Early Death

Siddal, an artist and poet, was known for her preoccupation with themes of death and spirituality, and ‘Early Death’ is a striking example of her explorations in these areas. Through vivid descriptions of angels and the promise of reunion with loved ones beyond death, Siddal offers a vision of comfort and hope in the face of the inevitability of mortality.

Early Death
Elizabeth Eleanor Siddal

Oh grieve not with thy bitter tearsThe life that passes fast;The gates of heaven will open wideAnd take me in at last.

Then sit down meekly at my sideAnd watch my young life flee;Then solemn peace of holy deathCome quickly unto thee.

But true love, seek me in the throngOf spirits floating past,And I will take thee by the handsAnd know thee mine at last.

He and She and Angels Three

Ruthless hands have torn herFrom one that loved her well;Angels have upborn her,Christ her grief to tell.

She shall stand to listen,She shall stand and sing,Till three winged angelsHer lover’s soul shall bring.

He and she and the angels threeBefore God’s face shall stand;There they shall pray among themselvesAnd sing at His right hand.

Summary 

‘Early Death’ by Elizabeth Eleanor Siddal is a contemplation on death, which she presents as a gateway to heaven. 

She asks the reader not to grieve her passing but instead to sit with her and witness her journey to the afterlife. The speaker assures her loved one that true love will find her in the spiritual realm, and they will be reunited once again.

The speaker describes her own death and how she will stand and listen while three angels bring her lover’s soul to her. The final stanza depicts the couple and the angels praying and singing together before God’s face. Overall, the poem portrays death as a peaceful transition to the afterlife and emphasizes the power of love to overcome even death itself.

Structure and Form 

‘Early Death’ by Elizabeth Eleanor Siddal is a seven-stanza poem that is divided into quatrains and a single, one-line stanza. The poet uses a consistent rhyme scheme of ABCB, a pattern that’s commonly associated with ballads and hymns. This form is furthered through the poet’s use of alternating lines of iambic tetrameter and iambic trimeter. 

Literary Devices 

The poet uses a few different literary devices. These include but are not limited to: 

• Imagery: can be seen when the poet uses particularly effective descriptions. For example, the poem makes use of vivid imagery to convey its themes, particularly the imagery of angels and spiritual transcendence beyond death.
• Metaphor: a metaphor is a comparison between two things that does not use “like” or “as.” The speaker uses the metaphor of the “gates of heaven” to describe the transition from life to death.
• Personification: this occurs when the poet imbues something non-human with human characteristics. The speaker personifies death as a solemn peace that comes quickly to the mourner.

Detailed Analysis 

Stanza One 

Oh grieve not with thy bitter tears

The life that passes fast;

The gates of heaven will open wide

And take me in at last.

The first stanza of this poem offers a perspective on death that is intended to be comforting to the living. The stanza begins with an imperative statement: “Oh grieve not with thy bitter tears,” which can be read as an instruction to the reader not to mourn the speaker’s passing with sadness and sorrow. 

This expands in the second line, with the poet adding, “The life that passes fast.” This suggests that the speaker’s life was brief, but she is not dwelling on this fact. Instead, she is looking forward to what comes next.

The poet goes on, saying that “The gates of heaven will open wide.” This is a metaphor that suggests the speaker believes in an afterlife and that she expects to be welcomed into it. This metaphorical image of heaven’s gates opening wide implies a sense of welcome and acceptance, which contrasts with the notion of death as an ending. The final line, “And take me in at last,” reinforces the idea that the speaker is not afraid of death and sees it as a natural part of the cycle of life.

Stanza Two 

Then sit down meekly at my side

And watch my young life flee;

Then solemn peace of holy death

Come quickly unto thee.

The second stanza shifts the focus from the speaker’s own death to the person who will be left behind. The poet creates an image of someone sitting quietly and patiently, suggesting that the person left behind should not struggle against the inevitability of death but rather accept it with grace and humility.

The second line, “And watch my young life flee,” continues the theme of acceptance, suggesting that the person left behind should be a witness to the speaker’s death but not try to hold onto her or prevent her from passing away.

The next line of the poem is a metaphor that represents the idea that death can bring a sense of tranquility and sacredness. This metaphorical image of “solemn peace” and “holy death” suggests that death is not something to be feared but rather embraced.

The stanza concludes with the suggestion that the person left behind should be ready to accept death when it comes to them, just as the speaker has accepted it for herself. 

Stanza Three 

But true love, seek me in the throng

Of spirits floating past,

And I will take thee by the hands

And know thee mine at last.

