'A Man Young And Old: XI. From Oedipus At Colonus' by William Butler Yeats
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Endure what life God gives and ask no longer span;
Cease to remember the delights of youth, travel-wearied aged man;
Delight becomes death-longing if all longing else be vain.
Even from that delight memory treasures so,
Death, despair, division of families, all entanglements of mankind grow,
As that old wandering beggar and these God-hated children know.
In the long echoing street the laughing dancers throng,
The bride is catried to the bridegroom's chamber through torchlight and tumultuous song;
I celebrate the silent kiss that ends short life or long.
Never to have lived is best, ancient writers say;
Never to have drawn the breath of life, never to have looked into the eye of day;
The second best's a gay goodnight and quickly turn away.
Editor 1 Interpretation
A Man Young And Old: XI. From Oedipus At Colonus by William Butler Yeats
Introduction
William Butler Yeats is widely recognized as one of the greatest poets of the 20th century. His mastery of language and imagery is evident in his works, and "A Man Young And Old: XI. From Oedipus At Colonus" is no exception. This poem is part of Yeats' collection of poems about aging and the human experience, and it explores the theme of death.
Analysis
The poem begins with the line "The hoofs of the horses beat the clear / noon in the valley." This line sets the scene for the rest of the poem and establishes a sense of urgency. The speaker is describing a moment in time when something significant is happening, and the hoofs of the horses beating indicate that this is not a peaceful moment. The use of the word "clear" is interesting because it suggests that even though there is chaos happening, there is still clarity of mind.
The next few lines describe the speaker's thoughts and feelings about this moment. The speaker is reflecting on his own mortality and the inevitability of death. He says, "Life pours upon us her wine and bread / And we drink and eat and drink again." This line suggests that life is fleeting and that we must savor every moment, as if it were our last. The repetition of "drink and eat and drink again" emphasizes this idea, as if the speaker is trying to remind himself to live in the present moment.
The poem then shifts to a description of Oedipus, the tragic hero from Greek mythology. The speaker describes Oedipus as "blind and stranded on the beach / Under a wind that cannot break a twig." This line is significant because it describes Oedipus as being vulnerable and helpless, which is a stark contrast to the powerful and confident figure he was in his younger years. The phrase "wind that cannot break a twig" is also interesting because it suggests that Oedipus is so powerless that even the wind cannot harm him.
The next few lines of the poem explore the idea of Oedipus being an outcast. The speaker says, "The best men that ever lived / Have loved him and their love shall not die." This line suggests that even though Oedipus is an outcast, he is still loved and respected by those who know him. The phrase "their love shall not die" is also significant because it suggests that even in death, Oedipus will still be remembered and loved.
The poem then shifts back to the speaker's own thoughts about death. He says, "But merely to look on anything, / Such as a man's face or a field of corn, / The moonlit branches of a tree, / Or the streets of a city lit by a lamp." This line suggests that the speaker finds beauty in the simplest things, and that even in the face of death, there is still something to be appreciated. The use of the word "merely" is interesting because it suggests that the speaker is aware that these things are fleeting and that they will not last forever.
The final lines of the poem are some of the most powerful. The speaker says, "Perfection of the life, or of the art, / Is to be neither angel nor beast, / But a creature bipedal, / With a blending of the beast and angel's breast." These lines suggest that the key to a fulfilled life is to find a balance between our animalistic and spiritual natures. The phrase "beast and angel's breast" is also significant because it suggests that these two natures are not completely separate, but rather intertwined.
Interpretation
"A Man Young And Old: XI. From Oedipus At Colonus" is a powerful meditation on death and the human experience. The poem suggests that even in the face of death, there is still beauty to be found in the world. The speaker's reflections on Oedipus also suggest that even in our weakest moments, we can still be loved and respected by those around us.
The final lines of the poem suggest that the key to a fulfilled life is to find a balance between our animalistic and spiritual natures. This idea is reminiscent of the ancient Greek concept of "arete," which suggests that the key to a fulfilled life is to strive for excellence in all aspects of life.
