WHEN YOU ARE OLD
William Butler Yeats
Comprehension I
1) The speaker is addressing
a) a young woman
he has loved b) an old woman that he
has met now
c) the woman
that he has admired in his life.
Ans:
a) a young woman he has loved.
2) Inline two,
the word ‘book’ refers to
a) memories b) book of poems c) an album d) diary
Ans:
a) memories.
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3) The words
‘glad grace’ suggest
a) her physical
beauty b) her inner beauty c) her goodness
Ans:
a) her physical beauty
4)‘Pilgrim soul’
means the soul
a) which is
immortal b) that has gone on a
pilgrimage
c) which is
questing for true love.
Ans:
c) which is questing for true love.
5) What does the
phrase ‘your changing face’ suggest?
Ans:
The phrase “your changing face” suggests that her youth and beauty will fade
away. When she grows old her face will get shrunk and will look different.
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6) ‘Love fled’
connotes
a) the death of
the man who loved her b. the fleeing
of her lover to the mountains c) the loss endured by her.
Ans:
b) the fleeing of her lover to the mountains.
7) What does the speaker want his beloved to do sitting by the
fire?
Ans: The speaker wants his beloved to sit by the fire and recall
her memories of the past.
8) Where, according to the speaker, had love hidden his face?
Ans: According to the speaker, 'love' had hidden his face amid a
crowd of stars.
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9) Which is possible to infer about the speaker of 'when you are
old'?
Ans: He is saddened by rejection is possible to infer about the
speaker of “when you are old”.
10) What does the phrase 'full of sleep' mean?
Ans: She is old, tired and is going to die in the near future.
It suggests lack of vitality and youthfulness.
11) Who does the speaker picture as 'nodding by the fire'?
Ans: “nodding by the fire” the speaker depicts his lady love as
an old woman sitting beside the fire, nodding her head.
12) What does the speaker want his beloved to dream of?
Ans: The speaker wants his beloved to dream of herself as an old
and gray woman nodding by the fire.
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13) What are 'your moments of glad grace'?
Ans: It alludes to her style and magnificence as a young lady.
Here it refers to the events when numerous admirers were mesmerized by her
youth and beauty.
14) What is the aspect of the beloved that the speaker feels
affinity for?
Ans: The speaker feels affinity for her pilgrim soul which means
her inner self and not her exterior beauty.
15)
What does ' the sorrows of your changing face' refer to?
Ans:
They refer to the progressions found in her face as she becomes older. Her face
will have contracted and wrinkles which showed up on her brow and face portray
the challenges and distresses looked by her throughout the long term.
WHEN
YOU ARE OLD
WILLIAM
BUTLER YEATS
KEY POINTS
Reflection on
Aging:
The poem imagines the woman in her old age, reflecting on her past life,
beauty, and love while sitting by the fire, symbolizing the later stage of
life.
Lost Youth and
Beauty:
The woman is asked to remember how beautiful and graceful she once was, and how
many admired her for her physical appearance in her youth.
Superficial
vs. True Love:
Many people loved the woman for her beauty and outward charm, but only one
person, the speaker, loved her for her inner self, her "pilgrim
soul."
Pilgrim Soul:
The "pilgrim soul" represents the woman’s deeper, inner self, her
spirit, and personality, which the speaker cherished above her physical
appearance.
Love and
Change:
The speaker loved the woman not only in her moments of beauty but also through
the sorrows and changes of her aging face, showing the enduring nature of true
love.
Fleeing Love:
The speaker suggests that Love fled, becoming distant and unreachable,
symbolizing how the woman might have missed out on true love by not
appreciating it in her youth.
Regret in Old
Age:
As the woman reflects on her past, she feels a sense of regret for not valuing
the one person who loved her for more than her appearance.
Imagery of
Fire and Stars:
The glowing bars of the fire symbolize warmth and the fading of life, while the
stars represent the distant, lost love, creating a contrast between closeness
and distance.
Tone of
Nostalgia and Sadness:
The poem conveys a tone of nostalgia for lost youth and beauty, mixed with
sadness and regret for the love that was not fully realized or appreciated.
