roof345

An Explication of Poetry by Selected Poets

Category: /General/

(693 views)

0

The lyric "When You Are Old" by the late and selected poet Mr. William Butler Yeats contains a variety of rhetorical devices. In all three quatrains, there are tropes and repetition. In particular, there are metaphorical images and perfect rhyme in lines one to twelve. In any case, the figurative language contributes to the overall effect of the poem by revealing the heart of the speaker and his unconditional love for the addressee is evident throughout the entire composition. The following explication will further identify the subexamples of these stylistic elements plus compare and contrast this text to an earlier yet related piece.
In the first stanza, the authors incorporates metonymy and symbolism. The "gray" in the opening clause represents old age, tiredness, and/or any characteristic that is associated with anyone who's not going to be with us much longer. Similarly, the "fire" in the second verse symbolizes love and the "soft looks" in the third line of poetry connotes beauty. Likewise, the "shadows deep" in the fourth verse line means depression. Summarily, the writer in this segment wants this muse to think ahead to her more advanced years in order to reflect on the choices that she made as a young woman.
The next two quartets also consist of metaphors, such as the "pilgrim soul" in the seventh line of verse and the "crowd of stars" at the very end of the work. Of course, the former comparison signifies the boredom of the love interest or her desire to be independent. The latter semblance, though, refers to the true love that the lady will never be able to accept. Furthermore, there is the personification of love in the final quartette that fits the description of the narrator himself. Indeed, the verse lines 10 - 12 supports the lyricist's embodiment of this steadfast dedication.
Besides these linkages, trio of heroic stanzas features exact rhyme in each poetic line and alliteration in the fifth verse, i.e. "glad grace." Moreover, there is an emphasis on the word "and" in the strophes. The staves additionally follow a rhyme scheme of ABBA, CDDC, and EFFE. Examples of the full rhyme include but are not limited to "sleep" and "deep" plus "book" and "look" (1-4). Other pairs of this repetitiveness are exemplified by: "grace" and face" (5-8); "true and you" (6-7); "bars" and "stars" (9-12) in addition to "fled" and "overhead (10-11).
In conclusion, this duodecet is actually an allusion to a sonnet from the Age of Exploration and the Renaissance. Both "When You Are ( Very) Old comprise of imagery and repetitive elements. They are also written in active voice and second person to females who love other men and Mr. Yeats subtly implies this especially in the middle and finality of his version of the manuscript. He even poses a rhetorical question that begins in line 5 and then answers this interrogation with an epiphany in the closing staff when he accepts the fact that he cannot force his beloved to do anything that she really does not want to do. While the two renditions are about the passage of time and unrequited love, the Italian sonnet has fourteen lines of verse whereas the douzain has twelve and the indirect reference has clearer language than the previous rime.

---

Favorite Favorite  Comment Comment  Share Share