What is Success
What is Success?
To laugh often and much;
To win the respect of intelligent people
and the affection of children;To earn the appreciation of honest critics
and endure the betrayal of false friends;To appreciate beauty;
To find the best in others;To leave the world a bit better, whether by
a healthy child, a garden patch
or a redeemed social condition;To know even one life has breathed
easier because you have lived;This is to have succeeded.
Summary of What is Success
- Popularity of “What is Success”: This short poetic form “What is Success” by Ralph Waldo Emerson, an American philosopher and poet, is not only unique but also matchless. The poem appeared first in 1908 in The Complete Works. The poetic uniqueness of this form lies in its unique definitions and explanations of success tied to different things in life.
- “What is Success” As a Representative of Success and Happiness: The poem opens with a rhetorical question and responds to this question. The poet asks a rhetorical question about what success is and then responds to this question in different ways. He argues that it could be that happiness is a success while at other times it could be respect and winning the respect of others. It also is to earn appreciation and winning the critic. Taking a twist, he argues that it is also beauty and its appreciation. It is to create a better situation or environment for others and it is also to live and let others live. If this happens in the world, it means that you have won success in life.
- Major Themes in “What is Success”: Success, beauty, and welfare of others are three major themes of the poem. This poetic structure highlights the responses to a rhetorical question in which the poet states that although it is linked with happiness, beauty, and betterment of others, yet it could be anything if measured from the community yardstick. Therefore, this welfare lies in the success of an individual who if he serves the society, makes the world beautiful, and brings smiles on the faces of the children, is successful in the world.
Analysis of Poetic Devices Used in “What is Success”
literary devices are tools that beautify the language and polish the rhythm of poetry. The analysis of these devices in the poem as given below shows this fact.
- Assonance: Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds in the same line such as the sound of /i/ in “To win the respect of intelligent people”, /e/ in “To leave the world a bit better, whether by” and the sound of /o/ in “To know even one life has breathed.”
- Alliteration: It is the use of successive consonant sounds in the initials of the successive words such as /b/ in “bit better” and /f/ in “false friends.”
- Anaphora: The poem shows the use of anaphora as the repetition of “To…” in several verses that makes it an anaphoric expression.
- Consonance: Consonance is the repetition of consonant sounds in the same line such as the sound of /l/ in “To win the respect of intelligent people”, /f/ and “To leave the world a bit better, whether by” and the sound of /l/ in “a healthy child, a garden patch.”s
- Enjambment: It is defined as a thought in verse that does not come to an end at a line break; rather, it rolls over to the next line. For example;
To leave the world a bit better, whether by
a healthy child, a garden patch
or a redeemed social condition;
- Imagery: Imagery is used to make readers perceive things involving their five senses. The poem shows the use of imagery such as “and endure the betrayal of false friends”, “a healthy child, a garden patch” and “To know even one life has breathed.”
- Metaphor: It is a figure of speech in which an implied comparison is made between the objects that are different. The poem shows the use of metaphor such as the air that breaks into mist which means the air is like a bamboo stick or old walls are like the swings.
- Oxymoron: It means to show contradictory ideas put together such as “false friends.”
- Personification: The poet has shown the use of life as if it has life and emotions of its own.
- Rhetorical Question: Rhetorical question is a question that is not asked to receive an answer; it is just posed to make the point clear. The poem shows the use of a rhetorical question such as;
What is Success?
To laugh often and much;
- Symbolism: Symbolism is using symbols to signify ideas and qualities, giving them symbolic meanings that are different from literal meanings. The poem shows the use of the symbols of the garden, child, and life as symbols of life.
Analysis of Poetic Devices Used in “What is Success”
Poetic and literary devices are the same, but a few are used only in poetry. Here is the analysis of some of the poetic devices used in this poem.
- Free Verse: The poem does not follow any rhyme scheme. Therefore, it is a free verse.
- Stanza: A stanza is a poetic form of some lines. There are five stanzas and two one-liners.
- Repetition: The poem shows the repetition of “To…” to stress upon the idea of what to do to win success.
Quotes to be Used
These lines from “What is Success” are relevant to use when teaching about the changes that an individual can bring in society and win personal success.
To win the respect of intelligent people
and the affection of children;
