The poem "Fame and Friendship" was written by H. A. Dobson. The central theme of the poem is about the fame and friendship. Here poet describes the importance of fame and friendship as both things are important in our lives. Here we will see it in detail that how poet criticises the 'Fame' over 'friendship'. Though, in modern time it sounds 'feel good' poem !
Fame is A Food That Dead Men Eat
Fame is a food that dead men eat, -
I have no stomach for such meat.
In little light and narrow room,
They eat it in the silent tomb,
With no kind voice of comrade near
To bid the banquet be of cheer.
In the first stanza poet tells that fame is the food that dead men eat, by this line poet tries to say that, person should not crave for the fame, which ultimately creates the loneliness in the life. After criticising the 'fame' poet shares his personal views by saying that he has no stomach for such meat. Whenever person becomes the looser, he or she craves for the fame, which is not wrong also, but the important thing is, one needs to learn that how to digest that 'fame.' Moreover, this fame which person enjoys, it is temporary. For instance, when person arranges the feast, the honor of success, but as time passes everything gets vanished.
The another interpretation comes in our mind is that, sometimes person works hard but doesn't get the reward while living, which demotivates the person. But person gets the reward posthumously, where nobody is with them to cheer.
Of friendship it is good to sing.
For truly, when a man shall end,
He lives in memory of his friend,
Who both his better part recall,
And of his faults make funeral.
It seems that poet has a full experience of the long life, may be he wants to live that moments again ! In the preceding stanza poet provides the 'moral' but the true message of friendship. He tells that friendship is nobler thing in the world. Because in life, at the certain stages we need some good friend who can guide us in every situation. Many times person can't discuss everything with their parents/ siblings, which he or she can do with their friends. By concluding the poem, poet becomes emotional, the mode of poetry gets change. Even after the death of a friend, best moments of life never dies, indirectly, the memory remains with the living one. In addition poet gives the suggestion for better friendship. He tells that one should burn the past mistakes before he himself becomes the part of a funeral. At the end of the poetry, the message poetry tries to give is, recall the great memories which we lived with our friends, and that memory will keep you alive during the worst time of our lives.
The interesting thing about the 'friendship' is it is difficult to keep our friends happy at every moment, many times we think of competing with them, and in that process we become envious for them. See, the competition should be their, but with ourselves rather than the others. That's why people often tell that one should not forget the humanity over friendship !
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