The Winding Stair: The poem Byzantium in relation to Sailing to Byzantium:
The Winding Stair: The poem Byzantium in relation to Sailing to Byzantium:
This poem by Yeats is a continuation from his poem ‘Sailing to Byzantium’ in the previous collection. Byzantium, like Sailing to Byzantium deals with the problems posed by advancing age. Which marked a serious issue for Yeats and the effect of growing old was a deep issue for age quite evident in his poetry.
The poem I have chosen today deals with Yeats insecurities of growing old.
Yeats found the idea of bodily decay and decrepitude intolerable. In this poem he outlines a means of escape from this, he wishes to evade reality and travel in imagination to an ideal place where he will be exempt from decay or death a civilisation in which he can spend his eternity as a work of art. This poem deals with Yeats search for a happier future and one which doesn't deal with the horrifying effects of death and decay.