Opportunity By Edward Rowland Sill Analysis

Never Give Up

There are those people in life that will give up at the first hardship they encounter in life, but then there are those who will not give up and finish the fight. In the poem “Opportunity,” by Edward Rowland Sill, a man abandons his position in a battle because he is dissatisfied with his dull sword, and upon departing he snaps it in half and leaves it on the battlefield. A wounded prince who lost his own weapon, sees the broken sword and uses it as an opportunity to win the battle.

In the poem Opportunity, a battle going on in a dry dusty plain. Men are fighting in a furious battle. There swords were struck with such force that the shock could be felt right through their bodies. “A furious battle, and men yelled, and swords Shocked upon swords and shields.”

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It seems as though all hope is lost and he will loose the battle, but the prince spots the broken sword half buried in the dry and trampled sand. He sees the opportunity and snatches it, and crys out with new life. He goes on to defeat his enemy, and come out a victorious hero. “Then came the King 's son, wounded, sore bestead, and weaponless, and saw the broken sword and snatched it, and with battle shout lifted afresh he hewed his enemy down, and saved a great cause that heroic day.”

The story opportunity reminds me of my cousin Randal. She has faced numerous health disadvantages, but has never given up on her goals. Randel was born with a disease called neurofibromatosis. Neurofiromatosis is a genetic disorder that causes tumors to form on nerve tissue. These tumors can develop anywhere in your nervous system, which includes the brain, spinal cord and nerves. The tumors are usually non cancerous, but can cause complications such as hearing loss, learning impairment, heart problems, vision problems and severe pain. This disease causes her to get tumors on the inside of her