Death The Leveller
By James Shirley
The glories of our blood and state
Are shadows, not substantial things;
There is no armour against Fate;
Death lays his icy hand on kings:
Sceptre and Crown
Must tumble down,
And in the dust be equal made
With the poor crooked scythe and spade.Some men with swords may reap the field,
And plant fresh laurels where they kill:
But their strong nerves at last must yield;
They tame but one another still:
Early or late
They stoop to fate,
And must give up their murmuring breath
When they, pale captives, creep to death.The garlands wither on your brow,
Then boast no more your mighty deeds!
Upon Death’s purple altar now
See where the victor, victim bleeds.
Your heads must come
To the cold tomb:
Only the actions of the just
Smell sweet and blossom in their dust.
Unpacking “Death The Leveller”: A Profound Exploration of Mortality
James Shirley’s “Death The Leveller” stands as a timeless and powerful meditation on the inescapable nature of mortality. Penned in the mid-17th century and published posthumously in 1659 as part of his play The Contention of Ajax and Ulysses for the Armour of Achilles, this poem transcends its dramatic origins to deliver a universal truth. It asserts that death is the ultimate equalizer, stripping away all earthly distinctions of power, wealth, and status, reducing all individuals to the same fundamental state. Yet, amidst this stark reality, the poem offers a profound counterpoint: the enduring legacy of virtuous deeds.
The Central Idea: Death’s Unyielding Equality
At its core, “Death The Leveller” champions the idea that all worldly achievements and social hierarchies are ultimately rendered meaningless in the face of death. The central idea is a stark reminder that no amount of power, glory, or physical strength can provide immunity from mortality. Kings and commoners, conquerors and the conquered, all share the same destiny. This concept of death as a “leveller” was particularly resonant during Shirley’s time, a period of significant political upheaval and social change in England, where questions of power and authority were fiercely debated. The poem’s enduring appeal lies in its ability to articulate this universal truth with striking clarity and poetic grace.
A Deep Dive into the Literary Devices in “Death The Leveller”
Shirley masterfully employs a range of literary and poetic devices to imbue “Death The Leveller” with its profound impact and lasting resonance. Understanding these techniques unlocks the poem’s layers of meaning and its artistic brilliance.
Personification: Giving Death a Formidable Presence
One of the most striking devices in the poem is personification, where death is given human qualities and actions, transforming an abstract concept into a tangible, active force. Consider these lines:
There is no armour against Fate;
Death lays his icy hand on kings:
Here, “Death” is not merely an event but an entity with a “hand” that can “lay” it upon even the most powerful. This imagery of an “icy hand” evokes a chilling sense of coldness, finality, and an inescapable grip. Later, death is implicitly personified as a “leveller,” actively bringing all to the same plane. This personification makes death feel immediate, powerful, and utterly unavoidable.
Metaphor and Simile: Illuminating Fleeting Glory
Shirley uses powerful metaphors to convey the transient nature of earthly power and glory. The opening lines immediately establish this theme:
The glories of our blood and state
Are shadows, not substantial things;
Here, “glories” are directly compared to “shadows,” emphasizing their insubstantiality, fleeting existence, and lack of true permanence. Shadows are ephemeral, easily dispelled, and leave no lasting mark, just like worldly power. Another subtle metaphor appears in the second stanza:
Some men with swords may reap the field,
And plant fresh laurels where they kill:
The act of conquest and warfare is likened to “reaping the field” and “planting laurels.” While “reaping” suggests a harvest, here it implies a harvest of lives, and “laurels” symbolize victory and honor, which are ironically planted in the very ground where death has occurred. This metaphor highlights the cyclical and ultimately futile nature of violent conquest.
Juxtaposition: Highlighting Stark Contrasts
Juxtaposition, the placement of two contrasting elements side by side, is central to the poem’s message of equality in death. The most prominent example appears in the first stanza:
Sceptre and Crown
Must tumble down,
And in the dust be equal made
With the poor crooked scythe and spade.
The symbols of ultimate power and royalty, the “Sceptre and Crown,” are placed in direct contrast with the humble tools of the common laborer, the “scythe and spade.” This stark comparison powerfully illustrates that death obliterates all social distinctions, reducing kings and peasants to the same “dust.”
Oxymoron: Unveiling Irony in Victory
The poem employs a striking oxymoron to underscore the ultimate irony of earthly triumphs:
Upon Death’s purple altar now
See where the victor, victim bleeds.
The phrase “victor, victim” combines two contradictory terms. A victor is one who triumphs, while a victim is one who suffers defeat or harm. Shirley suggests that even the greatest conquerors, those who achieve victory in life, ultimately become victims of death. The “purple altar” further enhances this, as purple was often associated with royalty and sacrifice, implying that even kings are sacrificed to death.
Imagery and Symbolism: Painting a Picture of Mortality
Rich and evocative imagery helps readers visualize the poem’s themes. The “icy hand” of death, the “murmuring breath” of the dying, and the “garlands wither on your brow” all create vivid sensory experiences that deepen the poem’s emotional impact. These images are often symbolic:
- The “sceptre and crown” symbolize earthly power, authority, and royalty.
- The “scythe and spade” symbolize the common laborer, humility, and the tools of mortality (the scythe is often associated with the Grim Reaper).
- “Dust” symbolizes the ultimate fate of all humans, a return to the earth and a state of absolute equality.
- “Garlands” symbolize victory, honor, and fleeting glory, which inevitably “wither.”