Theme of
Time’s Passage:
Yeats explores the passage of time, showing how beauty fades with age, but true
love, which values the soul over appearance, remains constant even as physical
features change.
Answer
the following questions in two or three sentences each. 2 Marks
1)
What do the 'shadows deep' in the woman’s eyes
symbolize?
Ans: The 'shadows deep' symbolize the depth of her
emotions and the experiences she has lived through.
2)
How did many people love the woman, according to the
speaker?
Ans: Many people loved her physical beauty, either
with true or false love.
3)
What is meant by 'the pilgrim soul' in the poem?
Ans: 'The pilgrim soul' refers to her inner self, her
true spirit, and the journey of her life.
4)
How does the speaker's love differ from others' love
for the woman?
Ans: The speaker loved her for her soul and inner
qualities, not just for her external beauty.
5)
What does the phrase 'changing face' refer to?
Ans: It refers to the physical changes in the woman’s
appearance as she ages.
6)
Why does the speaker mention 'sorrows' in the woman's
changing face?
Ans: The sorrows reflect the hardships and emotional
pain she has endured over the years.
7)
What is the significance of the glowing bars in the
poem?
Ans: The glowing bars symbolize the warmth of the fire
beside which the woman is sitting in her old age.
8)
What does the woman realize about love in her old age,
according to the speaker?
Ans: She realizes that true love, which loved her
inner soul, has fled and is now distant, hidden like a star.
9)
What is the mood of the poem?
Ans: The poem has a reflective and melancholic mood,
with a sense of regret and sadness.
10)
What does 'Love fled' mean in the poem?
Ans: It means that true love has left her, and she is
now alone, with only memories of it.
11)
Why does the speaker describe love as hiding 'amid a
crowd of stars'?
Ans: This suggests that true love is now far away,
unreachable, and lost in the vastness of the universe.
12)
What is the central theme of the poem?
Ans: The central theme is the contrast between
physical beauty and inner beauty, and how true love endures beyond external
appearances.
13)
What is the tone of the speaker towards the woman?
Ans: The speaker’s tone is tender and sorrowful, as he
reflects on unreciprocated love and the passage of time.
14)
What is the significance of the fire in the poem?
Ans: The fire represents warmth and comfort in old age
but also symbolizes the passage of time and the fading of youth.
15)
How does the speaker want the woman to feel when she
remembers him?
Ans: He wants her to feel a sense of loss and sadness,
as she recalls the love that valued her soul, which she has now lost.
16)
What does the speaker ask the woman to do in her old
age?
Ans: The speaker asks the woman to take down the book
and slowly read it while she is old, grey, and sitting by the fire.
17)
What is the significance of the phrase "full of
sleep"?
Ans: "Full of sleep" suggests old age,
weariness, and approaching death.
18)
How does the speaker describe the woman's eyes in her
youth?
Ans: The speaker says the woman had a "soft
look" in her eyes, with deep shadows reflecting her beauty and emotions.
19)
What does the phrase "pilgrim soul" refer
to?
Ans: The "pilgrim soul" refers to the
woman’s inner self, her true spirit, which has been on a journey through life,
and is admired for its depth and sincerity.
20)
How did many people love the woman, according to the
speaker?
Ans: Many people loved the woman for her beauty and
grace, either with true love or false, shallow love.
21)
What sets the speaker’s love apart from others?
Ans: The speaker loved the woman's "pilgrim
soul" and the sorrows of her changing face, meaning he loved her inner
self and accepted her aging process.
22)
What image is created by the "glowing bars"
in the poem?
Ans: The "glowing bars" refer to the embers
or bars of a fireplace, symbolizing warmth, reflection, and old age.
23)
What does the speaker suggest happened to Love?
Ans: The
speaker suggests that Love fled, or left, and now exists far away, pacing upon
the mountains and hiding among the stars.
24)
What emotions are conveyed in the third stanza of the
poem?
Ans: The third stanza conveys sadness, regret, and a
sense of loss as the woman reflects on how love has left her in her old age.
25)
What is the central theme of the poem "When You
Are Old"?
Ans: The central theme is the passage of time, the
transient nature of beauty, and the enduring nature of true, soulful love.
26)
Who is the speaker in the poem addressing?