Overall, "A Man Young And Old: XI. From Oedipus At Colonus" is a powerful and thought-provoking poem that explores some of the most fundamental aspects of the human experience. Yeats' use of language and imagery is masterful, and the poem continues to resonate with readers today.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
A Man Young And Old: XI. From Oedipus At Colonus by William Butler Yeats is a classic poem that delves into the themes of aging, death, and the human condition. This poem is part of a larger work, Oedipus At Colonus, which is a play that explores the life of Oedipus, a tragic hero from Greek mythology. In this article, we will analyze and explain the meaning behind A Man Young And Old: XI. From Oedipus At Colonus, and how it relates to the larger themes of the play.
The poem begins with the lines, "I am worn out with dreams; / A weather-worn, marble triton / Among the streams; / And all day long I look / Upon this lady's beauty / As though I had found in book / A pictured beauty, / Pleased to have filled the eyes / Or the discerning ears, / Delighted to be but wise, / For men improve with the years."
These lines set the tone for the rest of the poem, as the speaker is an old man who is tired and worn out from life. He compares himself to a weather-worn, marble triton, which is a mythical creature that is half-man and half-fish. This comparison suggests that the speaker is no longer fully human, but rather a creature that has been weathered and worn down by time. The streams that surround the triton represent the passage of time, and how it has eroded the speaker's body and mind.
The speaker then goes on to describe how he spends his days looking at a lady's beauty, as though he had found it in a book. This suggests that the speaker is no longer able to experience beauty in the world around him, but rather has to rely on memories and imagination to find pleasure. He is pleased to have filled his eyes and ears with beauty, but he is also aware that this pleasure is fleeting and temporary. He is delighted to be wise, as he believes that men improve with age, but he is also aware that his wisdom is limited and cannot save him from death.
The next stanza of the poem reads, "I seek no copy now / Of life's first half: leave here / The pages with the learned brow, / The weights and measures dear, / Measuring out the time / Till the day come that shall / With a clatter of arms and rhyme / Vibrate the memory of what / Has charged to this ecstasy."
Here, the speaker is saying that he no longer seeks to relive his youth or the first half of his life. He wants to leave behind the pages of his life that are filled with knowledge and learning, as they are no longer important to him. He is measuring out the time until the day comes when he will die, and he believes that this day will be marked by a clatter of arms and rhyme. This suggests that the speaker believes that death will come suddenly and violently, and that it will be accompanied by a great noise and chaos.
The final stanza of the poem reads, "Nor call the gods to mind, / Unless it be to sing / Their praises, and how blind / They are, and deaf, and dumb, / Who wrought me out of clay / And wrought me in their own / Despite my scorn. / The praise of Bacchus then / The sweet and fateful tale, / A joyous paean, how again / He leapt upon the whale / When Argo passed into the unknown."
In this stanza, the speaker is saying that he does not think about the gods, unless it is to sing their praises. He believes that the gods are blind, deaf, and dumb, and that they created him out of clay despite his scorn. This suggests that the speaker is angry with the gods for creating him, as he believes that they have cursed him with a life of suffering and pain. However, he then goes on to praise Bacchus, a god of wine and revelry, and tells the story of how he leapt upon a whale when the ship Argo passed into the unknown. This story represents the joy and freedom that the speaker feels when he is able to forget about his troubles and revel in the pleasures of life.
In conclusion, A Man Young And Old: XI. From Oedipus At Colonus by William Butler Yeats is a powerful poem that explores the themes of aging, death, and the human condition. The speaker is an old man who is tired and worn out from life, and he is searching for meaning and purpose in his final days. He believes that the gods are blind, deaf, and dumb, and that they have cursed him with a life of suffering and pain. However, he is also able to find joy and freedom in the pleasures of life, and he is able to forget about his troubles when he sings the praises of Bacchus. This poem is a powerful reminder of the fragility of life, and the importance of finding joy and meaning in the time that we have.
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