PERCEPTION OF DEATH IN CONTEMPORARY ENGLISH POETRY

Abstract

This research is a determined attempt to reveal the perception of DEATH in contemporary English poetry. It has been a focal point of lengthy discussions and numerous reflections, as DEATH is a universal experience that everybody regardless of nationality, gender and marital status, religious and political views will go through one day. All people are mortal by nature, but the idea of what happens after death to some extent depends on the culture or religion they belong to. Thus, the religious perception of DEATH as a stage of transformation that puts an end to earthly suffering and paves the way for an everlasting, abundant life in Heaven can be traced in modern English poetry. It helps people embrace their own mortality, make peace with the fluidity of time and inevitability of DEATH. Another finding shows that DEATH is often depicted as the end of the journey, the awareness of which, on the one hand, fills life with meaning and motivates people to act on their dreams, but on the other, causes deep regrets about missed opportunities and wasted time. There is no distinct fear of DEATH in the studied poetry, but rather the feeling of immense sadness over something the person hasn’t done or can’t change.