The third stanza of ‘Early Death’ by Elizabeth Eleanor Siddal introduces the idea of love transcending death and uniting the speaker with her loved one in the afterlife.

The first line emphasizes the importance of true love in the afterlife, suggesting that it has the power to connect and reunite people even after death. The poet adds to this by including a metaphorical image of the afterlife, which is depicted as a realm of spirits floating and passing by. This metaphorical image suggests a sense of fluidity and constant motion, reinforcing the idea that death is not an end but rather a transition to a different state of being.

The third line, “And I will take thee by the hands,” suggests a sense of intimacy and closeness between the speaker and her loved one, even in death. The image of taking someone by the hands is a tender and affectionate gesture, suggesting that love can endure even beyond death.

The final line reinforces the idea of a deep and abiding connection between the speaker and her loved one, even in death. The poet is suggesting that death is not a barrier to love but rather an opportunity for it to be affirmed and strengthened. 

Stanzas Four and Five 

He and She and Angels Three

Ruthless hands have torn her

From one that loved her well;

Angels have upborn her,

Christ her grief to tell.

The fourth and fifth stanzas of “Early Death” by Elizabeth Eleanor Siddal shift the focus away from the speaker and towards a third person, who has also experienced a loss.

The fourth stanza is only one line long. It reads: ”He and She and Angels Three,” which sets up a scene of three people, presumably the person who has suffered the loss, their loved one, and three angels.

The fifth stanza starts with “Ruthless hands have torn her,” which suggests a sense of violence or brutality, reinforcing the idea that death is often experienced as a cruel and unfair event. The poet goes on to say, “From one that loved her well,” emphasizing the strength of the relationship between the person who has suffered the loss and the one who has passed away, suggesting that their love was deep and meaningful.

Next, the poet adds, “Angels have upborn her,” as a metaphorical image of angels carrying the person who has passed away, suggesting that death is not an end but rather a transition to a new state of being.

The final line of the stanza suggests that the person who has passed away is in the presence of Christ, who is perhaps helping to alleviate their grief or to provide comfort and solace. This is meant to provide comfort to readers worried about death generally. 

Stanza Six 

She shall stand to listen,

She shall stand and sing,

Till three winged angels

Her lover’s soul shall bring.

The sixth stanza of ‘Early Death’ continues the theme of waiting and listening that was introduced in the fifth stanza. The repetition of the phrase “She shall stand” creates a sense of stillness and waiting, emphasizing the patience required in the face of loss and grief.

The second line, “She shall stand and sing,” suggests that the person who has passed away is not just waiting idly, but actively engaging with their surroundings, perhaps finding solace or comfort in music or song. The poet brings back the image of the three angels from earlier in the poem, suggesting that they will play a key role in the person’s journey to the afterlife.

The final line, “Her lover’s soul shall bring,” suggests a sense of reunion and connection, as the person who has passed away is reunited with their loved one in the afterlife. The image of the lover’s soul being brought by the angels reinforces the idea of a spiritual journey in which the person who has passed away is guided to their ultimate destination by divine forces.

Stanza Seven 

He and she and the angels three

Before God’s face shall stand;

There they shall pray among themselves

And sing at His right hand.

The seventh and final stanza of ‘Early Death’ brings together the different threads of the poem into a final image of spiritual reunion and transcendence.

The poet refers back to the earlier mentions of the three angels and the lover who has been separated from the person who has passed away. The use of the pronouns “he” and “she” suggests a sense of personal connection and intimacy, reinforcing the idea of a spiritual reunion.

Next, the speaker emphasizes the divine context of the poem and suggests that the characters are about to enter into a spiritual space in which they will be in direct communion with God. “There they shall pray among themselves” adds to the idea of shared experience and community, as the characters come together in a spiritual space to engage in prayer and worship.

In the final line of the poem, the poet writes: “And sing at His right hand,” suggesting a sense of joy and celebration as the characters are finally reunited in the presence of God. The image of singing at God’s right hand suggests a sense of elevated status and privilege.

FAQs 

Similar Poetry 

Readers who enjoyed this poem should also consider reading some other Elizabeth Eleanor Siddal poems. For example: 

• ‘A Silent Wood’ – is a short, dark piece describing the misery of emotional loss and the power that memories can have.

Some other related poems include: 

• ‘After Death’ by Christina Rossetti – skillfully explores themes of death and tragic love.
• ‘Sea of Death’ by Thomas Hood – describes the nature of the sea of death as seen through the eyes of an observer anchored in a boat.