Compare And Contrast Nothing Gold Can Stay And To An Athlete Dying Young

Death has always been something to fear. In reality death is inevitable and often times the better choice. Individuals struggle with their impending death instead of seeing the beauty in it. Death is not something that should be feared but embraced like in A.E Housman’s poem “To an Athlete Dying Young”, Robert Frost’s poem “Nothing Gold Can Stay” and Edwin Arlington Robinson’s poem “Richard Cory”.

Housman uses tone to turn a gruesome event, like the death of a young athlete, into a happy eulogy. After the first two stanzas Housman keeps the news of the athlete’s death upbeat by praising him. Housman calls him a “smart lad”, glorifying him for dying in his prime. This morbid idea of dying before failures tarnish a person’s name is tragically beautiful. In stanza five Housman highlights this beauty as he talks about the humiliation of the name dying before the man. Housman alludes to a laurel crown and other symbols of victory. When he first mentions the laurel crown in stanza three he follows with the simile of a withering rose, showing that if the athlete had continued to live his fame would eventually wither and fade. When Housman mentions the laurel for a second time he’s referring

to the metaphorical crown that the athlete will wear because he remains undefeated. Dying young gave the athlete the ability to live in infamy.
Richard Cory calls into question if living a full life is truly worth it.

Robinsons tone at the beginning of the poem is happy almost envious. Richard Cory lived a seemingly happy life; he was rich and handsome. In the second stanza Robinson said “he was always human when he talked; but still fluttered pulses” implying though god-like Cory remained humble. Cory was chivalrous, “admirably schooled in every grace.” The people on the outside of Cory’s life where blinded by his wealth. Those around him thought he had everything, desperately wanting to take his place because they lived on bread and “went without meat.” Robinson brings into the question the saying money cant by happiness. So is it better for a man to die young in the midst of his success or old and unhappy in your

riches?
Either way, Frost shows how death is inescapable in “Nothing Gold Can Stay.” Frost’s use of juxtaposition is what makes his poem so hopeful. As he compares beauties of life the certainty of death seems less scary. The use of metaphor comparing life to nature gives the reader the idea of the beauty continuing even after their death. Frost softens the blow of death, with the idea that everything beautiful must fade and that nothing gold, or meaningful, can stay.
The fear of dying holds people back from experiencing life. Life should be lead without worrying about death. The only answer to life’s question is death, so it should be embraced whether at a young age or to end the suffering of a well lived life.