Read the excerpt and then complete…

English Questions

Read the excerpt and then complete the sentences that follow. To an Athlete Dying Young by A. E. Housman (excerpt): “The time you won your town the race We chaired you through the market-place; Man and boy stood cheering by, And home we brought you shoulder-high. To-day, the road all runners come, Shoulder-high we bring you home, And set you at your threshold down, Townsman of a stiller town. . . . 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 the 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.” In the poem, what does the phrase “sill of shade” refer to? Who is the narrator of this poem?

Answer

In the poem, the phrase “sill of shade” symbolizes the transition to death. The narrator is an observant bystander. This poem explores themes of mortality and recognition. Although it begins on a joyful note, celebrating an athlete’s triumph, it soon shifts to reflect on his funeral. The term “fleet foot on the sill of shade” signifies the athlete’s swift feet, while “sill of shade” represents the threshold of death and the end of life. The narrator, being an observant bystander, provides a third-person perspective, witnessing the unfolding events without being directly involved, and reflects on the sentiments elicited by them.

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