his tattered body is rejoicing and singing unto the world. There is no need to have schools instructing in the art of singing; the study of the magnificent cenotaphs is music in its own. The author sees Byzantium as a place of wondrous beauty and mysticism. “And therefore I have sailed the seas and come to the holy city of Byzantium.” The author has left his home to journey to Byzantium. He hopes to find a change from the monotony of European society. Europe at that time was and to an extent still is a place of rigid conformity composed of a strict caste system. The author escapes this environment in the holy city of Byzantium.In the third stanza the author is beckoning the wise old men portrayed in gold mosaic on the walls of Byzantine churches. He asks that these sages emerge from the walls in a spiraling motion and feed his soul full of song and praise. “Come from the holy fire, perne in a gyre, and be the singing-masters of my soul.” The author requests to be versed in the mystery of Byzantine ways. He explains how his heart yearns for the teachings of the masters. The author wants to be swept away in to the intrigue of eternity.The fourth stanza discusses the author’s desire to become an engraving in gold on a Byzantine wall. “Once out of nature I shall never take my bodily form from any natural thing, but such a form as Grecian goldsmiths make…” “Out of nature” refers to death. Once one dies they are no longer part of the natural world; one becomes part of the spiritual world. Yeats longs to shift into a portrait, which will remain immortal and will be seen by all who venture to Byzantium. Goldsmiths make these portraits for the amusement of the Emperor. The Emperor will never become lonely or tired while the goldsmiths hammer new artwork on the wall. Yeats has heard of a gold and silver tree that holds artificial birds to entertain the Emperor. The au...
