“Live Your Life” by Chief Tecumseh: A Critical Analysis

Introduction: “Live Your Life” by Chief Tecumseh

“Live Your Life” by Chief Tecumseh was likely never published in a traditional sense during his lifetime. The poem is attributed to the Shawnee leader and is thought to be based on his speeches and philosophy. There are no specific collections associated with this poem during Chief Tecumseh’s era. However, it has been widely shared in various anthologies, websites, and inspirational literature. The poem’s qualities include powerful imagery, an emphasis on courage and resilience, and a profound respect for nature and the interconnectedness of life.

Text: “Live Your Life” by Chief Tecumseh

So live your life that the fear of death can never enter your heart.
Trouble no one about their religion; respect others in their view, and demand that they respect yours. Love your life, perfect your life, beautify all things in your life. 

Seek to make your life long and its purpose in the service of your people.
Prepare a noble death song for the day when you go over the great divide.
Always give a word or a sign of salute when meeting or passing a friend, even a stranger, when in a lonely place. Show respect to all people and grovel to none.

When you arise in the morning give thanks for the food and for the joy of living.
If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies only in yourself.
Abuse no one and no thing, for abuse turns the wise ones to fools and robs the spirit of its vision.

When it comes your time to die, be not like those whose hearts are filled with the fear of death, so that when their time comes they weep and pray for a little more time to live their lives over again in a different way. Sing your death song and die like a hero going home.

Annotations: “Live Your Life” by Chief Tecumseh

Stanza	Annotation
So live your life that the fear of death can never enter your heart.	Emphasizes facing life (and ultimately death) with courage. Living fully means not allowing fear to limit one’s actions.
Trouble no one about their religion; respect others in their view, and demand that they respect yours.	Stresses the importance of religious tolerance and recognizing that there are many valid paths to spiritual fulfillment.
Love your life, perfect your life, beautify all things in your life. Seek to make your life long and its purpose in the service of your people.	Encourages self-improvement, finding beauty within the life you have, and using your gifts to benefit the community. There’s a focus on life’s purpose being greater than oneself.
Prepare a noble death song for the day when you go over the great divide.	Approaching death with dignity and acceptance is key. Rather than fear, one should see death as a transition and have something prepared to celebrate that journey.
Always give a word or a sign of salute when meeting or passing a friend, even a stranger, when in a lonely place. Show respect to all people and grovel to none.	Highlights the importance of respect regardless of social standing, emphasizing every person has dignity.
When you arise in the morning give thanks for the food and for the joy of living. If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies only in yourself.	Gratitude is emphasized as a choice. The speaker suggests that focusing on life’s blessings leads to a better outlook.
Abuse no one and no thing, for abuse turns the wise ones to fools and robs the spirit of its vision.	The philosophy of non-violence is implied, suggesting harmful actions ultimately harm the one who commits them.
When it comes your time to die, be not like those whose hearts are filled with the fear of death, so that when their time comes they weep and pray for a little more time to live their lives over again in a different way. Sing your death song and die like a hero going home.	Mirrors the opening stanza by reiterating the importance of living fearlessly and embracing death with a sense of acceptance and even triumph.

Literary And Poetic Devices: “Live Your Life” by Chief Tecumseh

Literary/Poetic Device	Definition	Example from the Poem
Anaphora	Repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of lines	“So live your life…” , “When it comes your time…”
Aphorism	A short, memorable statement conveying a truth	“Abuse no one and no thing…”
Assonance	Repetition of vowel sounds within words	“…for the food and for the joy…” (repetition of the short ‘o’ sound)
Chiasmus	A grammatical structure where a phrase is reversed in a subsequent phrase	“…respect others in their view, and demand that they respect yours.”
Command/Imperative	Sentences giving a direct order	“Live your life…”, “Love your life…”, “Seek to make…”
Connotation	Associations and implied meanings of a word beyond its literal definition	“heart” implies courage and spirit, not just the physical organ
Contrast	Placing things in opposition to highlight differences	Those who approach death with fear vs. those who sing their “death song”
Diction	Word choice, impacting tone and meaning	Words like “noble,” “hero,” and “joy” create an elevated and inspirational tone
Imagery	Sensory details creating vivid mental pictures	“go over the great divide” implies a transition to another realm
Juxtaposition	Placing elements side-by-side for contrasting effect	“…weep and pray…” contrasted with “Sing your death song…”
Metaphor	Implied comparison between unlike things	Death compared to “going over the great divide”
Moral Tone	The poem’s underlying message about how one should live	Emphasizes respect, gratitude, courage, and service to others
Motif	Recurring image, symbol, or idea	The motif of giving thanks reinforces importance of gratitude
Parallelism	Similar grammatical structures within phrases or lines	“Love your life, perfect your life, beautify all things…”
Personification	Giving human qualities to non-human things	“abuse turns the wise ones to fools…”
Repetition	Repeating words/phrases for emphasis	“Live your life” , “respect” and “sing your death song” are powerful refrains
Rhetorical Question	A question asked for effect, not expecting an answer	“If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies only in yourself?”
Symbolism	Objects/ideas representing something deeper	The “death song” represents a philosophy of how to approach mortality
Tricolon	A structure with three parallel phrases	“…the fear of death can never enter your heart.”

