To An Athlete Dying Young Summary

“To an Athlete Dying Young” by A.E. Housman, displays dying at a young age. This poem is showing that people may be afraid of dying young and not living out a full life. The theme of the poem is showing the value of young age. This also ties into the poems imagery, signifying. The choice of speaker gives depth to the story and gives us a better aspect look at the meaning of the story of premature death of the youth in the world. A.E. Housman wants the reader to know that life is short and it is better for the person to pass at an earlier age. To see every accomplishment, they have had while it is meaningful before they grow older and lose their meaningfulness to everyone that is around you. The theme is not specifically about an individual or even about athletes but rather it is about the value of life. For example in the second stanza “To-day, the road all runners come. Shoulders-high we bring you home,/ And we set you at your threshold down,/ Townsman of a stiller town. “This quote does not represent him winning a race a being carried as it may be read. The real meaning of the quote is that he is running the road that all runners come, meaning that he is dead. The rest of this stanza shows how the athlete is being carried shoulder high to his home which can be related to being in his coffin …show more content…
Housman. I appreciate that he wrote the poem through the eyes of the poet. It gives us his view on the sad topic of young death. The poet interjects a feeling of quiet, or softness in the poem and makes you try to become more exposed to the thought of death. The poem’s true meaning is that death for youth may be more beneficial than to worry upon the struggles and difficulties of life. He also sees this as a victory because they are on top of the world doing what they love and will not have the chance to taste failure or difficult times. He used his symbolisms very well and was smart in the way he crafted the detail in the meaning of the