hello everyone! this is my first time here...my essay is basically examing the poem called "To An Athlete Dying Young,"written by A.E Housman. Can you guys tell me what you think?
never mind that post, i posted by accident and i wasnt done ... Hey Sarah I fixed up my essay, but i have a few questions and i need some help. The bolded parts are what i need help with in terms of fixing them up. Also i divided my essay into two parts literacy analysis and interpretation. How could i make note of this in my introduction and conclusion? I need to say it, but im not sure how...
Ashly Montagu once stated, "The idea is to die young as late as possible," while Mark Twain said, "The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time." A.E. Housman, in the tragic poem 'To an Athlete Dying Young," examines the themes of youth and premature death. The poem addresses a young runner who epitomized glory by winning a race and earning the acclaim of his townsmen. The triumph of the youth's winning of a race is matched by the ironic triumph of his death. The usage of metaphoric language, imagery, sophisticated literature, and rhyme created a complex poem that obtains these subjective themes. The effectiveness of the poem contributes to the overall purpose Housman was trying to propose, in reference to Paramahansa Yogananda's poem, The Dying Youth's Divine Reply. The speaker of the poem examines how the individual in the poem lived as a champion, and died as a legend. To An Athlete Dying Young's has a similar subject matter to the novel, The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Both themes will be juxtaposed to convey the significance of life compared to the importance of death, while analyzing the concept of dreams. In addition, To An Athlete Dying Young, challenges traditional perspectives on death, for Housman suggests it's better for people to die at the height of their glory, than to die later on and be forgotten.
Literary Analysis:
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To An Athlete Dying Young, is a traditional poem that occurs during the 19th century in a pastoral setting in England, from the point of view of a young yeoman. Housman created a poem that consists of a four lined balled with seven stanzas. (Could you help me fix this up) The form of poetry is known as a couplet, an alternating rhyme scheme abab: "The time you won the town the race/We chaired you through the marketplace: Man and boy stood cheering by/And home we bought you shoulder high (Housman 1-4). The triumphant procession of the athlete's moment of glory is contrasted with his funeral procession: "To-day, the road all runners come / Shoulder-high we bring youhome, / And set you at your threshold down, / Townsman of a stiller town" (Housman 4-8). This was an example of an iambic tetrameter, having four feet that each consists of an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable. Some lines are in trochaic tetrameter with catalexis at the end. Lines 13 and 14 are examples of trochaic tetrameter with catalexis: "Eyes the shady night has shut/ Cannot see the record cut" (Housman 13-14). ( Should i say something here) Over all is the paragraph good?
Housman formed a dimensional poem that combined sophisticated language with colloquial British diction, as demonstrated by the usage of the word "lad", which is a common term that connotes youth: "Smart Lad, to slip betimes away/ From fields where glory does not stay (Housman 9-10). This has a melodic sound; it is lyrical and poignant like the youth it describes. It denotes the runner is considered fortunate that he passed away in the height of his profession, considering fame isn't eternal. He would eventually have to cope with the sorrow of viewing his records being beaten, as well as him losing the ability to be a great runner. (Could you please help me write a concluding sentence that summarizes the rhyme scheme, meter, diction, etc).
Houseman uses several rhetorical devices in regards to making his poem obtain artistic and realistic value.(Could you help me reword this?)Housman's use of metaphoric language such as "roses" and "garland" hint at the brevity and fragility of life. Like the beautiful flowers, which bloom only for a short time, then die and decay, the young runner's bloom is short-lived and sweet: "And from early though the laurel grows/It withers quicker than the rose" (Housman 13-14). Housman speaks of death using a poetic method, making death seem rather peaceful: Eyes the shady night has shut/Cannot see the record cut/And silence sounds no worse than cheers/After earth has stopped the ears (Housman 16-20). This has a harsher sound, with choppier consonants, more appropriate for the finality of death. It implies the young runner will not have to witness his fame gradually end, since he died victorious. Housman's use of imagery, exemplified by "Eyes the shady night has shut," provides the poem with artistic value. Houseman's imaginative wording brings beauty to death, diminishing its fearsome qualities.
