The Brain as a Church: The poem's title and the first stanza establish the brain as a sacred space, resembling a church. This representation suggests the speaker's intense internal struggles and the deeply personal nature of the experience.
Mourners and Hearse: The mourners and the hearse allude to the speaker's emotional state, which feels as though they are attending their own funeral. This indicates a sense of inner desolation and loss.
The Mind as a Landscape: The poem depicts the speaker's mental journey through a landscape that includes a knell, a bell, a village, and a setting sun. These elements create an evocative, almost surreal atmosphere, reflecting the psychological depth and the profound nature of the experience.
Bell: The bell symbolizes the finality of death, as it often tolls at funerals and marks significant transitions.
Villagers and Meeting House: The villagers and meeting house represent societal expectations and norms. They serve as a contrast to the speaker's intensely private and internal struggle.
Darkness and Light: The poem ends with the speaker being taken to a "sumptuousness" and then to a "blank." These contrasting images, from light to darkness, signify the uncertainty and shifting emotions that characterize the journey through grief and personal transformation.
Overall, these symbols work together to create a multilayered exploration of the complexities of grief, solitude, and the inner landscapes of the human mind.