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A Close Reading of Two Lyrics

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The lyric poem "When You Are Old" by the selected poet Mr. William Butler Yeats is a duodecet from the Industrial Revolution and World War 1. This twelve-liner is an allusion to "When You Are Very Old" by the late poetaster Mr. Pierre de Ronsard from Renaissance. Both authors incorporate a variety of figurative language, which contributes to the overall effect of the two lyrics by revealing the hearts of the personas. They each have an unconditional love for their addresses, who love other men who don't feel the same way about them. This explication will further analyze the similarities and differences between the douzain and the Italian sonnet plus the thematic meaning that writers have embedded in the literary works.
One similarity between the pair of rhapsodies is that there is perfect rhyme at the end of each stanza. The original expression has fourteen lines, which are divided into an octave and a sextet. In fact, there is an ABAB and CDCD rhyme scheme in the eight-liner. Likewise, there is an EEFGFG rhythmic pattern in the six-liner. The latter composition, however, has an ABAB as well as a CDDC and EFFE rhyming scheme that creates a sense of musicality all three quatrains.
In addition to exact rhyme, there is alliteration in the couple of pieces. Indeed, this form of repetition is exemplified in the fifth line of the modern poem and this "glad grace" is an image that means youthfulness. Similarly, this rhetorical device is illustrated in verses seven and nine in the Petrarchan sonnet. In the seventh line, the protagonist assures his ladylove that she will wake up hearing the sound of his name. Nonetheless, he promises her in the ninth verse that he will be dead before she decides to receive true love.
One difference between the works of art includes the time period in which they were written. While Mr. Ronsard wrote his rendition in the 1500's, Mr. Yeats authored his version towards the end of the 19th century. Of course, he continued to recite it during the 20th century and this especially includes World War I since this is the time where many hearts were broken due to the devastation that the battle itself had caused. Speaking of devastation, the lyricists were devastated that their love interests were getting used or manipulated by the antagonists who only cared about their looks or outward appearance at large. This tough love, nonetheless, is expressed in all twenty-six lines of the two masterpieces.
Another dissimilarity involves the clarity of figurative meaning. The language in the symbolist poem is clearer and more straightforward than in the earlier piece. For example, there are tropes in the subsequent version and this particularly includes the metonymy in the first heroic stanza and " grey" in the opening line stands for old age or anything associated with the elderly such as the realization that they are not always going to be there. Their lack of energy is also a connotation of those who are not going to be around forever and this tiredness is account for in the very first line of "When You Are Old" by Mr. Yeats. This fatigue is also referened in verse six of the fourteen-line from the Age of Discovery.
Besides metonymy, there is a metaphor in the seventh line and this "pilgrim soul" refers to the boredom of the recipients and/or their desire to be independent from the older population. Furthermore, there is an additional comparison at the end of the douzaine and this "crowd of stars" refers to the love that is too high for these ladies to reach. Moreover, there is personification of love and this refers to the poet himself in the final quatrain.

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