- “Death’s purple altar” symbolizes the solemn, sacrificial nature of death, with “purple” hinting at both royalty and the shedding of blood.
The final lines offer a powerful symbolic contrast:
Only the actions of the just
Smell sweet and blossom in their dust.
Here, “smell sweet and blossom” symbolizes the enduring, beautiful, and life-affirming legacy of virtuous deeds, which paradoxically thrives even in the “dust” of mortality, suggesting a spiritual immortality beyond physical death.
Sound Devices: Enhancing Musicality and Emphasis
Shirley’s careful use of sound devices contributes significantly to the poem’s musicality and impact:
- Alliteration: The repetition of initial consonant sounds adds emphasis and rhythm. For example, “blood and state” and “sceptre and crown” create a subtle, dignified flow. The phrase “victor, victim bleeds” uses alliteration to draw attention to the contrasting terms.
- Assonance: The repetition of vowel sounds creates internal rhyme and a sense of flow. The short “i” sound in “icy hand on kings” subtly emphasizes the chilling power of death.
- Consonance: The repetition of consonant sounds within or at the end of words adds texture. In “Sceptre and Crown / Must tumble down,” the repeated “t” and “n” sounds create a percussive effect, mirroring the fall from power.
Enjambment: Creating Flow and Sustained Thought
Enjambment, the continuation of a sentence or phrase from one line to the next without a pause, creates a sense of flow and draws the reader forward. This technique prevents the poem from feeling choppy and reinforces its lyrical quality. Consider the final lines:
Only the actions of the just
Smell sweet and blossom in their dust.
The thought of what truly endures is not completed until the second line, emphasizing the lasting power of good deeds and creating a smooth, contemplative transition.
Poetic Form and Structure: A Framework for Profound Truths
The poem’s structure and form are integral to its effectiveness, providing a disciplined framework for its weighty themes.
Rhyme Scheme and Stanza Structure: Order and Emphasis
“Death The Leveller” is composed of three eight-line stanzas, known as octaves. Each stanza follows a consistent ABABCCDD rhyme scheme. This regular and predictable rhyme scheme contributes to the poem’s musicality and creates a sense of order and inevitability, mirroring the inescapable nature of death itself. The use of rhyming couplets (CCDD) at the end of each stanza provides a satisfying sense of closure and often emphasizes the stanza’s concluding thought or a key aspect of the poem’s message, such as the equality in death or the lasting power of just actions.
Meter and Rhythm: A Measured Pace
The poem primarily employs a combination of iambic tetrameter and iambic trimeter. An iamb is a metrical foot consisting of an unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable (da-DUM). Tetrameter means four iambs per line, and trimeter means three. For example:
The GLO-ries OF our BLOOD and STATE (iambic tetrameter)
Are SHA-dows, NOT sub-STAN-tial THINGS (iambic tetrameter)
There IS no AR-mour a-GAINST FATE (iambic tetrameter)
Death LAYS his I-cy HAND on KINGS (iambic tetrameter)Scep-TRE and CROWN (iambic trimeter)
Must TUM-ble DOWN (iambic trimeter)
This consistent, measured rhythm gives the poem a dignified, almost hymn-like quality, making its profound message feel both authoritative and memorable. The slightly shorter trimeter lines often provide a punchy, conclusive feel, particularly in the couplets.
Diction and Tone: Gravity and Reflection
Shirley’s diction, or word choice, is formal and elevated, befitting the serious and universal subject matter. Words like “glories,” “substantial,” “Fate,” “sceptre,” “laurels,” and “altar” lend a dignified and solemn tone to the poem. The overall tone is somber, reflective, and philosophical. While acknowledging the inevitability of death, the poem avoids despair, instead offering a measured and profound perspective on the human condition and the enduring value of virtue. It is a tone of wisdom and quiet authority, guiding the reader through a contemplation of life’s ultimate truth.
Key Lines for Deeper Understanding and Discussion
Certain lines from “Death The Leveller” resonate with particular power, serving as focal points for understanding its core messages:
The glories of our blood and state
Are shadows, not substantial things;
These opening lines immediately establish the poem’s central argument: all earthly power and status are ultimately fleeting and without true substance. They set the stage for the leveling power of death.
Death lays his icy hand on kings:
This iconic line personifies death with chilling effectiveness. It vividly portrays death as an active, formidable force that spares no one, not even those at the pinnacle of power.
Sceptre and Crown
Must tumble down,
And in the dust be equal made
With the poor crooked scythe and spade.
This powerful juxtaposition is the heart of the “leveller” concept. It visually and symbolically demonstrates how death obliterates all social hierarchy, reducing the symbols of royalty to the same humble state as the tools of the common laborer.
Upon Death’s purple altar now
See where the victor, victim bleeds.
This striking and somewhat paradoxical image highlights the ultimate irony of human ambition. Even the most triumphant “victor” becomes a “victim” in the face of death, emphasizing that no worldly success can conquer mortality.
Only the actions of the just
Smell sweet and blossom in their dust.
The poem concludes with this profound and hopeful message. It suggests that while physical life and worldly achievements are temporary, the moral legacy of righteous deeds endures. These actions possess a spiritual vitality that transcends death, offering a form of immortality.
By exploring these lines and the poem as a whole, readers can gain a deeper understanding of its timeless themes, its masterful use of literary devices, and its enduring relevance in contemplating the human condition.