YEATS: Byzantium (1 Viewer)

[RainbowBrite]

Hi!
I'm having trouble understanding Byzantium. I know its a very visual poem, but the meaning is not working for me.

When I read it, in comparison to Sailing to Byzantium, the poem seems very dark and destructive. Sailing to Byzantium is full of desire and lust for immortality through art. Whereas this one is.... *goes braindead*

Any help would be much appreciated

Thanks!

 

[Wolfowitz]

Byzantium still has the great immortal imagery of Sailing To Byzantium but it sees immortality as merely mortality in disguise. The great cathedral gong (it is, yeah? Sorry, I haven't touched the poem since November '05), the rows of brow-beaten religious-folk, the burning tree; all images of immortality are more darker. These new images in Byzantium celebrate the darker, more malign sign of immortality where extended life scabs into a decaying, archaic, stagnant existance.

Murky rather than bright.
Dark rather than light.
Whilst still immortal, Byzantium is a very scary poem taking a negative view of what Rosecruscians saw as perfection.

 

[RainbowBrite]

Thank you Mr Wolfwitz for helping me out. I'll re-analyze the poem now.

Thank you