Summary of the poem 'Death the Leveller'
Answers
Explanation:
Death the Leveller by James Shirley is a reminder to the readers that death is one day going to take everyone. In the first stanza, the poet says that every achievement that a person can achieve in his life is temporary and there is nothing that one can do to protect him/her from death.
In this poem ‘Death The Leveler’, James Shirley portrays death and fate as omnipotent powers that overpower everyone – even the mighty kings and warriors have to yield before their might.
In the first stanza the poet compares man’s glories of blood and state of kings and prices to mere shadows. Fate can pierce any armour; death, personified as the omnipotent Yama (god of death) spares no king. When it comes to claim life back, they have to yield it. They are turned into dust in their graves. So, death is a great leveler that does not differentiate between the rich and the poor.
In the second stanza the poet brings to light the fact even the mightiest of warriors who won many wars and laurels for themselves after killing thousands of people have to yield to death and fate; and finally death also turns them into dust.
In the last stanza, the poet warns man not to boast about his so called mighty deeds as they will be rendered useless by death. All the victorious and defeated have to offer themselves at the altar of death. The poet ends the poem on a very positive note. According to him though death turns all into dust, yet the actions of the righteous, noble people sprout, blossom and smell sweetly like flowers for ever.