Life of Martyrs!

It occurred and kindled my thoughts when i was watching Barathi movie today. He was a poet, rebellious patriotic tamil poet lived in the early 20th century. now to the question, do all great thinkers were acknowledged during their lifetime? Probably not. Barathi lived a commoner life with all problems. For that matter many people lived without a trace and became famous by their work much later. So this brings another question to mind, are all the great thinkers are known to the world? or the only who could express their mind. Without doubt only the ones who could express themselves or made known by others.
So a successful life normally doesnt just say a complete life you live but the one that makes others know that you lived a complete one. Okay it is becoming complicated, let me try to segregate the queries, Are the famous people lived a contended and happy life? or Are the great people are really great, this is one part and the other Are all the great people are known to us?
I will continue my thoughts in my next scribble.