What does Townsman of a stiller town meaning?
To be “townsman of a stiller town” (line 8) means to. be dead, lying in the graveyard.
What does a stiller town symbolize?
“Laurel” is the symbol of victory, “Home” is the symbol of grave and “stiller town” is the symbol of the graveyard.
What is emphasized by the word Stiller to describe the town in stanza two?
In the second stanza, the poem makes clear its interest in the transition from life to death, describing the townspeople setting the young athlete down at his “threshold.” The athlete is now the “Townsman of a stiller town.” This partly describes the way in which the town has fallen silent because of the tragic death.
What is the meaning of Now you will not swell the rout?
He’s telling the athlete (the “you”) that, since he’s dead, he doesn’t have to worry about swelling the rout (making the crowd bigger by adding himself to the ranks). What crowd you ask? It’s a crowd of all those “lads,” all those young athletes that fame finally passed by (“renown outran”).
Why does the speaker call the you a smart lad at the beginning of stanza three?
It withers quicker than the rose. This stanza might sound a little like a botany exam, but fear not—Shmoop won’t let you get lost in the weeds. The stanza begins with the speaker praising the athlete for bowing out early, calling him a “smart lad” for slipping away sooner rather than later.
For what is the shady night a metaphor in stanza four?
death
“Shady night” has closed the athlete’s eyes. Housman is using night as a metaphor for death here.
What is the meaning of the poem when I was one and twenty?
“When I Was One-and-Twenty” is a poem that focuses on the naivety of youth, looking at the way that young people usually fail to listen to the advice of those that are older and, perhaps, wiser.
What does the fleet foot on the sill of shade mean?
Those “fleet” feet are the athlete’s. The “sill of shade” refers metaphorically to death—or more specifically, the doorway to death. A “sill,” like a windowsill, can also refer to the base of a doorframe (like the doorway to a tomb for example).
What is Housemans message about fame?
“To an Athlete Dying Young” is about death, but it’s also about fame. Like death, fame is nothing new, but we never seem to get tired of it. Fame has been around for as long as there have been people and language.
What does give crown and pound and guineas mean?
Lines 3 and 4 cite the wise man’s advice. Essentially, this advice compares falling in love to a kind of financial transaction, saying it would be more sensible for someone to give away all their money rather than risk giving away their heart (“crowns and pounds and guineas” are all types of British coins).
What is the theme portrayed by the poem of When I Was One-and-Twenty?
Major Themes in “When I Was One-and-Twenty”: Wisdom, experience, and youth are the major themes underlined in this poem. The poem reflects upon two things; the attitude of the young speaker toward life in contrast with the wise man’s perception of life.
What does and hold to the low lintel up mean?
By A.E. Really. That’s what’s happening. Let us explain. The speaker tells the funeral procession (and us readers) to place the athlete in the tomb before the “echoes” of applause fade away and to hold up once more his victory trophy in celebration of the athlete’s life.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K488894z-AQ