Ans: The speaker is addressing a woman he once loved.
27)
What does the speaker ask the woman to do when she is
old?
Ans: He asks her to take down the book and remember
her youth, beauty, and the love she once received.
28)
What does the phrase 'full of sleep' refer to in the
poem?
Ans: It refers to old age, tiredness, and approaching
death.
29)
How does the speaker describe the woman's appearance
in old age?
Ans: He describes her as "old and grey,"
nodding by the fire.
30)
What does the book mentioned in the poem symbolize?
Ans: The book symbolizes memories of the past,
especially of love and beauty.
Answer
the following questions in about 60 words each. 3 Marks
1) Describe the
image of the woman in her old age as presented in the poem.
Ans: In the
poem, the speaker envisions the woman in her old age, grey-haired and tired,
sitting by a fire. She is described as "full of sleep," symbolizing
weariness and the nearing of death. He asks her to take down a book and reflect
on her past beauty and the love she once had. This imagery portrays a peaceful
yet melancholic scene, where the woman reminisces about her younger days and
the love she once experienced, but with a sense of regret.
2) What does the
phrase "moments of glad grace" mean in the poem?
Ans: The
phrase "moments of glad grace" refers to the fleeting beauty and
charm the woman had in her youth. It describes the joyful and graceful moments
of her life when she was admired by many for her physical appearance and
elegant demeanor. However, these moments are temporary and pass as she grows
older. The phrase highlights the contrast between her youthful beauty and her
current old age, emphasizing the transient nature of physical attractiveness
and the passage of time.
3) How does the
speaker contrast the love of others with his own love for the woman?
Ans: The
speaker contrasts how others loved the woman with his own love by pointing out
that while many admired her beauty and grace, their love was either false or
superficial. They loved her external appearance, but the speaker's love was
deeper. He loved her "pilgrim soul," which refers to her inner self,
and accepted the changes in her appearance over time. This contrast shows that
the speaker’s love was more genuine and enduring, as it was based on her
character and spirit rather than just her outward beauty.
4) Explain the
significance of the "pilgrim soul" in the poem.
Ans: The
"pilgrim soul" signifies the woman’s inner self, which has been on a
lifelong journey, full of experiences, growth, and change. Unlike physical
beauty, which fades with time, the pilgrim soul represents her enduring
qualities—her personality, thoughts, and emotions. The speaker loved this
deeper, more essential part of her, not just her external beauty. The metaphor
of the pilgrim suggests a journey with ups and downs, reflecting the challenges
and changes the woman has faced, and the speaker values this inner journey over
her physical appearance.
5) What role does
the theme of time play in the poem?
Ans: Time is a
central theme in "When You Are Old." The poem reflects on the
inevitable effects of aging and the passage of time. The woman’s youthful
beauty has faded, and she is now old and weary. The speaker asks her to
remember how she was loved in her younger days and how her beauty once
attracted many admirers. However, time has taken its toll on her appearance.
The poem also explores how true love, like the speaker’s, endures through time,
while superficial love fades along with physical beauty.
6) What is the
tone of the poem, and how is it conveyed through the speaker's words?
Ans: The tone
of the poem is reflective and melancholic. The speaker’s words convey a sense
of nostalgia as he asks the woman to look back on her youth and beauty, which
have faded with time. The speaker reflects on how many admired her for her
outward appearance, but only he loved her inner self. There is also a tone of
regret as he speaks of how love has fled, symbolizing that the woman may not
have fully appreciated his deeper love. The imagery of aging and the fading of
beauty contributes to this tone.
7) How does the
speaker use imagery to convey the theme of lost love in the poem?
Ans: The
speaker uses powerful imagery to convey the theme of lost love. In the first
stanza, he describes the woman as old, grey, and nodding by the fire, evoking
an image of loneliness and reflection. The "soft look" and
"shadows deep" in her eyes reflect her youthful beauty, now gone. The
glowing bars of the fire symbolize the warmth of memories. In the final stanza,
the image of love fleeing to the mountains and hiding among the stars
symbolizes lost love, something distant and unreachable, emphasizing the sorrow
of unreciprocated or unfulfilled love.
