NON-AFRICAN POETRY
Discuss the theme of fate in “Upon An Honest Man ‘s Fortune.”
Explanation
The poem confidently asserts that man is the author of his own life. The poet’s view that “man is his own star” is consistent with the general belief that man is in control of his own destiny. This view is stressed throughout the poem as the poet pours scorn on the so-called astrologers and star-gazers. As man is created in the image of God who endows him with talents, the poet rightly contends that the sky is the limit for man who is in search of perfection. As such, man should be able to find his own bearing in life and shape the course of his own affairs, as “nothing to him falls early or too late”.
The poem reveals that, in spite of the influence of the stars and other forces of nature, man’s fate in life depends on his honesty. “The soul that can/ render an honest and perfect man, commands all light…”. For it is man’s action or inaction that makes or breaks him as is expressed in the line, “our acts our angels are, or good or ill.” The poet therefore condemns those who rely on outside forces to shape their destiny because God has empowered man to be the master of his own fate and should rely on him for direction.