Housman uses a metaphor to creatively express the imagery of the runner's youth. He compares him to the laurel, a European evergreen tree, used in ancient Greece to crown victorious Olympic athletes: And early though the laurel grows/It withers quicker than the rose" (Housman 11-12). The laurel, which represents the glory of youth, is like a flame, which, though it burns brighter than an ember, also burns out faster. The laurel grows "early," meaning it attains its peak young, but cannot maintain this level of perfection for long.
By intertwining the themes of youth and death, the author explores the fleeting nature of life and the cruel irony of death's ability to take life, while giving back eternal glory. The topic of youth is prominent in "To An Athlete Dying Young," since it focuses on the life of a young runner who dies before his time. Housman uses a metaphor to creatively express the imagery of the runner's youth. He compares him to the laurel, a European evergreen tree, used in ancient Greece to crown victorious Olympic athletes: And early though the laurel grows/It withers quicker than the rose" (Housman 11-12). The laurel, which represents the glory of youth, is like a flame, which, though it burns brighter than an ember, also burns out faster. The laurel grows "early," meaning it attains its peak young, but cannot maintain this level of perfection for long.
The topic of premature death is depicted as being justifiable, since the fate of the athlete who lives beyond his prime, Housman contemplates, is the fear of outliving one's glory or having "the name" die "before the man." In the sixth stanza it basically states that through death, one can be able to obtain their legacy, while if they were to live it would be easier for them to be forgotten: "So set, before its echoes fade, / The fleet foot on the sill of shade/And hold to the low lintel up/The still-defended challenge-cup." (Housman 24-28). In the "sill of shade," that world beyond this one, the young runner will still sustain his speed and his athletic ability. Even in death, he is the defender of the "challenge-cup" and eternally the people's champion.
Interpretation
The emotional effect of the poem, To an Athlete Dying Young, is found in the voice of its speaker, who, although not identified as such, could be interpreted as the personification of Death itself. Death's point of view, implies an ironic tone, suggesting death is not the fall of a man, yet the end of mortality. The speaker proposes the purpose of life is to achieve greatness. Through greatness one must die to be remembered as a legend. Death speaks of the runners as a champion, but justifies that in life, victors fade and become meaningless in the eyes of the masses. He saved the runner from humiliation, since he was bound to see his records being beaten, resulting in him being forgotten. By taking the young athlete's life, Death allows him to be a champion forever: Now you will not swell the rout/Of lads that wore their honors out (17-18). The athlete who died young will not be among those who outlived their own fame. The poem allows Death to turn what might be seen as gory into everlasting glory.
The purpose of the poem is to soften the blow of an early death by finding the positive aspects of it. It elicits feelings of hope and sorrow, a sort of poignant optimism. "It was based on a period of time when artists became concerned with the dimensions that were not present in day-to-day lives. They were concerned with sensitivity, sentimentality, and the feeling side of things." ( Could you help me put this in my own words) This relates to Housman's curiosity regarding in the way youth is so quickly faded, premature death, and the importance of living for the day. The latter refers to Horace in a classic poem named: Carpe Diem. (should i explain who carpe diem is?)
The Dying Youth's Divine Reply, written by Paramahansa Yogananda, also shares a similar purpose to, To an Athlete Dying Young. It's about a young man who awaits death, who has no qualms regarding him dying, since he obtains a strong faith that his death will bring him closer to God. Both poems depict a special understanding that premature death is simply justifiable if it allows one's soul to inhabit peace, rather than suffering. To appreciate life, one must be able to understand the beauty death obtains. Death is not a subject of evil, but it's a matter of bringing on closer to their spiritual beliefs, and to their legacy. Does this make sense? Does this explain the meaning of the poem, and the emotion affect it had on me?
