Short Paper 3 - Gary Salomon English 1101 Professor Di Leo Short Paper 3 In the short poem To an Athlete Dying Young A.E Housman vividly illustrates the

Gary Salomon English 1101 Professor Di Leo July 24, 2011 Short Paper 3 In the short poem, “To an Athlete Dying Young,” A.E. Housman vividly illustrates the rise and fall of a champion through the use of intertextual writing. Though thought to some as plagiarism, intertextuality is found in all writing and is the tool successful writers wield to compose works of their own creativity. In order to fully grasp the meaning and recognize authorship behind complex pieces of texts, one must understand the origin and the purpose of the intertextuality. Published in 1896, “To an Athlete Dying Young” is written by Housman toward his society during World War I when young men were forced to cast aside their youth to fight in the war just like the young man in this poem. The poem introduces a young runner who has just recently won a race in his town. After illustrating the town’s appraisal for his victory, the poem transitions into the runner’s funeral where it is apparent that he has died at an early age. Instead