What does "in the Ring" mean in Because I could not stop for Death?

Question

3^rd stanza: > We passed the School, where Children strove > At Recess – **in the Ring** – > We passed the Fields of Gazing Grain – > We passed the Setting Sun – I've heard of attempts justifying an allegory to the nursery rhyme "Ring a Ring o' Roses", referring to the Great Plague (I am not convinced). In constrast, an article "Where children strove at recess" by David Leverenz treats this as a kind of confinement: *'inorganic ring of the setting sun'* and *'my perspectives need a wider ring than the psychoanalytical schoolyard offers'*. Some other interpretations I found were: *'through the cycle of their existence, "in a ring"'* - Richard Chase *'absorbed 'in the Ring' of childhood's games'* - Charles R. Anderson ... (I found these other examples from http://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/poets/a_f/dickinson/712.htm; ctrl+f: " Ring") What are some ways to weigh the possibilities and pin down the exact meaning and effective consequences of the usage of this?

Answer 1

Hi Charlie! This amazing Dickenson poem, as with all great poems, operates on multiple levels. I'm sure you are aware of this, so I won't belabor the point except to emphasize that the answer to the meaning of "in the Ring" can operate on many levels as well. In other words, depending on your viewpoint in reading the poem, "in the Ring" can mean simply a ring of children that the "we" observes from the carriage (literal level). Then there is the symbolic/metaphoric level. At this level we note the overall structure of the poem and its trajectory. We ask, "What might "the Ring" mean within the symbolic context of the whole poem? It's tricky because at this level there are several possibilities and no one "right" answer. It is therefore vital that you provide some justification of the context of your particular interpretation. For instance, I may choose to theorize that this poem is about Time and Timelessness and provide justification based on textual evidence from the rest of the poem. I might note that the first stanza is the poet's transition from ordinary physical life (the realm of Time) into a realm of Timelessness (Immortality). Death represents a portal (Time to Timelessness). In the second stanza, she is acclimating to the new realm. In the third stanza she is viewing the physical world of Time from her new viewpoint of Timelessness. From this perspective, the Playground, the Children, the Gazing Fields, etc. represent physical life from the viewpoint of Eternity. For instance, the Playground might represent the playing field of physical life. The Children might be mortal humans. If I were to ask myself what "in the Ring" symbolizes, I would need to justify my interpretation within the viewpoint I've chosen (Time and Timelessness). For example, what are the connotations of a ring in physical life: The cyclic nature of a life? The repetitive drudgery of the working world? (the children “strove”) The creative/playful opportunities of life? I’m not saying any of these would pass muster. I’m merely showing my approach. Of course some instructors would need you to refer to some other poems of Dickenson, and perhaps her religious/spiritual beliefs to support that viewpoint of Time/Timelessness as a possible reading of this poem and of your chosen interpretation of “in the Ring.” Good luck, Charlie! Kent Madden