William Butler Yeats, in his youth, was a significant and esteemed individual who actively engaged in influential groups and spearheaded initiatives to revive literature. He maintained the belief that as people age, they become disconnected from the realities of the world. This concept is prominently examined in his acclaimed poem “Sailing to Byzantium,” which is widely considered one of his finest accomplishments. The poem explores the clash between youth and old age, as well as the pursuit of spiritual enlightenment (Napierkowski 210).
Born on June 13, 1865 in Ireland, Yeats was the son of a lawyer and a renowned painter. He played a significant role in the efforts to revive Irish literature and his notable published works include “The Lake Isle of Innisfree,” “The Second Coming,” and “Sailing to Byzantium.” According to the Poetry Foundation, while Yeats incorporated symbols from everyday life and familiar traditions in most of his poetry, his writings in the 1890s continued to reflect his fascination with Irish subjects. By employing ordinary symbols, Yeats conveyed a profound significance and enhanced the impact of his works.
Yeats’ unique style defined him as a great poet, evident in his approximately 50 published works of poetry before his death on January 28, 1939 (nndb.com). One of his powerful and symbolic poems, “Sailing to Byzantium,” begins with the line “That is no country for old men” (Napierkowski 207), immediately highlighting the contrast between the lives of the young and the older generation. Yeats depicts a world filled with sensuality and youth, portraying the natural world as unfamiliar to the older inhabitants.
In his poem, Yeats utilizes imagery like “Salomon falls” and “mackerel-crowded seas” to represent abundance and fertility, which symbolize the potential and opportunities available to the young (Napierkowski 207). Additionally, Napierkowski suggests that the mention of salmon also represents death and the journey leading to it. The first stanza concludes with a rhyming couplet that highlights the conflict within the poem: the youth, engrossed in the sensory pleasures of nature, fails to acknowledge the grandeur of art and intellect, which endure eternally (Napierkowski 207). The second stanza introduces the speaker as distinctly different from the previous stanza’s perspective.
The stanza introduces an old man compared to a scarecrow, and his appearance is likened to that of a bird. According to Napierowski, the presence of singing birds symbolizes youth, whereas the aged man represents by the “pitiable scarecrow” (Napierkowski 207). Additionally, the poem incorporates spiritual elements in the second stanza, as the scarecrow image evolves into a soul. “The speaker concludes that only in an ideal setting, such as Byzantium, can he acquire the knowledge of soulful songs” (Napierkowski 208).
In the third stanza, the focus shifts to Byzantium. The speaker directs their words to the “sages” of Byzantium, who are depicted as being enclosed in a sacred fire, symbolized by a gold mosaic that represents the phoenix. The phoenix is a mythical bird that is consumed by flames and reduced to ashes, only to be reborn through those ashes. The speaker then implores the sages to grant him immortality akin to the magnificent artistic creations found in Byzantium. However, he comes to realize that in order for this transformation to occur, he must allow his body to be destroyed. The place that was once filled with his youthful desires and passions is consumed by a purifying fire alongside his physical form, which is described as a dying animal.
The final stanza of the poem depicts the speaker’s decision to abandon the natural world and transform himself into an eternal golden bird, as suggested by Napierkowski (208). This choice is likely influenced by the bird’s symbolic representation of the soul and its association with the artistic and aesthetic qualities of Byzantine culture. Once transformed, the speaker perches on a golden tree, embodying a true masterpiece, while singing the song of immortality. Furthermore, bachelorandmaster provides another analysis of this interpretation.
The unnamed author of this analysis describes the first stanza as a portrayal of the busy actions of youthful people, birds, and fishes involved in love and reproduction. The speaker is witness to these actions occurring continuously and reflects back on their own youthful days, celebrating them. However, the speaker also feels disheartened by the temporary ignorance displayed in those times (bachelorandmaster.com).
In Stanza 2, the old man is metaphorically compared to a scarecrow lacking physical strength. This emphasizes the need for the elderly to seek Byzantium, a land exclusively for the old, accessible through sea voyage. By leaving behind the fervor of youth and embracing new ways of life, they can fully immerse themselves in the country of the old.
Stanza 3 portrays the speaker’s plea to the sages standing in the holy fire, who have been cleansed of any remaining sensuality (bachelorandmaster.com). The poet desires to be an everlasting treasure and implores the divine fire of God to enlighten his soul. Acknowledging his impending death, he seeks to be immortalized as a work of art.
The final stanza of the poem expresses the poet’s desire to avoid returning to a physical body and rejects all forms of living reincarnation, as they ultimately result in death. Instead, the poet longs to transform into a majestic golden bird, akin to the birds crafted by ancient Greek goldsmiths for emperors’ enjoyment. This metamorphosis would grant him immortality and shield him from decay, allowing him to sing his songs to audiences from all walks of life in Byzantium for eternity. His songs will convey spiritual bliss, and he will forever be surrounded by opulent admirers.
Patrick Gillespie, from poemshape.wordpess.com, presents a unique analysis of the poem, which differs from others. According to Gillespie, in stanza one, the poem is described as a “bitter sandbox-tantrum of an old man. If I can’t play then I’m going to Byzantium!” (Gillespie). The imagery of the salmon and mackerel crowded seas symbolizes “life, fecundity and fertility” (Gillespie). Gillespie states that in stanza 2, the focus is on “Old Men”, and within the world of what is begotten, born, and dies, the old man can only be a tattered coat upon a stick.
The text emphasizes the idea of an elderly man seeking a profound intellectual transformation in “unaging intellect”. It mentions how he no longer finds pleasure in the sensory experiences of the world, leading him to embark on a journey to Byzantium for a new kind of life and revelation. In Stanza 3, the focus shifts to this new destination, with Gillespie explaining that Yeats defines the country that has rejected him or his art in the first stanza and describes the old man (possibly himself or his art) in the second stanza. The third stanza transitions the reader to Byzantium.
According to Gillespie, Stanza 4 of the poem is seen as a continuation of Stanza 3. He believes that the two stanzas are not contradictory but rather flow smoothly together, allowing for the possibility of the fourth stanza. Gillespie also suggests that Yeats rejects the idea of reincarnation and is eager to move on from the fleeting concerns of youth.
According to Gillespie, Yeats’s explanation of the rebirth concept in his poetry is a portrayal of his own personal and spiritual transformation. “Sailing to Byzantium” is a well-known poem that contemplates on youth, eternal spirituality, and individual connections. It enjoys great acclaim as one of Yeats’ finest works and stands among the most remarkable poems in English literature. The poem effectively conveys profound ideas about reincarnation, the importance of youth, and the value of human relationships, solidifying its position as one of the greatest poems of modern times.
Works Cited
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“William Butler Yeats. : The Poetry Foundation. N. p. , n. d. Web. 05 Feb. 2013.
