To An Athlete Dying Young theme
...lete as a “smart lad” for dying young; he will remain a champion for all eternity rather than trying to remain in the “fields where glory does not stay.” AE Housman then creates an association with growing old and becoming forgotten in lines 15-16 “silence sounds no worse than cheers after earth has stopped the ears.” This is a very powerful statement due to the fact. A.E. Housman believes that it is better to die young phosphorous, than to live out the rest of your life clinging to the past. The statement “Runners whom renown outran” also indicates the theme. The line “your fifteen minutes of fame” indicates that glory is only temporary; “the name died before the man” echo’s these ideals. In recent years many famous people that have diminished in the prime of there young careers, preserving the admiration and splendor of their lives, rather than allowing it to slowly fade away. Kurt Cobain was the ascending guitarist, vocalists, and song writer of the band Nirvana. Cobain took his life at the age of twenty seven. Another young star that died in his prime, James Dean was killed in a highway accident at the age of twenty four. River Phoenix also died at the young age of twenty three due to a drug over dose. Dying young has its many advantages. What if you out live your fame? Then you are known as a “has been”. You become washed up, as you witness the deterioration of the luster your life once had. A few examples of “has beens” in the entertainment industry are: Vlade Divac a washed ...