8) What does the
speaker suggest about the nature of love in the final stanza?
Ans: In the
final stanza, the speaker suggests that love can be elusive and fleeting. He
says that love "fled" and is now pacing upon the mountains and hiding
among the stars. This imagery indicates that love has become distant and
unattainable, symbolizing how the woman may have missed out on true love by not
recognizing or valuing it in her youth. The mountains and stars create a sense
of vastness and inaccessibility, suggesting that love, once lost, can be hard
to recover. The speaker seems to mourn the loss of this deep, soulful love.
9) What does the
speaker want the woman to reflect on when she reads the book in her old age?
Ans: The
speaker wants the woman to reflect on her past when she was young and
beautiful, and how many people admired her for her grace and beauty. He also
wants her to think about how only one man, the speaker himself, truly loved her
for her inner self, her "pilgrim soul," and not just for her
appearance. As she grows old, he hopes she will realize that true love, which
appreciates the person beyond physical beauty, was offered to her, but she did
not fully recognize or cherish it during her youth.
10)
How does Yeats explore the theme of regret in
"When You Are Old"?
Ans: Yeats
explores the theme of regret through the speaker’s reflection on the woman’s
aging and her missed opportunity to embrace true love. As the woman grows old,
she is asked to look back on her life and the love she once had. While many
loved her for her beauty, only the speaker loved her deeply for her soul. The
final stanza suggests that love has fled and is now distant, symbolizing the
woman’s failure to recognize and reciprocate the speaker’s genuine love,
leading to a sense of regret and loss as she reflects on her past.
Answer
the following questions in about 100 words. 4
Marks
1) Explain how
Yeats portrays the theme of aging in "When You Are Old."
Ans: In
"When You Are Old," Yeats portrays aging as an inevitable and
reflective phase of life. The woman is imagined as being old, grey, and tired,
sitting by the fire, symbolizing the end of her life journey. The phrase
"full of sleep" conveys a sense of weariness and the approach of
death. As she looks back on her life, the woman is asked to remember her
youthful beauty and the love she once received. However, with the passage of
time, this beauty has faded, and many of those who loved her for her looks are
no longer present. Aging is depicted as a time for reflection, where the woman
regrets not valuing the one true love that admired her inner self, her
"pilgrim soul." Yeats uses aging as a theme to emphasize the
transience of physical beauty and the enduring nature of spiritual love.
2) Discuss the
role of memory and reflection in the poem "When You Are Old."
Ans: Memory
and reflection play a central role in "When You Are Old." The speaker
asks the woman to reflect on her youth and beauty, and how many people loved
her for her physical grace. In her old age, she is encouraged to revisit these
memories, particularly through reading the book, which symbolizes her past. As
she sits by the fire, she is called to remember the "soft look" in
her eyes and the deep emotions she once experienced. However, this reflection
also brings a sense of regret, as the woman is reminded that only one person,
the speaker, loved her for her "pilgrim soul"—her inner self—while
others loved her superficially. Through this process of memory and reflection,
Yeats shows how people may only fully understand the significance of true love
after it is lost, and how old age brings the opportunity for deep introspection
about life’s choices and missed opportunities.
3) What is the
significance of the phrase "Love fled" in the poem?
Ans: The
phrase "Love fled" in the final stanza is significant because it
symbolizes the loss or departure of true love. The speaker reflects on how
love, once present in the woman’s life, has now become distant and unreachable.
The imagery of love pacing "upon the mountains overhead" and hiding
"amid a crowd of stars" suggests that love has moved to a place where
it can no longer be accessed by the woman. This could be a metaphor for how the
woman failed to recognize or appreciate the deep love offered by the speaker,
and now, in her old age, it is too late to recover that love. The phrase also
highlights the theme of regret, as the woman is left to mourn the lost
opportunity of experiencing true, soulful love. Yeats uses this imagery to show
that once love is neglected or lost, it may never return, leaving a sense of
sorrow and longing.
4) Analyze the
use of imagery in the poem "When You Are Old."
Ans: Yeats
uses vivid imagery throughout "When You Are Old" to evoke deep
emotions and enhance the poem’s themes of aging, love, and regret. In the first
stanza, the image of the woman as "old and grey and full of sleep"
creates a picture of someone near the end of her life, weary and reflective.
