Death the Leveller is a poem written By English Dramatist, James Shirley. The poem was originally published in 1659. The central theme of poem is death as an ultimate equalizer.
Death the Leveller Poem Summary By James Shirley
Summary of Death the Leveller By James Shirley
The poem “Death the leveller” tells about the eternal truth. Death is permanent. We can’t escape death, nobody can escape death no matter who he is. It is a part of life, so we should accept it because we can’t escape it.
The glory of our birth and prestige is not going to last forever, it is like a shadow and won’t last forever. There is no Armour in the world which can protect us from our destiny.
Whatever has written in your fate, you will get it for sure no matter whether it is good or bad, you will get it. Death lays their merciless hands on Kings as well, it means death comes to everybody whether you are king or queen.
Be it a king or his power, one day it has to fall. When kings die and buried in the soil, they become to equal to people who were poor. Here poet mean to say, death comes to everyone, it doesn’t understand difference between King and poor. Death comes to everyone whether you are Royal King or nothing.
There are men who can win the war at the strength of their swords, and can hoist a winning flag where they killed, but their strong body and strength will fade one day, they fight to defeat one another but they can’t defeat death.
Sooner or later, they have to bow in front of their fate, and give up their murmuring breath. One day, they have to give up their murmuring breath and die.
The garlands of victory which you are wearing in your neck will wither one day, therefore, you should not brag about your mighty deeds. The writer says, when war happens, no one lose or win, they kill one another and die in end.
One day, you too must die and come to the cold tomb. Only such people’s work smells sweet, whose work is full of honesty and integrity.
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