Which theme is prominent in this excerpt from "To an Athlete Dying Young" by A. E. Housman?

Now you will not swell the rout

Of lads that wore their honours out,

Runners whom renown outran

And the name died before the man.

So set, before its echoes fade,

The fleet foot on the sill of shade,

And hold to the low lintel up

The still-defended challenge-cup

And round that early-laurelled head

Will flock to gaze the strengthless dead,

And find unwithered on its curls

The garland briefer than a girl's.

A) the inevitability of death

B) the fame and glory an athlete receives

C) the short-lived nature of glory

D) the short-lived strength of human love

Question

Guest

English

28 September, 14:15

Which theme is prominent in this excerpt from "To an Athlete Dying Young" by A. E. Housman?

Now you will not swell the rout

Of lads that wore their honours out,

Runners whom renown outran

And the name died before the man.

So set, before its echoes fade,

The fleet foot on the sill of shade,

And hold to the low lintel up

The still-defended challenge-cup

And round that early-laurelled head

Will flock to gaze the strengthless dead,

And find unwithered on its curls

The garland briefer than a girl's.

A) the inevitability of death

B) the fame and glory an athlete receives

C) the short-lived nature of glory

D) the short-lived strength of human love

+5

Answers (2)

Know the Answer?

Hadassah Garrett · Answer 1

The answer is A because the poem is purposefully written as an elegy. Without the death of the athlete, readers would not realize the love the author has for him. The thrilling experience of an athlete would not also be realized if there was no emphasis of the poem's death theme.

Sweety · Answer 2

Id say the answer is C. but im not 100 percnt sure