The "soft look" in her eyes and "their shadows deep"
suggest her past beauty and the emotional depth she once had. The glowing bars
of the fire in the second stanza symbolize warmth and comfort but also the
fading of vitality. In the final stanza, the imagery of love fleeing to the
mountains and hiding among the stars portrays love as something distant and
unattainable, emphasizing the woman’s regret for not embracing it when she had
the chance. These images help convey the poem’s melancholic tone and highlight
the transient nature of beauty and the lasting significance of true love.
5) How does Yeats
explore the theme of unrequited love in "When You Are Old"?
Ans: Yeats
explores the theme of unrequited love through the speaker’s deep affection for
the woman, which she fails to fully appreciate. While many people loved the
woman for her physical beauty and grace, the speaker loved her for her inner
self, her "pilgrim soul." His love was not based on superficial
qualities but on a genuine connection to her spirit. However, it is implied
that the woman did not reciprocate this deep love or perhaps did not realize
its value at the time. As she grows old, the woman is left to reflect on this
lost love, and the speaker suggests that love has "fled" and is now
unreachable. This sense of unrequited love is reinforced by the imagery of love
pacing on the mountains and hiding among the stars, symbolizing that it has
moved far beyond her reach. The poem thus conveys the sorrow and regret of
missed opportunities for true love.
Comprehension II
* How does the speaker in 'When You Are Old' bring out his love for his beloved against the changing circumstances and ravages of time?
OR
* How does the poet express love towards his beloved in the poem 'When You Are Old'?
OR
* How is the speaker's passionate love for his beloved brought out in the poem 'When You Are Old'.
Ans: The speaker addresses his beloved that when she is aged she should read a particular book which will remind her of her youth sitting besides a fireplace. She remembers the people who had loved her grace and her beauty with either real or fake sentiments in the past, and also that one man who had loved her soul unconditionally as she grew old and the way she looked changed. As she reminds of him, she will regret her missed opportunity of true love. The poet loved her pilgrim soul which was forever changing with time, a restless spirit seeking something meaningful in life. He would still be loving her when her face in old age is shrunk with sorrowful lines etched on them. He asserts that physical beauty is ravaged by time, whereas beauty of the soul was permanent and eternal. He indirectly pleads with her to accept his true love.
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* Whose love in 'When You Are Old' is true and intense? Explain.
Ans: The poem 'When You Are Old' describes the imagination of the poet about his beloved when she will be old. The poet describes her old age and grey hair and her sleepy eyes. He imagines his beloved in the future when she is old and reading the book of poems he was then writing. Reading the book, she will remember the past, her youthful beauty and the many suitors who admired her. While the others loved her physical beauty and grace, only he loved her source and her soul's search for something meaningful. However she will also feel that love has vanished. Love is personified in the last lines that love hid his face amid a crowd of stars which refers to the loss of the speaker's love which has to be endured by her. Here the speaker's love for his beloved seems to be more intense and true.
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* 'True love is related to soul but not to the physical beauty' How is this idea brought out in the poem 'When You Are Old'?
Ans: Yeats poem 'When You Are Old' brings out the transient nature of beauty as against the fact that true love remains permanent. Here the poet describes his lady's beauty when she was young and he also describes her after becoming old as she had grey hair and sleepy eyes. Despite all those, the poet's love remains constant, because his love is permanent though her beauty has waned. He tries to prove that his love is more intense and passionate.
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1) How is the
‘one-man’ different from the many others who loved the lady?
Ans: The speaker
asks his love to assume that she has become old and dim and is perched by the
fire gesturing. At that point he requests her to peruse from her book from
recollections and think back her past when she was in her excellent youth.
While she is in this manner occupied with reviewing her past, the writer
advises her that however she without a doubt had a considerable number of
admirers who respected her magnificence and beauty and claimed 'love' which
might be valid or bogus, he alone adored her genuinely. He says that he adored her internal excellence
and surprisingly the disappearing of her childhood and magnificence. The
expression 'the number of' in the primary line in second stanza remains as
opposed to 'Yet one man', in the third line in second verse. While numerous
admirers cherished her magnificence and tastefulness, he alone adored her
traveler soul just as the distresses of her evolving face.