Lastly, the novel "The Great Gatsby" written by F. Scott Fitzgerald is evident to the theme that is being manifested in "To An Athlete Dying Young". Both the story and poem obtain themes that are both relevant to the subject death. In reference to the novel, the story is based on a man named Gatsby who tries to transform his dreams into reality, but dies before he has the opportunity to do so. The concept Houseman was demonstrating in "To An Athlete Dying Young," relates to the overall idea suggested in "The Great Gatsby." The young runner in "To An Athlete Dying Young," basically dies before his time, which is justifiable to Housman, since if he were to live, his legacy would end up vanishing away, whereas in death his achievements won't be neglected later on by society. This is connected to Gatsby's death, since he dies before living his dreams, but his death is justifiable as well because Gatsby would never have the opportunity to execute his dreams, since in sense they were unrealistic. Rather than him living and being aware that he could never live the life he acquires, death (afterlife) is his only option for complete fulfillment. Both the young runner and Gatsby died at a time, which will allow others to see them as conscious figures who lived to achieve their goals. If Housman were to discuss Gatsby's death in light of his own poem, he would've probably made it clear that his death was his only option for happiness.
The poem looks at the devastation of life, while the story examines the devastation of dreams. Gatsby lost himself to his wicked dreams, for Housman would acknowledge this for he obviously believes death should be appreciated, rather then feared. He would have used Gatsby's situation, as prime evidence to why death can sometimes set an individual free from imprisonment, due to particular events in life keeping them hostage.
Dying young is considered by most to be one of the most tragic of fates. Yet, in Housman's mournful poem, To an Athlete Dying Young, a premature death is viewed in a positive light. It focuses on an admired, young runner who dies a champion. Housman shines light on the youthful athlete's death, by comparing the tragedy of his passing to the glory of his death. The major themes in the poem, death and youth, stem from the usage of metaphoric language, imagery, sophisticated literature, and rhyme. The speaker of the poem, who views the young runner's death as righteous, contributes to the purpose and the overall effect of the poem, which is compared to Paramahansa Yogananda's poem, The Dying Youth's Divine Reply. F. Scott Fitzgerald also depicts the subject of death in the novel, The Great Gatsby. Fitzgerald perception and Housman's insight of death will be compared, as well as the notion of dreams. Housman portrayed death as an alterative for the young athlete to achieve fame, and legacy. It shows that without death, life would have no meaning, "for death begins with life's first breath. And life begins at touch of death." Is this ending good? If not could you help me fix it?
Thanks Sarah sooo much, with this done, forsure i will close to finishing
Greetings!
I'd be happy to help with some editing suggestions!
Any time you make a comparison, as you often do here, the proper word is "than," not "then." For example, "it's better for an individual to die at the height of their glory, than to die later on." Be sure to go through and correct this wherever it occurs. Also, technically, because you say "individual" you shouldn't use a plural possessive pronoun (their). You could say "it is better for people to die at the height of their glory." Avoid contractions such as "it's" in formal writing.
Reading this poem [omit comma] gave me the chance to realize that to achieve in life, you must achieve for yourself, for you are the only person you can truly satisfy.
which denotes the runner's life wasn't eternal, but his essence will always be remembered.
he demonstrates to die at the peak of one's success is a victory rather than a tragedy.
"To an Athlete Dying Young," provides the opportunity to question one's existence, and one's purpose.
Phrases like "allowed me to notice" are rather awkward. Better would be "This poem demonstrates that death shouldn't be feared, but in a sense appreciated..."
Best of luck in your studies!
Thanks,
Sarah, EssayForum.com
thanks sooo much !!!!
Greetings!
Try not to let these suggestions overwhelm you. Let's look at them one at a time:
- Introduction: Go to your original conclusion and paste in the quotes from the other authors. They provide a great opening for the essay. Then begin with a statement to the effect that Houseman in the poem examines the themes of youth and premature death in the poem, XYZ. Then provide a summary of the essay parts. (See bolded statements)
First, I'm not sure what "original conclusion" your instructor is referring to, as I don't see one with "quotes from the other authors." It looks to me as if you did begin your essay with them; then, as instructed, say, "A.E. Houseman, in the poem, 'To an Athlete Dying Young,' examines the themes of youth and premature death."
