Analysis of the poem "The truly great" by Stephen Spender

Written By Shaun Kearney 6E 2003 "The Truly Great", a treatise on greatness. (Poem written by Stephen Spender) This poem, broadly, is an attempt to describe what makes a person "truly" great. The poem was written in the 1930's during wartime, this no doubt influenced the poet. However, soldiers are not the only people he is referring to. He is essentially referring to anyone who selflessly fights for what they believe in. "I think continually of …

… die can be immortalized in our actions. He says that truly great men can be simple so long as they are filled with the passion of action and belief. The nature hue of resolution cannot be sickled over with thought, and must always hold the name of action throughout the entirety of our lives. Great men are full of believing, but the truly great spare no moment to die in lieu of that believing.