Jacob Jardel
Sports Editor
@JJardel_Writing
“Death closes all: but something ere the end, \ Some work of noble note, may yet be done, \ Not unbecoming men who strove with Gods.”
These words come from “Ulysses,” a poem by Alfred, Lord Tennyson. The title character speaks to the sailors with whom he has traveled, declaring that he and they still have the potential to do something honorable, to “sail beyond the sunset … until [they] die.”
People like Ulyssess don’t come often, even in scenarios far less grave than a Trojan War. The work ethic to keep going, to keep doing, until one’s final days exemplifies the nobility in all of us.
Recently, the world lost two of its noblest.
On Jan. 10, the news of David Bowie’s death sent shockwaves through the entertainment industry. His 18-month battle with cancer was far from public, and he recently released his final studio album “Blackstar” two days prior on his 69th birthday.
When news came through the wire, fans and the media reacted as if it was a hoax. A post on the star’s official Facebook unfortunately proved otherwise.
Many shared in the loss, with celebrities and fans expressing their condolences and heartache on social media in the days since his passing.
“David Bowie was one of my most important inspirations,” rapper Kanye West tweeted. “[So] fearless, so creative, he gave us magic for a lifetime.”
Even heads of state expressed their grief over Bowie’s death.
“Musically, creatively, artistically, David Bowie was a genius,” British Prime Minister David Cameron said. “He was a master of reinvention.”
The world did not have long before losing yet another masterful talent.
Actor Alan Rickman succumbed to his battle with cancer on Jan. 14 – four days after Bowie. He was 69-years-old.
Though he made his “big break” relatively late with his role as Hans Gruber in “Die Hard,” Rickman dazzled the screen in his numerous notable roles.
However, probably his most famed role was as Professor Severus Snape in the film adaptations of the Harry Potter books. Author J.K. Rowling expressed her sadness at the actor’s death via Twitter.
“There are no words to express how shocked and devastated I am to hear of Alan Rickman’s death,” Rowling said. “He was a magnificent actor [and] a wonderful man.”
His character shone through in his interactions with fellow actors. Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) Director Edward Kemp talked in depth about his kindness.
“He was generous with his time, his insight, his money, his experience,” Kemp said, “not only to RADA students but to young actors and theatre makers across the spectrum.”
The deaths of Bowie and Rickman had an impact in the entertainment industry, certainly. However, what makes these deaths so heavy to the general public? Neither have the impact of the great Achilles. They’re “just” celebrities.
What makes these things so important, anyway?
The piece “Catharsis with a swing of the bat” addressed a similar question in the context of sports, with athletic events providing distraction, unity and subsequent catharsis in times of national tragedy. It provides a common group around which to rally and support.
Other forms of entertainment like music and visual media don’t necessarily have that sort of collective focal point to back. It’s less of an active effort and more of a passive and welcome distraction.
But, in reality, isn’t that distraction one of the things that makes those media great?
As great as life is, it can get mundane, sad or even unnerving. It isn’t always fun. It can get boring or even depressing. Many people likely don’t want to live a life of constant ennui.
Enter music like “Moonage Daydream,” which showcases Bowie’s sterling vocals alongside space-sounding instrumentals. Enter movies like “Love Actually” with characters like Rickman’s Harry, a design manager with a dry humor and poor decision-making.
Enter any form of entertainment that provides a hopefully healthy escape from the doldrums and frustrations of non-entertainment life.
Individuals like Bowie and Rickman gave fans more than that, though.
They moved earth and heavens with the impacts they had on those they knew and entertained.
In short, they provided – and still provide – inspiration.
“I’m really sad to see him go, but I’m also glad that he left this world a better place,” SourceFed executive producer Jeremy Azevedo said of Bowie. “He did so with dignity, with love and with a positivity that we don’t expect of our idols anymore.”
Fellow actor Sir Ian McKellen provided similar words of remembrance about Rickman in a heartfelt Facebook post.
“Whether to institutions like RADA or to individuals and certainly to me, his advice was always spot-on,” McKellen said. “He put liberal philanthropy at the heart of his life … [He] was a super-active spirit, questing and achieving, a super-hero.”
Truly, both Bowie and Rickman were super-human in the ways they approached their craft and the people with whom they interacted. They left indelible marks that will be around long after their passing.
Most of all, they kept doing what they did best until they no longer had the ability. Embodying the spirits of Ulysses and his crew, Bowie and Rickman lived the fullest lives they could, and they will both live on in true Ulysses-like fashion:
“One equal temper of heroic hearts, \ Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will \ To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.”