- Part 1: Theme of youth is evident in literary devices. Include metaphors, imagery, use of rhyming couplets, diction, point of view as done already. Cut and paste into here. - Your instructor wants you to find examples of how the theme of youth is evident in those types of literary devices (metaphors, imagery, use of rhyming couplets, etc.) and add them to your essay. You'll need to know what metaphors, etc. are; I would imagine your instructor discussed them in class? If not, you can find definitions online.
Do the same thing with Part 2, theme of death.
- Part 3: Reflections: Write a topic sentence to this effect. Paste in paragraphs 2 and 3on page 2, making certain adjustments ( see laurel) and then paragraphs 1 and 2 on page 3. - I admit, I have no idea what this means. S/he seems to want a topic sentence about reflections, though it isn't entirely clear. You'll just have to ask him or her what was meant. In fact, that's a good idea, anyway, because it's a little unclear what your instructor wants done with the conclusion, too. I think the idea is that, once you've made the changes suggested, you will need to rewrite the conclusion, because your main points will be different.
Sometimes teachers get in a hurry and don't give as clear instructions as they should. I hope your teacher is approachable enough that you can sit down with him or her to discuss these changes.
Best of luck in your studies!
Thanks,
Sarah, EssayForum.com
hey sarah...i've been working on this essay for years, and i'm still not getting anywhere. i really need help, i find my essay is full of repetition.
i want to organize it as into, theme of youth, theme of death, reflections, comparsion, conclusion. but i dont know how to do it, i'm completely confused. The bolded parts are the ones that need serious help. Can you tell what needs to be changed, so it flows and sounds like a level 4 rather than a level 2. Can you also help me with my grammar and spelling, thanks so much.
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I fixed up this paragraph, but i was wondering, if my interpretion of the quote and diction makes sense.
The theme of youth is prominent in "To An Athelete Dying Young," since it focuses on the life of a young runner who dies before his time, in career where fame is eternal: "Smart Lad, to slip betimes away/ From fields where glory does not stay" (Housman 9-10). Housman formed a dimensional poem that combined sophisticated language with British dialogue, which can be proven by the usage of the word "lad", which is a common term that connotes youth. ------ I'm having a difficult time finding quotes in the poem to connect to youth.
"Eyes the shady night has shut/ Cannot see the record cut, And silence sounds no worse than cheers/ After earth has stopped the ears" (Housman 13-14). Can you help me connect this poem somewhat to youth, this is what i said: It appears Housman believes it was justified for the runner dying young, so he wouldn't have to cope with the sorrow of viewing his records being beaten, as well as him losing the ability to be a great runner. Or does it connect more to death : The fourth stanza is basically stating that through death, one can be able to obtain their legacy, and become legendary, while if they were to live, it would be easier for them to be forgotten
The subject of death is also depicted in the poem through the usage of diction, imagery and metaphors. The metaphoric language becomes recognizable, due to terms such as "roses," and "garland," being exerted to represent the runner, as well as life. For instance, the terms "garland" (flowers), and "roses" don't live for a long period of time (both a subject of decay), which relates to the death of the runner. This language contributes to the purpose Housman was instituting, since the subject discussed in the poem is basically an examination of death opposed to life. The young runner is also compared to a "laurel," which denotes a European evergreen tree: And early though the laurel grows/It withers quicker than the rose" (Housman 11-12). ------
are these alright?
Greetings!
Don't forget to use articles before most nouns: since it focuses on the life of a young runner who dies before his time, in a career where fame is eternal:
Because we are talking about literature here, and not scientific research, you really should avoid saying things like "which can be proven by the usage of the word "lad"; better would be "as demonstrated by use of the word 'lad' ..."
I liked what you said here:
The fourth stanza is basically stating that through death, one can be able to obtain their legacy, and become legendary, while if they were to live, it would be easier for them to be forgotten.
