The Death Of An Athlete Dying Young By. Housman - 854 Words

â€Å"To an Athlete Dying Young†, by A.E. Housman, is a thought provoking elegy. The poem is about the early demise of an accomplished runner. Surely, it is sad when someone dies too soon especially when there is so much to look forward to. One may ask, â€Å"Is there an advantage of dying young?† Well, there is! In this poem, Housman shows the silver lining to dying young during the height of one’s success. The first stanza of the poem starts off in a happy mood. Housman use imagery to establish the fame and glory of a young athlete. The speaker reminisces about the time when the young athlete was coming home after he won a race. It also establishes the relationship between the athlete and the people in his town. On his way home, people gather around the market-place to watch and cheer for him. To the people, he is not merely an athlete. He is their hometown hero. He is the glory of the town. The young athlete relishes in the fame as the people carry him high up on their shoulders and parade him home. But the happiness quickly changes in the second stanza. The second stanza begins with a time shift from reminiscing of the past to the present. The mood of the poem also makes a dramatic shift from happy to solemn. â€Å"Today, the road all runners come/ Shoulder-high we bring you home.† (â€Å"Housman† 5-6). Even though it is not clearly stated that the young runner died, the title of the poem makes it obvious. The â€Å"road† is a metaphor for death. It is a path that we are all going down. TheShow MoreRelatedThe Death Of An Athlete Dying Young1640 Words   |  7 PagesHousman s To An Athlete Dying Young A. E. Housman s To an Athlete Dying Young, also known as Lyric XIX in A Shropshire Lad, holds as its main theme the premature death of a young athlete as told from the point of view of a friend serving as pall bearer. The poem reveals the concept that those dying at the peak of their glory or youth are really quite lucky. The first few readings of To an Athlete Dying Young provides the reader with an understanding of Housman s view of death. AdditionalRead MoreThe Book Thief Literary Analysis1198 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"I [Death] am haunted by humans† (Zusak 550). This example of imagery, a literary device, in The Book Thief juxtaposed how Death was haunted by the cruelty of human action, just as how humans were haunted by Death. Literary devices were implemented by authors to create gripping stories that they wanted to share with their readers. Novelist Aldous Huxley once said that â€Å"the essay is a literary device for saying almost everything about everything†. While casual readers may not realize the intricaciesRead MoreThe Glorification Of Dying Young1415 Words   |  6 PagesThe Glorification of Dying Young The poem â€Å"To an Athlete Dying Young† by A. E. 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He avoidsRead MoreEssay on Analysis of to an Athlete Dying Young1131 Words   |  5 Pagesof â€Å"To an Athlete Dying Young† In his poem â€Å"To an Athlete Dying Young†, A.E. Housman makes a quite different approach on death. People have different perspectives on death, but more often than not, it is viewed as an undesirable event that people wish to avoid. The speaker in the poem, however, praises a young and famous athlete for dying before he became old and forgotten. This can be interpreted two very different ways. One can assume Housman believes that the only way for athletes to captureRead MoreContrast Essay: To an Athlete Dying Young vs. Ex-Basketball Player1572 Words   |  7 PagesEssay: To An Athlete Dying Young vs. Ex-Basketball Player â€Å"To An Athlete Dying Young† and â€Å"Ex-Basketball Player† share the lives of two very different athletes. Both experience success in their lives, but one dies with his glory while the other lives past his days of glory and works at a gas pump where he is not recognized. The poems discuss the importance of having glory and keeping that glory as long as possible. Through the poems the readers learn the benefits of dying young as well as theRead MoreDeath Is One Of People’S Worst Anxieties That Many Realize1187 Words   |  5 PagesDeath is one of people’s worst anxieties that many realize that it is inevitable to â€Å"cease.† Death deprives one from their future and worldly affairs. The crux of universal fear of death is not the loss of the actual state of livelihood, but the loss of worldly matters such as success, fame, recognition, and gratification. Thanatophobia only exists because death is always perceived as painful and sinister. Peop le truly fear not accomplishing their duties in the human life. The most common ambitionRead More Housman’s Poem, To an Athlete Dying Young Essay1240 Words   |  5 PagesHousman’s most famous volume of work called A Shropshire Lad. In these works Housman wanted the reader to think about life and the meaning of it all. In one of Housman’s most celebrated poems â€Å"To an Athlete Dying Young†, Critics dissect the themes of staying on top eternally, dying when one is a champion, and not letting the fame fade. Critic Scott-Kilvert says that Housman â€Å"voices the familiar passions of humanity with a death dealing sweetness† (Scott-Kilvert 628) This poem may be considered an elegyRead MoreAnalysis Of The Poem An Athlete Dying Young 1352 Words   |  6 PagesSo many young athlete’s keep on their mind the fame, fortune, victories, and championships that come with being a good athlete. Some young athletes take hold of the feeling of being invincible and feel like they are on top of the world. Some people wonder what it would take to get this young athlete off this feeling and come down to reality. The answer is quite simple and unforgettable. The answer is death. Death comes to everyone, even if you are a state champion, star track runner, or captainRead MoreAn Athlete Dying Young By Alfred Edward2357 Words   |  10 PagesTo an Athlete Dying Young by Alfred Edward (A.E.) Housman is a fairly short, yet powerful poem. This poem is extremely relatable to anyone who is an athlete or knows one. The reader finds themes related to death and pride. Housman’s writing style, imagery, the context in which this was wr itten and his views on athletes contribute to the themes of this poem. Housman’s writing style has been described as very realistic, which in return creates a pessimistic feeling. E. Christian Kopff writes that