An analysis of “Sailing to Byzantium”

杜文秀

“Sailing to Byzantium” is one of the most famous poems written by Yeats in 1928. Its a poem of ottava rima， including 4 stanzas. Byzantium usually means eastern Roman Empire in middle century， with the capital Constantinople as its center. Just like Istanbul connecting east and west in geography， Byzantium is famous for its role as a bridge communicating ancient Greek with renaissance. Its through Byzantium that modern civilization can search for the remote mirage of Greek.

Yeats says he wants to write about his soul， as questing soul is a matter of an old mans duty. He writes this topic in sailing to Byzantium. Byzantium was once the source of philosophy and the center of European civilization. He considers the travel to Byzantium is the progress of pursuing spiritual life. Yeats thinks that the Byzantium dynasty （527-565） is the typical representative of loyal culture. During that time， spirit and material， art and politics， individual and society united harmoniously. However， there are many threats and disasters in reality， this poetry expresses his hatred toward modern materialization and his yearning for ancient culture.

From the beginning of the poetry，

“The young in one another arms， birds in the trees

- Those dying generations - ……

Whatever is begotten， born， and dies

Caught in that sensual music all neglect

Monuments of an aging intellect. ”

Those young men squander their youth and ignore spiritual products， immersed in sensual pleasure without knowing the truth of life. The limitation defined by death hasnt threatened their lives； they can only feel the superficial world where fishes and birds activate， excluding any depth and expansion of wisdom. This wisdom doesnt exist in modern society， it can only be found in sacred Byzantium. So the poet determines to drive to Byzantium and let his soul sings loudly there， therefore he gets rid of physical control. So “I” become a golden bird perching on the golden bough， singing happily.

“An aged man is but a paltry thing，

A tattered coat upon a stick”，

Only his soul claps its hands and sing， can he get over the desolate situation of his old age. He is expelled from the material world like a pitiful thing because the world admires the power of youth. On the soil where materialism is enamored， all the devotion to spirit can just be embezzled. Except turning back to the holy city， what can “I” choose otherwise？ After understanding the limitation of materials， “I” have sailed the seas and come to the holy city of Byzantium. Byzantium not only represents the geographical and historical city， but also is the artistic symbol， historical code and exotic mark. Only the old man gets the enlightenment， many people still live ignorantly， waiting for salvation. People need the guidance of sages， to embrace the birth of the truth.

“O sages standing in God's holy fire / As in the gold mosaic of a wall，/ Come from the holy fire， perne in a gyre”

In the third stanza， the poet calls for sages in the mosaic to come to earth from their holy position， leading people to give up their mundane and vulgar interests， and go for eternity. The poet expresses his emotion clearly that life is full of pains， but indulging in pleasures cannot defend the ruthless passing of time. Yeats wants to abandon all the desires and lust and transcend into the eternal humanity.

The fourth stanza continues to presents his comprehension with the strong sense of religion.

“Once out of nature I shall never take/ My bodily form from any natural thing， /But such a form as Grecian goldsmiths make / Of hammered gold and gold enameling / To keep a drowsy Emperor awake； /Or set upon a golden bough to sing / To lords and ladies of Byzantium / Of what is past， or passing， or to come”

He thinks about humans material and spiritual existence on the viewpoint of humans current situation： life and death， body and soul， temporality and immortality. These questions always puzzle philosophers mind. This poem is full of indication and metaphysics. Life seems to be a tragedy， but after finishing it， it turns out to be a comedy. The golden bough symbolizes eternal artifacts that we can entrust to. Only if we rely on golden bough can we transcend the earthly thoughts and reach eternity.

References：

[1]Grene，Nicholas.Yeats Poetic Code.Oxford：Oxford Up，2008.

[2]Pruitt，Virginia.“Yeatss ‘Sailing To Byzantium” The Explicator 63.4（2005）225-27.

[3]Vendler，Helen.On Secret Discipline：Yeats And Lyric Form.Oxford：Oxford Up，2007.