Sailing to Byzantium, Poetry, College Term Papers.com


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Back to Subjects - Poetry

Sailing to Byzantium

Sailing to Byzantium The poem, “Sailing to Byzantium” by William Butler Yeats, is an in depth look at the journeys of one man seeking to escape the idle and uneducated society of Europe. Yeats pursues a society of which sensual and artistic domains reign. The goal of the author is to become a part of Byzantine civilization and to be forever immortalized in the artwork presented in gold on the walls of the Byzantine churches. Immersion into a different culture and lifestyle is the only way to truly experience and fully understand the ways of this other culture. By surrounding oneself in an unknown environment, one develops great character and becomes less ignorant to differences in others. People tend to become quite unenlightened when all time is spent in the culture of which one is born. Many need to journey beyond their safe haven and experience the life which others live. To walk in another man’s shoes is to truly know what that man is feeling. In the first stanza the author explains that the land of which he speaks is not one for old folks. There is many young people lolling about enjoying life. The fish of the sea, the mammals of the land, and the birds of the air acclaim all the summer long. Summer here tends to mean all year. Summer is a very passive time of year. All God’s creatures are described as lazy and uninterested in the knowledge there is to be sought after. “Caught in that sensual music all neglect monuments of unaging intellect.” These verses indicate to the reader how enjoyable life must be in this far away land. Everyone and everything escapes reality in the arousing music of desire. Love is a prominent portrait portrayed in this first stanza. The second stanza examines how wonderful it is in the stimulating city of Byzantium. The natural and biological world is forgotten and the thrilling and artistic world is brought into full view. Older men are insignificant unless every thread on 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 author wishes to become artwork so generations to come will see his documentation. Some may wish their days away and never venture out and at least attempt to achieve their hopes and dreams. Dreams can become reality when a little effort is employed. However, dreams will never be achieved if one only dreams. Yeats journeys to a far away city in order to escape the maddening chaos of the society in which his upbringing took place. He risks all he has in order to accomplish his goals. To pack up all one’s belongings and travel to an unknown land take great courage and should be commended. Experience and knowledge come hand in hand when it comes to developing one’s character. More people need to leave their everyday lives and encounter another culture and lifestyle. Bibliography:

Word Count: 817