One of the most famous works of William Yeats is “When You Are Old,” which is the poem addressed to a woman Yeats loved. The poem can be summarized as a plea with strong arguments. The author urges the woman to think of the future as not to regret her decision to choose someone else instead of William.
Yeats starts by asking the woman to imagine the times when she will be old. She will think of her past, how beautiful she was, and compare it to the present. Her beauty was loved by many, but the author loved her soul (Yeats). William hints that the woman will regret her decision as she contemplates how love was lost so promptly.
Apart from the feeling that the author had toward the woman, the poem discusses an argument regarding what type of love is more important. According to Yeats, love, which is based solely on visual appeal, is not to last for much longer. It will fade as soon as the beauty is lost, which will happen eventually.
The poem is significant because it reminds readers that genuine love is the affection one has toward someone’s soul, not how they look. In the context of contemporary society, this delivery is timely. People spend more time improving their appearance instead of contemplating their inner world. Therefore, the poem can be considered a message not only to the author’s beloved but to all human beings.
In summary, “When You Are Old” is a three-stanza sonnet about the author’s love toward a woman and how this woman chose others who loved her appearance. The author argues that he loved the woman for her soul, while visual appearance degrades as people get older. The poem is significant because it’s meaning is applicable to current times.
Work Cited
Yeats, William. “When You are Old.” Poetry Foundation. 2020. Web.