To An Athlete Dying Young Poem Analysis

In Housman’s poem “To An Athlete Dying Young” the theme of the poem is victory, and glory as author begins the poem on a cheerful tone, and continuously leads back to glory, despite the young boy’s death. The speaker remembers when the athlete had won a big race, and the townspeople carried the athlete through the marketplace in celebration, bringing victory to the town. But not long after the tone becomes saddening, as the speaker then puts the reader at the young athlete’s funeral. But as the author mentions that the athlete never has to worry about his glory fading, and will always be remembered at his peak of glory, the tone then changes to be celebratory. In his poem, Housman pulls together figurative language, sound devices, and structure in order to prove the idea of the athletes fleeting glory. In his poem, Housman states his belief of the importance of death to the young athlete, as the race that the athlete had won (being so important to the townspeople), he can die before his glory fades away. Although the tone of the poem is quite depressing, Housman expresses the sadness of the loss in glory. Housman seems to believe that the older years of life are meaningless due

The author is able to connect with the reader, and creates a visualization throughout reading the poem to help the reader understand Housman’s point of view on a personal level. The narrator is speaking to the athlete, stating his glory and victory, as he deserves praise, and compliments. The overall setting of the poem is at the young athletes funeral (leading to the sad and mourning tone of the poem, but as the reader continues reading the tone of the poem becomes celebratory for the death of the young athlete), but briefly takes place in the narrator’s mind (in the beginning) in the home town while the narrator is remembering the athlete 's glory, and