I think you make some very good points in the last paragraph. The problem is more with your word choice, which makes your writing style rather labored and ungraceful. Words such as "exerted' and "instituting" are ponderous and heavy, and disrupt the flow of your writing. Consider the contrast with something like this:
Houseman's use of metaphoric language such as "roses" and "garland" hint at the brevity and fragility of life. Like the beautiful flowers which bloom only for a short time, then die and decay, the young runner's bloom is short-lived and sweet. The young runner is also like the laurel, a European evergreen tree: And early though the laurel grows/It withers quicker than the rose" (Housman 11-12).
Can you see how much smoother that passage reads? Try smoothing out some more of your writing, eliminating words like "proves" and "shows that" and "is demonstrated in" and even "states" (you could substitutes "writes" or "says"; even better, rewrite it so that you don't have to say either: "In the seventh stanza, the laurel represents the young runner."
I hope this helps!
Thanks,
Sarah, EssayForum.com
i was wondering if this opening statement thats bolded for the paragraph for the theme death, if you can help me fix it:
[b]In "To An Athlete Dying Young," the theme of premature death is depicted as being "justifiable," since the fate of the athlete who lives beyond his prime, Housman speculates, is the fear of outliving one's glory or having "the name" die "before the man."
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Sarah, i was also wondering if you could help me with my introduction that i fixed up, as well as the last message i left before this one. My introfuction has to have a general statement about Housman's poem...does my intro make sense, and does it have a general statement?Also could you help me fix up my ending statement for my introduction. Thanks, have helped me out so much. once again thank you
Ashly Montagu once stated, "The idea is to die young as late as possible," while Mark Twain said, "The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time."
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I'm sorry this is another intro, can you tell me what one is also better? I added the bolded part...
Ashly Montagu once stated, "The idea is to die young as late as possible," while Mark Twain said, "The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time." A.E. Houseman, in the tragic poem 'To an Athlete Dying Young," examines the themes of youth and premature death.
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Greetings!
I'm very impressed by how much improved your writing is! I think your latest intro is very good! The only part of it I would recommend changing is this: In contrast with the novel "The Great Gatsby", written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, "To An Athlete Dying Young", has a similar subject matter to the novel. - It is either "in contrast" to the novel, or it is "similar"; it can't really be both in the same sentence.
Keep working, it's really shaping up!
Thanks,
Sarah, EssayForum.com
Greetings!
As for the quote "And early though the laurel grows/It withers quicker than the rose" I think what you are trying to say is that the laurel, which represents the glory of youth, is like a flame, which, though it burns brighter than an ember, also burns out faster. The laurel grows "early," meaning it attains its peak young, but cannot maintain this level of perfection for long.
I hope this helps!
Thanks,
Sarah, EssayForum.com
Hello Sarah
I am also an ILC student
i can assist you in some various Questions as i have always gotten 90%-100% averages with the grade 12 courses. I go by the Name of Jake if you need the assistance
Hi again i beleve this is a question from ENG4Ua ILC grade 12 . i am quite sure its in the second unit
Anyways , the Name's Ryan, Jake Ryan . if u need assistance
hey Sarah could you help me with this, thanks
Can you also help me with explainging this quote: "Now you will not swell the rout/Of lads that wore their honors out/Runners whom renown outran/And the name died before the man.
also this one: "Now you will not swell the rout/Of lads that wore their honours out/Runners whom renown outran/And the name died before the man" (Housman 17-20).
This is what i said: In this stanza, Housman uses "wore" to symbolize the end of other "young men" whose fame (renown) basically "deteriorated" before they passed away.
Also does this make sense: . This is proof that the speaker in the poem maybe a close friend to the runner, perhaps a trainer who has been through a similar situation, where they were able to witness an acknowledged athlete, whose career gradually fell apart when they aged. This may be the reason why the anonymous speaker suggests that it was acceptable for the runner to die young, then to encounter humiliation of viewing his record being broken, and then being forgotten. The speaker is obliviously stating that even though the runner is physically gone, the remembrance of his accomplishments won't be oblivious to future generations.
Greetings!
