I died for Beauty
Emily Dickinson
I died for beauty, but was scarce
Adjusted in the tomb,
When one who died for truth was lain
In an adjoining room.
He questioned softly why I failed?
"For beauty," I replied.
"And I for truth - the two are one;
We brethren are," he said.
And so, as kinsmen met a-night,
We talked between the rooms,
Until the moss had reached our lips,
And covered up our names.
Paraphrasing
"I died for beauty, but was scarce"
I passed away because of my deep love or devotion to beauty. However, there were very few people who shared the same passion or reason for dying like I did. My kind of death was rare or unusual.
"Adjusted in the tomb, When one who died for truth was lain In an adjoining room."
I was placed in my grave, and not long after, another person who had died for the cause of truth was buried in a nearby grave. This person had a similar fate, but their death was because of their commitment to truth rather than beauty.
"He questioned softly why I failed? 'For beauty,' I replied."
The person who died for truth, from their grave, gently asked me why I had died. I responded softly and explained that my death was for the love and pursuit of beauty.
"And I for truth - the two are one; We brethren are," he said."
The person who died for truth replied by saying that, just like beauty and truth are both important ideals, our reasons for dying were connected. They are not separate; both beauty and truth are similar and tied together. We are like brothers who died for the same ultimate cause, though in different forms.
"And so, as kinsmen met a-night, We talked between the rooms,"
Like close family members or "kinsmen" meeting at night to share stories or feelings, we began to communicate with each other from our graves. Our conversation continued between the spaces, even though we were physically separated by tombs.
"Until the moss had reached our lips, And covered up our names."
We talked and shared our thoughts for so long that over time, moss started to grow on our graves, slowly covering our faces and mouths so we could no longer speak. Eventually, the moss covered our names on the tombstones, completely hiding our identities, symbolizing that we had been forgotten by the world and had become one with nature.
This interpretation goes deep into the symbolic meaning of the poem, showing how the speaker and the person who died for truth find common ground in death and share a connection that transcends their individual causes, even as they fade into obscurity.
Short Answer Questions
Short Answer Questions with Detailed Answers:
Why did the speaker die?
The speaker died because of their love for beauty. In the poem, the phrase “I died for beauty” suggests that the speaker’s devotion to beauty, perhaps an idealized concept or aesthetic, led them to their death. It could be interpreted as the speaker sacrificing their life for something they highly valued or believed in—beauty as a profound, guiding force.
Where was the person who died for truth buried?
The person who died for truth was buried in a grave right next to the speaker’s. In the poem, the speaker describes how they were placed in their tomb, and soon after, someone who had died for the cause of truth was laid in a tomb beside them. The proximity of their graves suggests a close relationship between their causes, as if their lives and deaths were connected by a shared purpose.
How did the person who died for truth ask the speaker about their death?
The person who died for truth asked the speaker softly why they had died. The phrase “He questioned softly why I failed” implies that the person was asking with gentleness and curiosity, as though trying to understand the reason behind the speaker’s death, perhaps wondering why they had chosen beauty over truth as their guiding principle.
What was the speaker's response to the question of why they died?
The speaker replied that they died for beauty. In response to the question, the speaker explains that their devotion to beauty was the reason for their death, emphasizing that beauty was a cause strong enough to end their life.
What did the person who died for truth say about the connection between beauty and truth?
The person who died for truth said that beauty and truth are one and the same, and that they are like brothers. This suggests a philosophical or spiritual view that beauty and truth are inseparable and interconnected ideals. The idea that they are "brethren" emphasizes a shared nature between the two concepts, implying that both beauty and truth serve similar purposes in life, even if they appear to be separate at first.
How did the two individuals communicate after death?
The two individuals communicated by speaking to each other from their graves. The poem describes them as talking “between the rooms,” where the “rooms” refer to their separate tombs. Even though they were physically separated by death, their spirits or souls continued to communicate, showing that even in death, their connection remained.
What happened to the graves of the two individuals over time?
Over time, moss began to grow over their graves. The moss eventually covered their lips and their names. This gradual covering symbolizes how time erases memories, identities, and voices, showing that even the most passionate causes—such as the pursuit of beauty and truth—fade as nature and time take their course.
What is the significance of the moss covering their names and lips?
The moss covering their names and lips signifies the passing of time and the fading of their identities. It symbolizes how even the most noble causes or ideals, like beauty and truth, are eventually forgotten by the world. The moss, growing over their mouths, suggests the silencing of their voices, and the covering of their names implies that no one will remember who they were or what they stood for.
What does the phrase “We brethren are” suggest about the relationship between the speaker and the person who died for truth?
