Compare and Contrast
William Shakespeare and A.E. Housman are some of literatures most profound writers. They have so much in common, but they have their own individual way of writing. Housman claimed that he was influenced by Shakespeare “Fear No More the Heat o’ the Sun”. This Shakespearean poem and Housman’s “To an Athlete Dying Young” are similar in some ways and different; when discussing the tone and message.
“Fear No More the Heat o’ the Sun” and “To an Athlete Dying Young” has similar tones. Both Housman and Shakespeare poems express death and this depicts a sad tone. Housman stated “So set, before its echoes fade; he is saying that it is better to die before you are no longer known. Shakespeare talks about the grave and death in the 4th stanza lines 23 and 24. “Quiet consummation (finality) has, and renowned be thy grave!” These lines tell the tone of this poem which is also sadness.
The tones of these poems are very similar, yet, different in some way. Housman poem shows a happy tone at the beginning but Shakespeare poem is just a sad tone. Housman poem states in stanza 1 line 4 and 5“Man and boy stood cheering by, and home we brought you shoulder-high”. This line explains a happy tone, because it uses words as cheering and shoulder-high, which are celebratory terms. Shakespeare just sticks to his sad tone, in stanza 3 lines 16 and 17, “All lovers young, all lovers must, consign to thee and come to dust.” These lines are saying that lovers must come to an agree that they are going to eventually die.
The similarity between these two poems, “Fear No More the Heat o’ the Sun” and “To an Athlete Dying Young”; is death. The message that is being given is about death, that death is something we all have to do. Death is something that many people fear, especially lovers, like Shakespeare says, but it is a part of life.
These poets are in some way telling the same message, and focusing on the same point which is...