I think you're on the right track with your interpretation of "Now you will not swell the rout/Of lads that wore their honours out/Runners whom renown outran/And the name died before the man" (Housman 17-20). The athlete who died young will not be among those who outlived their own glory.
I would avoid saying things like "This is proof"; and it might be a bit of a stretch to say that the speaker in the poem may be a close friend of the runner or a trainer. One would not have to be in that position, necessarily, to understand that those who achieve a lot and die young are likely to be remembered as heroes. I'd also avoid saying "The speaker is obliviously stating" something (I think you meant "obviously" but the same advice applies). Try not to sound so clinical; this is literature, not a political stump speech. :-)
I hope this helps!
Thanks,
Sarah, EssayForum.com
Greetings, Jake!
You are welcome to post your comments here as well, if you'd like to give some advice. :-)
Thanks,
Sarah, EssayForum.com
Thanks once again, i still need to some help though:
The laurel grows "early," meaning it attains its peak young, but cannot maintain this level of perfection for long. By using words such as "laurel," it allows the reader to be imaginative, since Housman uses imagery, to establish a reality-based poem that also embodies creativity. ---Could you help me with this?
In "To An Athlete Dying Young," the theme of premature death is depicted as being "justifiable," since the fate of the athlete who lives beyond his prime, Housman contemplates, is the fear of outliving one's glory or having "the name" die "before the man." --does this make sense?
Housman's use of imagery, exemplified by "Eyes the shady night has shut," provides the poem with artistic value. By him uses imaginative wording, it hinders the fear of death, by giving it beauty. ---Does this make sense?
I was also wondering if you couple help me with this: I have to explain how the rhythm and sound of the poem ties into the themes.
for the theme of youth i selected this stanza: Smart lad, to slip betimes away/from fields were glory does not stay/and early though the laurel grows/it withers quicker than the rose.
for the theme of death i selected: Eyes the shady night has shut/Cannot see the record cut/And silence sounds no worse than cheers/After earth has stopped the ears (Housman 16-20).
Could you help me state how the rhythm of the stanzas relates to the theme?
Also could you explaint his quote too me?
And round that early-laurelled head/Will flock to gaze the strengthless dead/And find unwithered on its curls/The garland briefer than a girl's.
Also instead of stating the speaker of the poem is a close friend, could i say the speaker is death, also its from his point of view? Would that be better?
Also does this paragraph make sense: Lastly, the novel "The Great Gatsby" written by F. Scott Fitzgerald is evident to the theme that is being manifested in "To An Athlete Dying Young". Both the story and poem obtain themes that are both relevant to the subject death.
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The theme of youth and death both demonstrate, the purpose of the poem is, individuals can find their abilities during their youth, but for it to be eternal, they must die to be a legend. ---can you help me reword this, and to make it sound more better? thanks sooo much
Greetings!
You might try something like this:
By intertwining the themes of youth and death, the author explores the fleeting nature of life and the cruel irony of death's ability to take life while giving back eternal glory.
I hope this helps!
Thanks,
Sarah, EssayForum.com
Here are my first three paragraphs...my intro, theme of youth and theme of death. could you tell me if in these paragraphs my meaninf is supported by writing with few spelling and mechanical errors. Also if i used imagery, languange, and rhytem/sound. The usage of that is worth 20 marks, i havent finished the essay i still have to include point of view, voice and purpose.
Also could you explain the difference between a theme and the purpose of a poem? And whats the difference between point of view and a speaker? Could i put these two together?
thanks so much
these are the two paragraphs that i was talking about in the other post i just posted...
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Greetings!
Yes, I think your paragraphs do an excellent job with the required elements. You still need to change this one sentence:
In contrast with the novel "The Great Gatsby", written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, "To An Athlete Dying Young", has a similar subject matter to the novel. - Is it in contrast, or is it similar? It can't be both simultaneously.
A theme is the general idea of a story, which contains a message. Although closely connected to the purpose, they are not exactly the same thing. The theme might be youth, or death, whereas the purpose might be to make people think about how they want to be remembered.
