When You Are Old
BY W.B. YEATS (1865-1939)
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, 5
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 10
And paced upon the mountains overhead
And hid his face amid a crowd of stars.
ESSAY QUESTION:
Old age may be a time of regrets.
How far do you agree with the statement?
Discuss with close reference to the poem.
Sample answer:
By the time one reaches old age, the accumulation of life experiences will provide much to reflect on. Some memories may be cherished whereas others could evoke feelings of regret. W.B. Yeats suggests the latter in his poem, When You Are Old, where the speaker attempts to elicit feelings of guilt or remorse in the woman he addresses. As the poem is in the form of a dramatic monologue, the woman whom the speaker addresses is silent. Thus it is not determined whether the desired effect on her is achieved but it clearly highlights old age as a time of regrets.
Stanza 1 of the poem presents old age as lacking in vitality thus all one can do is remember the past, which may bring out feelings of regret. It is suggested that being old is 'full of sleep' and one can only spend time 'nodding by the fire' as it is too tiring to do anything else and too late to change what was done in the past. As a result much time can only be spent in contemplation. The stanza hints at the possibility of regret at not having done things in earlier years. In 'slowly read' it hints at the slowing down of mental faculties as well and even past events may seem like a 'dream'.
Furthermore, it is implied that in remembering the past there are both positive as well as negative associations. Although recalling the 'soft look' one's eyes may have had could bring about a smile, the reverse is the effect in 'shadows deep'. The consonance in the repeated 'd' sounds create a heaviness suggesting regret. Also, 'shadows' connotes skeletons in the closet; the old woman may have kept something hidden as it was shameful. This, as well as 'deep', extends the imagery of secrecy and cumulatively could be a source of regret in old age.
Moreover, the choice of whom to love in times gone by could be reason for remorse as well. The speaker in the poem highlights the possibility that many may have deluded themselves into thinking of her 'glad grace' as romantic interest. However 'moments' suggests that they were brief. One can only speculate at the number of hearts that were broken but this could be regarded either as a triumph for the old woman, or cause for unease later in life at having disappointed many men. But, when the speaker points out that their feelings could have been either 'false or true', it suggests that some were only attracted to her physical appearance. Thus she would not have to feel bad at having let them down.
However, it is indeed regrettable that among the many who were only besotted, is one whose true love remains unrecognised. This may result in anguish as it would have been a lost opportunity to connect with someone who really cared. In Stanza 2, when the speaker tells of the 'one man' who loves her 'pilgrim soul', it reveals the depth of his feelings for her as it transcends her physical 'beauty'. His ability to understand and accept her passion for her beliefs shows that he stands out above the others. It would be a big loss if his feelings are not reciprocated.
In addition, failure to acknowledge unconditional love connotes having to grow old alone. His acceptance of the physical changes she undergoes as a result of ageing is indeed admirable but it is unfortunate that the woman is unaware of this. When the speaker refers to the 'sorrows of [her] changing face' it implies her sadness at seeing the ravages of time making themselves visible. Although she may regret the loss of her beauty as she ages, the speaker is not put off but when she is ‘old and grey’ he cannot be there for her.
On the other hand, it can be lamented that sometimes matters of the heart do not have a happy ending because fate plays a significant role. The final stanza of this poem reveals this as ‘Love’ is personified as having ‘fled’ to ‘hid[e] his face’ among the ‘stars’, the latter implying fate. To hide one’s face suggests grief; in the context of this poem, it tells that he has no option but to sadly distance himself from the woman as a result of being rejected. It is fate that deals the blow, ending hopes of romance.
In conclusion, through his poem, W.B. Yeats convincingly presents old age as a time of regret at not having allowed oneself to experience true love. The old woman, for turning it away, and the speaker, because it was unrequited.