Themes: “Live Your Life” by Chief Tecumseh

Courage in the Face of Mortality

• The poem emphasizes living life to the fullest without being consumed by fear of death.
• It promotes approaching death with a sense of acceptance and the preparation of a celebratory “death song.”
• This suggests a philosophy of embracing the natural cycle of life and finding meaning beyond the fear of its end.

Importance of Respect and Tolerance

• The speaker encourages respecting others’ beliefs and demanding the same respect in return.
• There’s an emphasis on treating everyone, even strangers, with dignity and never groveling or elevating oneself above others.
• This highlights the importance of recognizing the inherent worth of each individual and fosters a sense of community.

Gratitude and Finding Joy

• The poem champions giving thanks for life’s blessings, urging the reader to find joy in daily existence.
• It suggests that if one fails to find reasons to be grateful, the problem lies within their own attitude, not in external circumstances.
• This promotes a mindset focused on appreciating what one has.

Self-Improvement and Service to Others

• The poem encourages individuals to strive for betterment and use their gifts in service of their community.
• It emphasizes seeking to live a long life dedicated to a purpose beyond oneself.
• This theme underscores the idea that a meaningful life involves active participation in one’s community and a commitment to the common good.

Literary Theories and “Live Your Life” by Chief Tecumseh

Literary Theory	Explanation	Application to “Live Your Life”
Native American Traditionalist	Seeks to understand the poem within its original cultural context, respecting the oral tradition and worldview behind it.	Analyzes its potential role in ceremonies, teachings, and the preservation of Shawnee cultural values.
Postcolonialism	Examines the effects of colonization and how texts represent or resist oppressive power structures.	Could explore how the poem’s preservation challenges the erasure of Indigenous knowledge systems. Questions of mistranslation or Western misinterpretations might be considered.
Ecocriticism	Examines the relationship between literature and the natural environment.	Highlights the deep connection with the natural world evident in the poem. Analyzes imagery (“great divide”) and the environmental ethics implied in lines like “beautify all things in your life”.
Moral Philosophy	Looks at ethical principles and systems of thought presented within a text.	Focuses on analyzing the code of conduct the poem promotes, examining concepts like virtue, purpose, and one’s responsibility to others.
Structuralism	Focuses on underlying patterns and structures within a text.	Could identify recurring motifs (giving thanks, preparing for death) and how binary oppositions (fear/courage, life/death) structure meaning within the poem.

Critical Questions about “Live Your Life” by Chief Tecumseh

1. How does the poem’s origin in oral tradition impact its interpretation and potential for varied meanings? Since a poem originating in oral tradition likely has no single definitive written version, how might the translation process introduce the translator’s own perspective or unintentionally narrow the range of possible meanings? Could the poem’s impact in written form be different from its role in traditional Shawnee storytelling?
2. Can the poem’s philosophy be considered universal, or are certain teachings deeply rooted in specific Shawnee cultural perspectives? While themes like courage and respect have broad resonance, are there elements that might be better understood through knowledge of Shawnee beliefs about the afterlife, community structure, or the natural world?
3. How does the poem’s emphasis on respecting diverse beliefs challenge modern-day religious and cultural conflicts? In a world often marked by intolerance, can this poem’s message offer guidance on creating understanding and peaceful coexistence amidst diverse worldviews? Does it provide a model for accepting differences without compromising one’s own beliefs?
4. In a world frequently focused on material wealth and individual achievement, how does the poem’s emphasis on purpose, gratitude, and service provide a counter-narrative? Does the poem challenge modern notions of success and fulfillment? Can its philosophy promote a shift away from self-centeredness towards a more conscious and community-oriented way of living?

Literary Works Similar to “Live Your Life” by Chief Tecumseh

Potential Areas for Comparative Analysis:

• Ethical/Moral Frameworks: Examine how different texts outline codes of conduct and philosophies of living a meaningful life.
• Spiritual Dimensions: Analyze the role of spirituality, respect for nature, and concepts of the afterlife across these works.
• Views on Adversity: Explore how each text approaches challenges, emphasizing resilience, acceptance, or the potential for personal growth.

Suggested Readings: “Live Your Life” by Chief Tecumseh

Primary Sources on Tecumseh’s Speeches:

• Edmunds, R. David. The Shawnee Prophet. University of Nebraska Press, 1985.
• Sugden, John. Tecumseh: A Life. Holt Paperbacks, 1999.
• Where to find these:
• Library catalogs, interlibrary loan, or online bookseller specializing in history.

General Works on Native American Philosophy and Literature:

• Deloria, Vine. God is Red: A Native View of Religion. 3rd Edition, Fulcrum Publishing, 1994.
• Lincoln, Kenneth. Sing with the Heart of a Bear: Fusions of Native and American Poetry, 1890-1999. University of California Press, 2000.
• Where to find these: Library catalogs, university bookstores

Websites or Online Collections:

• Tecumseh – Poetry – Native American Authors. Native American Authors, . Accessed 2 April 2024. (Includes the poem, basic biographical information)