Byzantium
Poetry
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William Butler Yeats
Byzantium Key Info
Key Facts
Writer: William Butler Yeats (1865 – 1939)
Original Title: Byzantium
Source: Inspired by Yeats' earlier poem, Sailing to Byzantium
Written Time: 1930
Published Date: 1933, in the collection The Winding Stair and Other Poems
Form: Lyrical poem, free verse with irregular rhyme
Genre: Symbolist poetry, philosophical poem
Tone: Mysterious, reflective, mystical
Point of Vie...
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Byzantium Quotations
Quotes:
"The unpurged images of day recede;" (Part - 1)
Explanation: This line shows the transition from the chaos and confusion of daytime to the calm of nighttime, symbolizing the shift from the physical world to a spiritual one.
"A starlit or a moonlit dome disdains
All that man is,
All mere complexities,
The fury and the mire of human veins." (Part - 1)
Explanation: The starlit dome (he...
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Byzantium Summary
Background:
"Byzantium" was written by William Butler Yeats in 1930. It is a follow-up to his earlier poem "Sailing to Byzantium." The poem shows Yeats' interest in spiritual life and the search for eternal peace. Byzantium, an old city, stands for a place of art, wisdom, and the soul's journey after death. Yeats contrasts the messy human world with the perfect, timeless world of Byzantium. The po...
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Byzantium Theme
Themes:
Life and Death: The poem talks about life and death. Life has many problems. Death is peaceful, but not the end. The soul lives on after death.
Spiritual Journey: The poem shows a spirit's journey. The speaker wants to leave the world’s problems. He dreams of a perfect place called Byzantium.
Art and Forever Life: In Byzantium, art never dies. A golden bird is made by artists. It do...
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Byzantium Character
Characters:
The Emperor: The Emperor is mentioned in the poem. He represents power and wealth.
The Spirits: Spirits appear in the poem. They are not fully human, more like shadows or images.
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Byzantium Literary Device
Figures of Speech:
Imagery: The poet uses words to make us see things clearly, like the night sky and the magical world of Byzantium.
Symbolism: The poet uses things like the bird or the Emperor’s pavement to show ideas like immortality and art.
Metaphor: The poet compares life and death to each other, showing how they are connected in a deeper, spiritual way.
Personification: The poet ta...
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