A. E. Housman (1859-1936)
Things to Consider:
- Nature Imagery and the Riddle of the Sphinx
- carpe diem
- sic transit gloria mundi
** Discussion Questions **
1948:
- Explain what Housman means when he says that poetry should
be "more physical than intellectual" (qtd. 1948).
- According to the editors, what did Housman
aim (and not aim) to do in his poetry?
- What, according to the editors, is Housman's
favorite theme in his poetry?
"Loveliest of Trees" (1896)
- Explain the use of nature imagery in the poem.
- Explain the reference to "threescore years
and ten" (5).
1949:
- Summarize the message found in the final stanza.
"When I Was One-and-Twenty"
(1896)
- Summarize the message of the first stanza.
- Summarize the message of the second stanza.
"To an Athlete Dying Young" (1896)
- What is "the road all runners come" (5)?
- Why does the speaker consider the athlete to be "smart"
(9)?
Other Discussion Questions:
"To an Athlete Dying Young"
1949:
- Explain the comparison of the laurel and the rose.
1950:
- Explain the final stanza.