The Glorification Of Dying Young - 1415 Words

The Glorification of Dying Young The poem â€Å"To an Athlete Dying Young† by A. E. Housman depicts the funeral of a young champion runner, who has died at the peak of his youth and athletic career. The poem makes note of the sorrow of a young life being cut short, but also glorifies the death of the athlete for capturing the young runner in the prime of his life. Housman’s poem was written in the form of the classical lyric poem, which could be influenced by Housman’s early tutoring in Greek and Latin lyric poetry (Holzberger 4). The poem also makes use of a four-line ballad stanza, which Housman forms into an elegy for the young runner as he reflects on the runner’s death (Holzberger 7). The use of symbols throughout the poem such as the†¦show more content†¦The poem shifts to the present with the second stanza, which depicts the runner being carried once again â€Å"shoulder-high,† however, this time in a casket by pallbearers to his gra ve (Housman 2013, â€Å"Overview† 1). The townspeople come together again, but this time they are â€Å"Townsman of a stiller town† (Housman 2013). The poem highlights the theme of early death as the young runner is put to rest for a final time, and Housman makes it clear through his writing of the sorrow that townspeople feel towards the young life being cut short. The theme of early death is accompanied by sorrow in Housman’s poem, and can be seen as a reflection of Housman’s own experiences with death throughout his life (Holzberger 2-5). The death of Housman’s mother, Sarah Jane Housman, on his twelfth birthday showcases the early death of the poet’s mother, and what William G. Holzberger believed was a first of many personal catastrophes that would poison the poet’s chances of a normal and happy life (Holzberger 2). The poem presents a young runner in the prime of his life, and much like Housman’s mother, they were both su ddenly taken by death. Another instance of early death in Housman’s life was that of his close friend Adalbert Jackson (Holzberger 5). The death of Jackson, who was also in his prime, mirrors that of the young runner’s death, and highlights the theme of early death in the poem as well as the poet’s own life. The poem makes a subtle shift in the third stanzaShow MoreRelatedCulce Et Decorum Est and Anthem of the Doomed814 Words   |  3 PagesAnthem Of The Doomed it can be said that Owen’s significant message is to confront the idea of glorifying war and the patriotic sentiment of trench warfare. The horrific betrayal the young soldiers suffered was a prominent aspect throughout the First World War. The powerful poems inspired from his experience as a young soldier register his criticism of Dulce Et Decorum Est Pro Patria Mori, meaning it is sweet and right to die for your country. 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