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2) How does the
poem bring out the transient nature of beauty as against the permanence of
love?
Ans: Indeed, the
sonnet, while making an endeavor to convince the young lady not to disregard
him or his adoration, highlights unexpectedly features the transient idea of
excellence as against the permanence of love. Truth be told, the speaker's
contention is that, though the entirety of her admirers are simply pulled in by
her energetic magnificence and tastefulness, he is pulled in by her explorer
soul. Besides, he guarantees that the adoration displayed by her numerous
admirers may not keep going long and may change as she develops old. Despite
what might be expected, his adoration will stay steady and genuine. He would
adore her pilgrim soul just as the adjustments in her face which show up as one
develops old. Consequently, the writer, utilizing the expression 'your moments
of glad grace' in the principal line of the second refrain conversely with the
expression 'sorrows of your changing face' in the fourth line recommends that
'beauty' is transient in nature though 'love' is permanent.
Comprehension
III
1) Comment on
the usage of the time frame by the poet in ‘When You Are Old’.
Ans: This is a
short love poem in which the writer utilizes a time period where the speaker
tends to his love in the present, takes her to an unbelievable condition later
on, and requests that she review her previous recollections. He does as such,
to convince her or caution her not to disregard him and settle on an off-base
choice. The poet's perspective is the most convincing mark of the poem. The
poet is calling upon a lady that isn't yet through with youth to, once over the
hill, review the days he was a major part of her life and particularly
infatuated with her. Clearly, he needs her to recollect him for his novel and
unrestricted love for her, and how she is deciding to overlook it in the
present. By composing this poem in this design, the lady, when the poet trusts
that she develops old, will recall the days when she was youthful with joy yet
will develop remorseful that she didn't exploit his adoration.
On the other hand, the lady, in the present will perceive what a chance she is missing by disregarding his love for her and leaving him to blur into the past. The speaker fears that his love won't follow up on his affection for her and that she will just recall him in the book of recollections. He trusts that if, when old, she puts down the book of recollections, and she will develop nippy and pitiful that she didn't anticipate how ardent his affection was nevertheless how absurd she was for failing to acknowledge it. He is now unfortunate that she will develop old without him, and this can be viewed as he demands that she recall him and as a missed opportunity to have an upbeat future. It is the time span that the poet has utilized in this poem that encourages the him to compose this dismal and suggestive sonnet which isn't planned basically to make an elderly person remorseful, however to hold a young lady back from overlooking the poet and settling on some unacceptable choice.
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2) ‘When You Are Old’ is a poem of contrasts. What
purpose do they serve? Ans: ‘When You Are Old’ as composed to show the
valid and exceptional love from the narrator. The theme is an agonizing one of
pathetic love, which the artist controls in a fascinating way. Rather than
centering upon the present or the past, Yeats plans ahead, a future wherein the
two individuals in the poem are bound to be perpetually separated. The artist
visualizes an unbelievable condition that the lady he adored became old and
felt lament for rejecting his true love.
To portray such a theme, the poet sends rich and elegant words and constructs pictures of differences: In the first stanza, there is a differentiation between her exquisite youth and her discouraging old age. In the second stanza, there is a differentiation between her numerous admirers who purported shallow love and the speaker or the sweetheart who guarantees true love for her. In the third stanza, there is a difference between the short lived or transient love addressed by her numerous admirers and the embodied love of the poet.
There is a difference between 'the sorrows of your changing face' n the second stanza and ‘murmur a little sadly’ of the third stanza. ‘The sorrows’ show enthusiasm or forceful feeling is found in youngsters and 'little sadly' mirrors the languor of elderly folk’s individuals. There is a difference between the 'beauty and elegance' sans her spirit pursued by the admirers and the 'pilgrim soul' in a similar lady appreciated by the speaker. The numerous admirers who needed to court her were pulled in by her shallow magnificence though this speaker was pulled in by her pilgrim soul, which represents her internal identity. These differentiations serve to assemble a solid contention to convince the youngster not to disregard him now and lament later.