Point of view means in whose eyes, or from whose viewpoint, is the story being told? It might be the speaker/narrator, but there might not be a speaker or narrator. If I am writing a story about Susan and Jim, and I want it to be written from Susan's point of view, I might say "Susan watched Jim's face closely, but could not tell what he was thinking." If I were writing from Jim's point of view, I might say, "Jim was trying hard to control his features so that Susan would not know he was angry." If I wrote in an omniscient point of view, I might say "Susan and Jim stood looking at each other, neither one having a clue how the other one felt."
I hope this helps!
Thanks,
Sarah, EssayForum.com
hello sarah...i was wonderin if you could help me come up with a topic sentence for my new paragraph. i want to be basically say, the effectiveness of the poem...something to do with the speaker, and purpose.
also do u no any other poems that talk about youth and death?
thanks
Greetings!
I can't write the topic sentence for you, not being familiar with the poem outside what you have written, but if you'd like to try to write it yourself, I'd be happy to help with some editing. When you're writing it, think about what effect the poem had on you; can you pinpoint the purpose of the poem, and, if so, do you feel it accomplished this purpose?
To find other poems with those themes, try doing an internet search with terms like "death youth poetry" or "poems youth death." I think you might have some luck with that.
Thanks,
Sarah, EssayForum.com
This is what i came up with it sucks, its soo hard for me to do this, and i dont know why.
Can you please help me fix it up, i really dont know where to add the purpose. Can you please help thanks sooo much
In An Athlete Dying Young, a premature death is being viewed in a positive light. The effect of the poem stems from the speaker, who appears to be "death". Death's point of view, implies an ironic tone, suggesting death is not the fall of a man, yet the end of mortality. The speaker proposes the purpose of life is to achieve greatness. Through greatness one must die to be remembered as a legend. The poem allows Death to voice that he doesn't reflect gory, but glory. Death speaks of the runner as a champion, but justifies that in life, victors fade and become meaningless in the eyes of the masses: So set, before the echoes fade, the fleet foot on the sill of shade. Death was able to set the runner free before he would face humiliation of witnessing his prestige fade away.
Does the paragraph above include, the circumstances that inspired the poets words to this young athlete?
Can you help me with the purpose: I believe the purpose of the poem is that death reflects freedom, since it allows on to become a legend, whereas in life individuals become forgotten. I feel i stated this already, but i need to let the reader know its the purpose.
Through effectiveness of the poem can also be seen through assciations (Thats how i start my next paragraph. Here im going to compare it to another poem...and state my emotions. How to i talk about the effect the poem had on me, without using I?
Thank you so much, i just need to fix up my middle paragraph and conclusion for this essay and i will be finished. thanks soo much again
Greetings!
You might want to say something about the purpose of the poem being to soften the blow of an early death by finding the positive aspects of it. To talk about the effect of the poem on you without using "I" is not difficult. You could say, for example, "The poem elicits feelings of hope and sorrow, a sort of poignant optimism."
This is an interesting play on words, however you can't use the adjective "gory" as a noun: "The poem allows Death to voice that he doesn't reflect gory, but glory." You could say "The poem allows Death to turn what might be seen as gory into everlasting glory."
I hope this helps!
Thanks,
Sarah, EssayForum.com
Hey sarah, these are my two middle paragraphs. they focus on the speaker, purpose, the poems emotional effect, and an association with another poem. Could you help me with the bolded parts? Thanks.
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THanks soo much, im almost done, after this is the conclusion.
Greetings!
I'll take a stab at the topic sentence for you: The emotional effect of the poem, "To an Athlete Dying Young" is found in the voice of its speaker, who, although not identified as such, could be interpreted as the personification of Death itself.
Try to avoid using the same pronoun to refer to two different people in the same sentence, as here: "However, by him taking his life, he will be a champion forever"; instead, say, "by taking the young athlete's life, Death allows him to be a champion forever." - Yes, this paragraph looks very good!
if it allows one's soul to inhabit peace, rather than suffering. - I think this paragraph is good. If your instructions were to tell about the effect the work had on you, then you need to include more of that, as I'm not really getting that from what you've written.
