When You Are Old - Summary
Introduction
William Butler Yeats is an Irish poet and one of the greatest poets in the English Language in the 20th century. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature in 1923. He is one among the great love poets of the world.
Summary/ Theme
''When You Are Old'' is a love poem addressed to the poet’s beloved who was the most beautiful young lady of his time. She is believed to be the inspiration behind this poem.
The tone of the poem is one of melancholy. W.B. Yeats imagines her future years and his true love in future. He repents over her divergent attitude who fails to understand his spiritual love. The poet begins the first stanza addressing her to imagine herself to be in her old age. The lady then will be very old approaching her peaceful years. When she opens the book of poems penned by the poet to read slowly, she will be taken back in time to recollect her past when she had innocent looks in her eyes and sadness hidden in her eyes.
The poet further says that his beloved would also regret to know that many loved her physical grace while only the poet worshipped her Pilgrim soul even as her face continued to change.
At last, the lady will grieve over the loss of her True Love who, fleeing
from her, joins a crowd of stars very distant from her. Thus, the poet expresses his true love while his beloved has failed to understand him.
Conclusion
This is a short and beautiful love poem. The poet has poured out his heart brimming with strong emotions of true love. He emphasizes his spiritual love sincerely waiting for the pilgrim soul in his beloved. The poet's wait until his death demonstrates his pure and sacred love.
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