Voyage of the Inner Spiritual Essence into the Wisdom and
Freedom in Sailing to Byzantium
Sailing to Byzantium, one of Yeats’ masterpieces is organized round the dichotomy of flesh
and spirit, nature and art where the sea symbolizes the energetic vitality of the former. As Yeats
advanced into old age he continued to be troubled by the passions. The voyage in this poem is thus
an inner voyage of spiritual awakening. To wards wisdom and freedom from the enslavement to
nature. Quite apart from the special meaning that Byzantium has in Yeats’ system, historically it was
the meeting point of the Pagan and Christian civilization. The poem carries a symbolic pattern and a
mystic philosophic notion is derided.
A journey and the Byzantium: There have been a multiple interpretation of Yeats’ symbols and
imageries. Sailing to Byzantium is no exception. It is a journey of metaphysical content and the
destination is Byzantium Enroute Sea. Byzantium is the excellence of art, glory of self and emblem of
beauty. It is a journey for excellence, for supremacy, for artistic exuberance and for self-realization
of consummate and conscious artist.
Journey of the Soul: A recent study in Yeats has shown that Yeats has had spiritual knowledge of Yoga
and Upanishada, particularly of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra, which was translated into English by Yeats
himself in 1936-37. The book contains the journey of soul, rebirth, and doctrine of Samadhi. The
poem Sailing to Byzantium is a display of this learning.
Yeats beings his poem by mentioning that life is itself a journey – a soul’s journey through
the countries of childhood, youth and old age. His own soul has already journeyed through the
countries of sportive childhood and sensual youth. Commenting on the youthful vigour he compares
it to a period of procreation and sensual appeal. Under an urge of mating young birds tune in. the
soul of fish with their burning passion of sex, copulate and spawn –
The salmon – falls the mackerel – crowed seas,
Fish, flesh, or fowl, commend all summer long
Whatever is begotten, born, and dies.
The youth is meant for celebration, for emotional attachment, for sensuality and for concern of
spring.
But such the country of youth is none a place the old poet – ‘that is no country for old men.’
The youths are caught in the sensual music and totally ignore the ‘monuments of the unageing
intellect.’ Thus, the youths do not know the immortality of intellectual supremacy of Yoga, the
knowledge of soul which the poet finds a monument. The poet’s old age is weak in physicality,
sensuality and rejuvenation and fecundity. He finds himself a scarecrow – ‘a tattered coat upon a
sick’, an image of ugliness and decay. He finds none of the songs of his soul. He has thus, voyaged
and reached the holy city of Byzantium to record his soul’s content.
Freedom in Sailing to Byzantium
Sailing to Byzantium, one of Yeats’ masterpieces is organized round the dichotomy of flesh
and spirit, nature and art where the sea symbolizes the energetic vitality of the former. As Yeats
advanced into old age he continued to be troubled by the passions. The voyage in this poem is thus
an inner voyage of spiritual awakening. To wards wisdom and freedom from the enslavement to
nature. Quite apart from the special meaning that Byzantium has in Yeats’ system, historically it was
the meeting point of the Pagan and Christian civilization. The poem carries a symbolic pattern and a
mystic philosophic notion is derided.
A journey and the Byzantium: There have been a multiple interpretation of Yeats’ symbols and
imageries. Sailing to Byzantium is no exception. It is a journey of metaphysical content and the
destination is Byzantium Enroute Sea. Byzantium is the excellence of art, glory of self and emblem of
beauty. It is a journey for excellence, for supremacy, for artistic exuberance and for self-realization
of consummate and conscious artist.
Journey of the Soul: A recent study in Yeats has shown that Yeats has had spiritual knowledge of Yoga
and Upanishada, particularly of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra, which was translated into English by Yeats
himself in 1936-37. The book contains the journey of soul, rebirth, and doctrine of Samadhi. The
poem Sailing to Byzantium is a display of this learning.
Yeats beings his poem by mentioning that life is itself a journey – a soul’s journey through
the countries of childhood, youth and old age. His own soul has already journeyed through the
countries of sportive childhood and sensual youth. Commenting on the youthful vigour he compares
it to a period of procreation and sensual appeal. Under an urge of mating young birds tune in. the
soul of fish with their burning passion of sex, copulate and spawn –
The salmon – falls the mackerel – crowed seas,
Fish, flesh, or fowl, commend all summer long
Whatever is begotten, born, and dies.
The youth is meant for celebration, for emotional attachment, for sensuality and for concern of
spring.
But such the country of youth is none a place the old poet – ‘that is no country for old men.’
The youths are caught in the sensual music and totally ignore the ‘monuments of the unageing
intellect.’ Thus, the youths do not know the immortality of intellectual supremacy of Yoga, the
knowledge of soul which the poet finds a monument. The poet’s old age is weak in physicality,
sensuality and rejuvenation and fecundity. He finds himself a scarecrow – ‘a tattered coat upon a
sick’, an image of ugliness and decay. He finds none of the songs of his soul. He has thus, voyaged
and reached the holy city of Byzantium to record his soul’s content.