The phrase “We brethren are” suggests a deep, almost familial bond between the speaker and the person who died for truth. It means that both individuals, though they had different reasons for dying, are united in their deaths. They share a similar devotion to abstract ideals—beauty and truth—and, in death, they are as close as brothers or kin, connected by their sacrifice for these causes.
What might the "night" symbolize in the line "as kinsmen met a-night"?
The "night" could symbolize death itself, as night often represents the end of life. It could also symbolize the quiet, peaceful nature of their afterlife communication. The meeting of the two souls in the "night" suggests a moment of unity and understanding after their lives have ended, as if death is the time when they can finally connect and converse without earthly distractions.
Multiple-choice questions based on the text:
Why did the speaker die?
A) For love
B) For beauty
C) For truth
D) For fame
Answer: B) For beauty
Who was buried in the grave next to the speaker’s?
A) A person who died for love
B) A person who died for fame
C) A person who died for truth
D) A person who died for beauty
Answer: C) A person who died for truth
What question did the person who died for truth ask the speaker?
A) Why did you die for love?
B) Why did you die?
C) Why did you die for truth?
D) Why did you die for fame?
Answer: B) Why did you die?
How did the speaker respond to the question about why they died?
A) They died for fame.
B) They died for truth.
C) They died for beauty.
D) They died for love.
Answer: C) They died for beauty.
What did the person who died for truth say about beauty and truth?
A) They are separate and different.
B) They are both unimportant.
C) They are the same and connected.
D) They are opposite ideals.
Answer: C) They are the same and connected.
What is the meaning of “We brethren are”?
A) They are enemies.
B) They are like close family members.
C) They are strangers.
D) They are rivals.
Answer: B) They are like close family members.
How did the two individuals communicate?
A) By speaking to each other in person
B) By writing letters
C) By talking from their graves
D) By visiting each other's graves
Answer: C) By talking from their graves
What grew over the graves of the two individuals?
A) Flowers
B) Grass
C) Trees
D) Moss
Answer: D) Moss
What did the moss eventually cover?
A) Their graves only
B) Their bodies
C) Their names and lips
D) Their tombstones only
Answer: C) Their names and lips
What could the moss covering their lips and names symbolize?
A) The end of life and fading memory
B) The growth of beauty
C) The power of truth
D) The arrival of a new life
Answer: A) The end of life and fading memory
Summary of the Poem "I Died for Beauty" by Emily Dickinson:
In this poem, the speaker talks about their death, which happened because they loved beauty so much. The speaker says that they died for beauty, meaning that their deep love for beauty led to their passing. After they die, the speaker is placed in a tomb.
Soon after, the speaker notices that another person, who died for truth, is buried in a tomb next to theirs. This person asks the speaker why they died. The speaker responds softly, saying they died because of beauty. The person who died for truth then tells the speaker that beauty and truth are the same and are connected. They even call each other “brethren,” which means they are like family, showing that even though they died for different reasons, their causes are linked. The poem continues with the two talking from their graves, as if they are still having a conversation despite being dead. Over time, moss grows over both of their graves, slowly covering their lips and their names. This growing moss symbolizes the passing of time and how everything, even important ideals like beauty and truth, eventually fades away and is forgotten. In the end, the moss completely covers their names and mouths, meaning that their causes, identities, and voices are lost to time and nature.
Theme of the Poem :
The main theme of the poem is about how life is short and everything, including important ideas like beauty and truth, fades with time. The poem suggests that no matter how strong someone's beliefs or ideals are, they are eventually forgotten as time passes. The speaker and the person who died for truth show that beauty and truth are closely connected, even though they seem different. The moss growing over their graves represents how everything—no matter how meaningful it was—gets erased by time. The theme of the poem shows that life is fragile, ideals are temporary, and death eventually comes for all, no matter what they stood for.
