When You Are Old | Poem 3 | Poetry | Summary | Questions and Answers |

 

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English | Class 10th | Tulip Series |

 

When You Are Old | Poem 3 | Poetry | Summary | Questions and Answers |

 

When You Are Old (W. B. Yeats)

 

When you are old and grey and full of sleep,

And nodding by the fire, take down this book,

And slowly read, and dream of the soft look

Your eyes had once, and of their shadows deep;

 

How many loved your moments of glad grace,

And loved your beauty with love - false or true,

But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you,

 

And loved the sorrows of your changing face;

And bending down beside the glowing bars,

Murmur, a little sadly, how love fled

And paced upon the mountains overhead

And hid face amid a crowd of stars.

(W. B. Yeats)

 

Idea

This poem is addressed to Maud Gonne, the poet's beloved. Maud Gonne was an Irish revolutionary who never responded to Yeats' love. This lyric is an expression of Yeats' intense emotions. The speaker of the poem dramatizes his unrequited love by offering a future command for the addressee, i.e., his beloved to take down his book of poems and read it. He imagines that his poem will appear in a collection of his published poems. He wants the addressee, after she has become 'old and grey and full of sleep' to read his poem and think about his love for her. The poet leaves no stone unturned to convince his beloved that he loves her from the depths of his heart. Yeats is not just fascinated by Maud Gonne's physical charms and the external beauty that forms the basis of the lover's passion. The poet's love is above all these parameters. One can genuinely find an elegance of spirituality in this poem. The poem has been taken from The Rose addressed to Maud Gonne.

 

SHORT SUMMARY

            "When You Are Old" by W.B. Yeats is a poignant and reflective poem addressed to a former lover. The speaker asks the woman to read the poem when she is old, gray, and full of sleep, to reminisce about her youth and the many who loved her beauty. However, he highlights that his love was different because it cherished her soul and the sorrows of her changing face. As she looks back, she may feel a sense of loss for the genuine love she once had but did not fully appreciate. The poem captures the bittersweet nature of love and the passage of time.

 

Thinking about the Poem

Question 1. How is the journey from youth to old age described in the poem?

Answer: In "When You Are Old" by W.B. Yeats, the journey from youth to old age is described with a tone of reflection and wistfulness. Yeats begins by addressing his beloved, asking her to read the poem in her old age when she is "old and grey and full of sleep." He paints a vivid picture of her sitting by the fire, nodding off, and dreaming of her youthful days. The transition from youth to old age is marked by physical changes—her beauty fading, her face wrinkling—yet the poem underscores the depth of true love that goes beyond mere physical appearance. This journey also emphasizes a sense of regret and nostalgia, as the beloved is reminded of the genuine love that cherished her inner self, which she might have overlooked in her younger days. Through this description, Yeats poignantly captures the inevitable passage of time and the enduring nature of true love.

Question 2. What does the phrase 'full of sleep' mean?

Answer: The phrase "full of sleep" in the poem "When You Are Old" by W.B. Yeats signifies the weariness and drowsiness that comes with old age. It evokes an image of the beloved being physically tired and perhaps nearing the end of her life, resting by the fire in her later years.

Question 3. How is the poet's love different from that of others?

Answer: The poet's love is different from that of others because he loves the beloved not just for her physical beauty or fleeting charms but for her inner soul and the essence of who she truly is. This deep, soulful love contrasts with the superficial admiration of others who loved her only for her youthful beauty.

Question 4. What is Maud Gonne reminded of in the poem?

Answer: In the poem "When You Are Old" by W. B. Yeats, Maud Gonne is reminded of her lost youth and beauty, and the deep, enduring love the poet had for her, which transcended physical appearance and admired her inner qualities. The poem serves as a reflection on aging and the contrast between superficial admirers and the poet's genuine affection.

Question 5. 'But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you'. Explain.

Answer: In the line "But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you," W. B. Yeats expresses that while many admired Maud Gonne's physical beauty and youth, he loved her deeper, inner self—her "pilgrim soul"—which suggests a journeying, searching spirit. This highlights the poet's profound and enduring love for her true essence beyond mere outward appearances.

