Poster: An Old Man's Byzantium

Location

SRC 2000

Event Type

Poster

Start Date

10-5-2019 10:30 AM

End Date

10-5-2019 11:00 AM

Description

One of the most captivating things about W.B. Yeats' poetry in general and "Byzantium" in particular is its rich symbolism. Symbols are essentially words which are not merely connotative but also suggestive, evocative and emotive. Symbols conjure before the mind's eye a host of images attached to them. Things that are difficult to explain or are inexpressible can be conveyed through symbols. "Byzantium' is indeed a laudable attempt at bringing together aesthetics, spiritualism, symbolism, and mysticism together on one common platform. The effect is both revealing and enthralling. The epic exploration of the other world brings into perspective, the question of life in death and death in life. "Sailing to Byzantium" is a story of a man whose life has come to an end and reflects on his past. The speaker is old and the country that he used to reside in no longer suits him, it is a country geared toward the young. Byzantium represents a timeless hub for pure artistic energy, a utopian living where wisdom, art and nature is accepted. It is the end of his journey as an artist, and the end of his life. From the text and the studying of the poem itself, we had made the assumption that Yeats had made this as a metaphor for life and death, with Byzantium being a representation of the afterlife which he had envisioned for himself. His ideal society was a place timeless artistic energy and a place of pure creativity that he could reside in. This was the society that Yeats strived for and always desired. “The poetry of the last decade of Yeats career deserves special scrutiny because of its unusual importance in the total scheme of his art.” The poetry he wrote after "Sailing to Byzantium" was his final chapter and his last expressions of himself before death. This is not only his ideal society, but his ideal afterlife as well as he realizes his life is coming to a close.

Faculty Supervisor: Dr. Lisa Higgins

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May 10th, 10:30 AM May 10th, 11:00 AM

Poster: An Old Man's Byzantium

SRC 2000

One of the most captivating things about W.B. Yeats' poetry in general and "Byzantium" in particular is its rich symbolism. Symbols are essentially words which are not merely connotative but also suggestive, evocative and emotive. Symbols conjure before the mind's eye a host of images attached to them. Things that are difficult to explain or are inexpressible can be conveyed through symbols. "Byzantium' is indeed a laudable attempt at bringing together aesthetics, spiritualism, symbolism, and mysticism together on one common platform. The effect is both revealing and enthralling. The epic exploration of the other world brings into perspective, the question of life in death and death in life. "Sailing to Byzantium" is a story of a man whose life has come to an end and reflects on his past. The speaker is old and the country that he used to reside in no longer suits him, it is a country geared toward the young. Byzantium represents a timeless hub for pure artistic energy, a utopian living where wisdom, art and nature is accepted. It is the end of his journey as an artist, and the end of his life. From the text and the studying of the poem itself, we had made the assumption that Yeats had made this as a metaphor for life and death, with Byzantium being a representation of the afterlife which he had envisioned for himself. His ideal society was a place timeless artistic energy and a place of pure creativity that he could reside in. This was the society that Yeats strived for and always desired. “The poetry of the last decade of Yeats career deserves special scrutiny because of its unusual importance in the total scheme of his art.” The poetry he wrote after "Sailing to Byzantium" was his final chapter and his last expressions of himself before death. This is not only his ideal society, but his ideal afterlife as well as he realizes his life is coming to a close.

Faculty Supervisor: Dr. Lisa Higgins