Bangla Translation (Summary)
এই কবিতায় বক্তা তাদের মৃত্যুর কথা বলেছেন, যা ঘটেছিল সৌন্দর্যকে এত ভালোবাসতেন বলে। বক্তা বলেন যে তারা সৌন্দর্যের জন্য মারা গেছেন, অর্থাৎ সৌন্দর্যের প্রতি তাদের গভীর ভালোবাসা তাদের মৃত্যুতে নেতৃত্ব দিয়েছে। তাদের মৃত্যুর পর, বক্তাকে একটি সমাধিতে রাখা হয়।
এর কিছুক্ষণ পরে, বক্তা লক্ষ্য করেন যে সত্যের জন্য মারা যাওয়া আরেকজন ব্যক্তিকে তাদের সমাধির পাশে একটি সমাধিতে সমাহিত করা হয়েছে। এই ব্যক্তি বক্তাকে জিজ্ঞাসা করেন কেন তারা মারা গেছেন। বক্তা মৃদুভাবে উত্তর দেন, বলেন যে তারা সৌন্দর্যের জন্য মারা গেছেন। সত্যের জন্য মারা যাওয়া ব্যক্তি তখন বক্তাকে বলেন যে সৌন্দর্য এবং সত্য একই এবং পরস্পর সংযুক্ত। এমনকি তারা একে অপরকে "ভাই" বলে ডাকে, যার অর্থ তারা পরিবারের মতো, যা দেখায় যে তারা বিভিন্ন কারণে মারা গেলেও, তাদের কারণগুলি সংযুক্ত। কবিতাটি তাদের কবর থেকে দুজনের কথা বলার মাধ্যমে চলতে থাকে, যেন তারা মৃত হওয়া সত্ত্বেও এখনও কথোপকথন চালিয়ে যাচ্ছে। সময়ের সাথে সাথে, তাদের উভয় কবরের উপর শ্যাওলা গজায়, ধীরে ধীরে তাদের ঠোঁট এবং তাদের নাম ঢেকে দেয়। এই ক্রমবর্ধমান শ্যাওলা সময়ের সাথে সাথে এবং কীভাবে সবকিছু, এমনকি সৌন্দর্য এবং সত্যের মতো গুরুত্বপূর্ণ আদর্শও, অবশেষে বিবর্ণ হয়ে যায় এবং ভুলে যায় তার প্রতীক। শেষ পর্যন্ত, শ্যাওলা তাদের নাম এবং মুখ সম্পূর্ণরূপে ঢেকে রাখে, যার অর্থ তাদের কারণ, পরিচয় এবং কণ্ঠস্বর সময় এবং প্রকৃতির কাছে হারিয়ে যায়।
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Vocabulary words from the poem "I Died for Beauty" by Emily Dickinson
Word | English Meaning | Bangla Meaning | Short Example Sentence |
Died | Stopped living | মারা গেছে | She died peacefully at home. |
Beauty | A quality that makes something attractive | সৌন্দর্য | The beauty of nature is inspiring. |
Scarce | Rare or not enough | দুর্লভ বা অপ্রচুর | Fresh water was scarce in the desert. |
Adjusted | Became comfortable in a new situation | মানিয়ে নেওয়া | He adjusted quickly to his new school. |
Tomb | A grave, especially a large one | সমাধি | The ancient tomb was discovered recently. |
Truth | The quality of being true | সত্য | Always speak the truth. |
Lain | Past participle of 'lie' (to rest) | শোয়া | She had lain there for hours. |
Adjoining | Next to or connected | সংলগ্ন | They stayed in adjoining rooms. |
Room | A part of a building enclosed by walls | ঘর | I cleaned my room today. |
Questioned | Asked about something | প্রশ্ন করা | The teacher questioned the student. |
Softly | In a gentle, quiet way | নরমভাবে | She spoke softly to calm the baby. |
Failed | Did not succeed | ব্যর্থ | He failed to pass the test. |
Replied | Answered | উত্তর দেওয়া | She replied with a smile. |
Brethren | Brothers or close companions | ভাই বা সহোদর | They are brethren in spirit. |
Kinsmen | Family members or relatives | আত্মীয় | The kinsmen gathered for the festival. |
Met | Came together | দেখা করা | They met after many years. |
Night (a-night) | Refers to the night time | রাত | It was dark and quiet at night. |
Talked | Spoke with someone | কথা বলা | They talked for hours on the phone. |
Between | In the space separating two things | মাঝখানে | The park is between two buildings. |
Moss | A small green plant growing on surfaces | শৈবাল | Moss grew on the old stone wall. |
Reached | Extended to a certain point | পৌঁছানো | The water reached the top of the glass. |
Lips | The edges of the mouth | ঠোঁট | He smiled with his lips closed. |
Covered | Put something over to hide or protect | ঢেকে রাখা | Snow covered the ground. |
Names | Words by which people are identified | নাম | They wrote their names on the paper. |
Silent | Without sound | নীরব | The room was silent after the announcement. |
End | The final part of something | শেষ | The movie had a surprising end. |
Quiet | Without much noise | শান্ত | Please be quiet in the library. |
Spirit | The non-physical part of a person | আত্মা | His spirit lives on in our memories. |
Faded | Became less bright or strong | বিবর্ণ হওয়া | The colors faded in the sunlight. |
Bond | A strong connection | বন্ধন | They share a strong bond of friendship. |
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