how according to the speaker can one be a hero in his life? in the poem a psalm of life
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In Longfellow's poem, the goal of the battle, according to the speaker, is to "act in the living Present! ... A true hero in the "world's broad field of battle," according to the speaker in this poem, is someone who will "let the dead past bury its dead" and look to the future
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Answer:
What is the meaning of "be a hero in the battle of life" in Longfellow's "A Psalm of Life"?
Answer
The quoted phrase is a paraphrase, rather than a direct quote, of what Longfellow says in this poem. However, the fact that it is entitled "A Psalm of Life," along with other allusions such as "Dust thou art, to dust returnest," invite us to understand the metaphor of life as a battle in a Christian context. The idea of "Christian soldiers" and of Christians engaging in a battle against sin and all else that besets them in life is one which borrows from the Bible and has been used as a motif in poetry since Anglo-Saxon times. In Longfellow's poem, the goal of the battle, according to the speaker, is to "act in the living Present! Heart within, and God o'erhead."
To "be a hero in the strife," then, is to act as an individual, rather than as "cattle" simply marching towards the grave. A true hero in the "world's broad field of battle," according to the speaker in this poem, is someone who will "let the dead past bury its dead" and look to the future. The aim of the individual soldier should be to "make our lives sublime" in a way which makes a lasting impression, leaving "footprints on the sands of time."
Through our action, then, not only should we ensure that "tomorrow / Find us farther than to-day," but we should also be aware that our achievements can serve to inspire others to continue striving onward.