Death In Mark Twain's 'Thanatopsis'

Many Romantic Era poems discuss the topic of death and the mysteries of it that we cannot answer. Although some view death as a disconcerting topic, some of the poetry produced in this era portray death in a more comforting manner. “Thanatopsis” is a work that illustrates this Romantic Era paradigm throughout itself. It shows the idea that death isn’t something to be afraid of displaying characteristics commonly seen in this time period. The first example “Thanatopsis” gives of finding comfort in death is when it speaks about resting with kings after dying. It states, “Yet not to thine eternal resting-place, Shalt thou retire alone, nor couldst thou wish, couch more magnificent. Thou shalt lie down, With patriarchs of the infant world,—with kings, The powerful of the earth,—the wise, the good, Fair forms, and hoary seers of ages past, All in one mighty sepulcher…”. These lines talk about lying

He states a question that many people will ask throughout their lifetimes. “…What if thou withdraw in silence from the living, and no friend take note of thy departure?” He continues with, “All that breathe will share thy destiny.” This is a scenario that throws a “what if” idea into the air and answers it with a statement similar to “so what?” We all fear that we will be forgotten once we are dead and gone, but Bryant answers this with the notion that they will all eventually share your fate of death. This is an ingenious way of answering the irrational questions often asked about things feared by any person alive. Naturally, a person will get worked up over an irrational thought or “what if” statement. Bryant answers it with a view on death that remedies this fear with the idea that you aren’t the only one going through death and that this irrational idea doesn’t apply due to the fact that everyone will eventually die