To An Athlete Dying Young
... Housman’s poem, “To an Athlete Dying Young,” it reveals the many advantages that come with an athlete that dying in the prime of his career. Winning the record setting race for his town and dying shortly after leaves everyone in the town with only memories of the strong, heroic athlete only as a winner and never the athlete who was outdone and forgotten. ... The first stanza of the poem creates the image of the honored athlete who has just returned back to his town after winning a record setting race and is greeted by cheering people who are so proud and full of joy to have been represented by such an outstanding athlete. ... This creates the image of the people carrying the glorious athlete in his chair held up shoulder high through the town for everyone to see and cheer. The athlete has not only ran his way to his own honor and victory putting himself in the spotlight but also his hometown is in the spotlight and he is the center of everyone’s attention. ... The athlete at this point is in a sense put up on a pedestal and has achieved perfection in the minds of others. Now the athlete is dead. ... Now that the young athlete is in the earth and shaded by dirt, trees, and death he can’t witness a better runner coming along and breaking his records. ... The athlete gained glory early, “And round that early-laurelled head / will flock to gaze the strengthless dead,” and will now be remembered as strong and heroic and people will still be interested in him because he was still young and powerful when he died, even though he is now strengthless.