I heard a Fly Buzz – When I died
The Stillness in the Room
Was like the Stillness in the Air –
Between the Heaves of Storm –
This poem describes a dying experience from the first person narrator perspective. As a result, the narrator is the dying person. The death theme is one common aspect of Dickinson’s poetry, and she describes death in many of her poems. However, this piece of her work is distinct from her other death-theme poems because in other poems, she mostly uses metaphors such as things in nature or humanized characters to represent death instead of describing death directly. Using the first person narrative ingeniously draws the readers into the character of the dying person. The readers are able to immediately sense the experience created by Dickinson’s depiction.
In addition to the dying person, the fly is also considered the most essential character in this poem. The fly and its buzzing sound enhance the contrast between death and life, stillness and movement. The word "Stillness” embodies death because death and stillness share the features of coldness and motionlessness. The dying person on the bed, the quietness in the room, and “the Stillness in the Air” create the mood of deathly silence. However, the appearance of the fly breaks the silence. Due to the quietness and stillness of the room, the buzzing sound of the fly becomes piercing and even irritating, and the flying actions of the insect in the air are so lively and energetic. The movements of the fly make the stillness even more still; namely, the life of living beings creates a vivid image of death because people live in a dualistic world in which they understand concepts by using one image to define another. That life and death co-exist may be one of the messages Dickinson wants to convey in this poem.
Although the fly is a living insect, at the same time, it is a symbol of death. Why does Dickinson choose the fly among various types of flying insects in this poem? Why does she not choose a bee or a butterfly instead? A fly is related to death because it often appears where corpses are located. Moreover, the fly in the Bible is a representation of death and decay as it is described in Exodus, “The LORD did so, and great swarms of flies came into the house of Pharaoh, and into his officials’ houses; in all of Egypt the land was ruined because of the flies” (Exodus 93, 94). The fly in this poem could also be the god of death. In the second stanza, Dickinson writes, “For that last Onset – when the King/Be witnessed – in the Room” (87). The scene can be interpreted that while the dying person is struggling to breathe, the fly, the incarnation of the god of death, is watching the dying person in order to witness the death.
According to Dickinson’s biography, seeking the truth of life in Christian faith is one of elements that influences her writing. Based on the concept of her religious background, the fly in this poem can also be the incarnation of Satan, “King of the flies.” The lines describe in final stanza, “With Blue – uncertain – stumbling Buzz – / Between the light – and me –” (Dickinson 88). The buzzing sound is like the devil’s whisper that is terrifying and irritating. The dying person on the bed is waiting the approaching death and seeking the salvation of the Lord. The “light” in the quote may represent God, Heaven, and salvation. The fly is Satan who seems unwilling to let the dying person go to Heaven or be saved.
At the end of this poem, the fly reveals the most significant incident – the death of the person. From the dying person’s viewpoint, the buzzing sound is fading out, and the light becomes feebler. Finally, the buzzing sound turns into extreme quietness and stillness, and the eyesight comes totally dark. She dies because she loses her physical functions. Is it the end? It is not the end for Emily Dickinson. The last line of the poem says, “I could not see to see –” (Dickinson 88). “I could not see” refers to the failing physical functions. However, she is still able “to see” the truth beyond the physical world and death, as in another poem, “Because I could not Stop for Death,” where Dickinson says,
“Since the – ‘tis Centuries – and yet
Feels shorter than the Day
I first surmised the Horses’ heads
Were toward Eternity – “ (87)
