindly gentleman", she tells of how death came to her instead of her dying/going to death.

Both these poems deal with the very important points of an individual's life, that is belief in religion/ God and death. But she treated them as if they are not too important, just part of the normal human life. But she also did not undervalue them either. They have their importance to a certain extent, but not beyond that.

Thus, both poems were treated in an evenly and in a matter-of-fact manner, not giving less importance but at the same time not not overdoing it.

Answer 2

Answer: C

Explanation: They are treated evenly and in a very matter-of-fact manner.