Keep up the good work!
Thanks,
Sarah, EssayForum.com
sorry i posted the wrong thing...could you help me correct my conclusion. Could you also tell me if its good, and could you help me fix the ending. thanks sooo much
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Greetings!
Here are some more editing suggestions:
Housman shines light on the youthful athlete's death,
sophisticated literate, - literate is not a noun; did you mean literature?
who views the young runner's death as righteous,
Fitzgerald's perception and Housman's insight
To An Athlete Dying Young questions death is an optimistic method, since it Housman portrayed death as an alterative for the young athlete to achieve fame, and legacy. - This sentence does not really make sense. I'm not sure what "optimistic method" you are referring to.
I hope this helps!
Thanks,
Sarah, EssayForum.com
this is what my teacher expects of me. Could you help me with my essay based on what he has said. Thank you so much i just want to get this essay over with, its giving me a head ache. thanks once again
- Part 1: Literary analysis: structural analysis: Paragraph 2 bottom of page 1: Rewrite the topic sentence for this paragraph to the effect that the poem has a traditional structure. Then cite that is a ballad, written from the point of view of a yeoman, a pastoral setting. Analyze the meter, the rhyme and rhythm patterns. Bring in the idea from paragraph 2 at bottom of page 1 that it uses British diction, and the example from the top of page 2. Write a concluding sentence summarizing this content.
(Housman's poetry demonstrates idiomatic English speech in lyrical verse of traditional form, meter, and rhyme. He recurrently uses the four-line ballad stanza, with an alternating rhyme format of abab. Also characteristic of Housman's verse are pithy one- to three-line epigrams, as well as dramatic monologues.) This is what i got when researching the ballad...could you please help me with this...also with a topic sentence about a pastoral setting.
- Part 1: Literary analysis: rhetorical devices Cut the paragraph at the top of page three and paste right after the first paragraph on page 2. Introduce the paragraph with something to the effect of: Houseman uses several rhetorical devices. Also paste the last part about laurel from page 2 par 1 into this paragraph.
- Part 1: Literary analysis: themes. Well done for the most part and keep as is.
- Part 2: Interpretation This begins second part of page 3. Keep as is.
- Intro and conclusion: They are quite detailed. I would just make the ideas in the subtitles clear so that the reader understand the paper has two parts, one dealing with literary analysis and the second with interpretation.
The actual assignment as given does not lend itself to a uniform thesis statement, but you did answer all of the questions asked in the instructions.
This is a very serious paper and you have spent a great deal of time on it.
please help, im so desperate...lol thanks soo much
Greetings!
It sounds as if your instructor appreciates the amount of time and effort you've put in--this is a good thing! What you need to do next is go through meticulously and do everything you were told to do: the cutting and pasting, rewriting the sentences as he pointed out, etc. It's not possible for me to tell exactly which sentences he was talking about, as the format here does not allow your paper to keep the same structure, page numbers and so forth. But if you follow his instructions to the letter, you should be fine. He has really given you very specific instructions.
I had to delete the poem, as you can't post content that you don't own the rights to, but thanks for the thought. ;-) Try not to panic, you're almost done!
Thanks,
Sarah, EssayForum.com
I was wondering though, does this ending make sense: Housman portrayed death as an alterative for the young athlete to achieve fame, and legacy. It shows that without death, life would have no meaning, "for death begins with life's first breath. And life begins at touch of death."
sorry sarah can you just help me with this : Also i divided my essay into two parts literacy analysis and interpretation. How could i make note of this in my introduction and conclusion? I need to say it, but im not sure how...
thanks
Greetings!
You could just do something straightforward like saying "Literary analysis of 'To An Athlete Dying Young' reveals it to be a traditional 19th century poem which takes place in a pastoral setting in England, written from the point of view of a young yeoman."
When you get to the interpretation section, it could go something like "Interpretation of the poem requires delving into the deep emotion underlying the simplicity of the words."
I hope this is what you needed!
Thanks,
Sarah, EssayForum.com