Question 6. Write a short paragraph of 150 - 200 words on the emotions portrayed in the poem.

Answer: The poem "When You Are Old" by W. B. Yeats is imbued with deep emotions of love, nostalgia, and regret. The speaker tenderly addresses his beloved, imagining her in old age, reminiscing about the past when she was admired by many for her beauty. This evokes a sense of nostalgia, as it brings to mind the fleeting nature of youth and beauty. However, the poet distinguishes his own love from that of others, emphasizing that while many loved her physical charms, he cherished her "pilgrim soul" and the sorrows that shaped her true self. This reveals a profound and spiritual connection, highlighting the depth and sincerity of his feelings. The poem also carries an undercurrent of regret and longing, as the speaker laments that his unique and enduring love might not have been fully recognized or reciprocated. The imagined scene of the beloved, now old and full of sleep, reflecting on lost love, evokes a poignant sense of melancholy and the inevitable passage of time. Overall, the poem captures a rich tapestry of emotions, portraying a timeless and transcendent love that persists even as beauty fades and time marches on.

 

Learning about the Literary Device/s

A. What images does the poet use in the poem?

Answer: In the poem "When You Are Old" by W. B. Yeats, the poet uses several vivid images to convey the emotions and themes of love, nostalgia, and the passage of time:

1. Old Age and Sleep: "When you are old and grey and full of sleep" creates a visual image of the beloved in her old age, tired and resting, evoking a sense of weariness and the quietude of advanced years.

2. Book and Reading: "And nodding by the fire, take down this book" conjures the image of an elderly woman sitting by a warm fire, reading and reminiscing about the past, adding to the atmosphere of nostalgia.

3. Dreaming Eyes: "How many loved your moments of glad grace, / And loved your beauty with love false or true" depicts the admiration the beloved received in her youth, focusing on her physical beauty and the charm she once exuded.

4. Pilgrim Soul: "But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you" presents the image of a soul on a journey, seeking and exploring, symbolizing a deeper, spiritual connection beyond mere physical attraction.

5. Sorrows Changing Face: "And loved the sorrows of your changing face" suggests the changes that time and experiences bring, showing how the poet's love embraces the beloved's entire being, including her trials and tribulations.

6. Mountains Overhead: "And bending down beside the glowing bars, / Murmur, a little sadly, how Love fled / And paced upon the mountains overhead" evokes a scene where love is personified as a figure moving on distant, lofty mountains, symbolizing its unattainability and the distance between the past and present.

These images together create a rich, evocative portrayal of the beloved’s journey from youth to old age, and the enduring, profound nature of the poet's love.

 

B. What is the rhyme scheme of the poem?

Answer: The poem "When You Are Old" by W. B. Yeats follows a simple ABBA rhyme scheme. This means that in each quatrain (four-line stanza), the first- and fourth-lines rhyme with each other, and the second- and third-lines rhyme with each other. Here is a breakdown of the rhyme scheme for each stanza:

1. First stanza:

   - When you are old and grey and full of sleep, (A)

   - And nodding by the fire, take down this book, (B)

   - And slowly read, and dream of the soft look (B)

   - Your eyes had once, and of their shadows deep; (A)

2. Second stanza:

   - How many loved your moments of glad grace, (C)

   - And loved your beauty with love false or true, (D)

   - But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you, (D)

   - And loved the sorrows of your changing face; (C)

3. Third stanza:

   - And bending down beside the glowing bars, (E)

   - Murmur, a little sadly, how Love fled (F)

   - And paced upon the mountains overhead (F)

   - And hid his face amid a crowd of stars. (E)

So, the overall rhyme scheme for the poem is ABBA CDDC EFFE.

 

Suggesting Reading

• The Lake Isle of Innisfree by Yeats

• The Journey of Magi by T. S. Eliot

• Sonnet CXVI by William Shakespeare

• Poetry by Pablo Neruda