The Sorrow of Love by W.B. Yeats
The poem explores the profound interplay between love and sorrow, illustrating how beauty and pain coexist in human experience. It begins with vivid imagery of nature, where the sounds of a sparrow and the brilliance of the moon create a serene backdrop. This tranquility is disrupted by the emergence of a girl, whose mournful expression embodies the weight of the world's grief. The girl symbolizes a universal sorrow, akin to the struggles of mythological figures like Odysseus and Priam, suggesting that love often leads to suffering. The poem reflects on the inevitability of loss and the emotional turmoil that accompanies deep affection. The natural elements—the moon, the sky, and the leaves—serve as metaphors for the cyclical nature of life and the persistent presence of heartache. As the poem progresses, it emphasizes the contrast between the beauty of the world and the inner turmoil of the human heart. The imagery evokes a sense of longing and despair, reinforcing the idea that love is intertwined with sorrow. The final lines encapsulate the notion that despite the beauty surrounding us, the essence of human experience is marked by a profound sense of loss and yearning. Ultimately, the work delves into the complexities of love, portraying it as a source of both joy and anguish, and highlighting the inescapable reality of sorrow that accompanies deep emotional connections.
By W.B. Yeats · First published 1910 · Genre: Lyric Poetry, Romanticism, Symbolism · 133 words
First lines
The brawling of a sparrow in the eaves, The brilliant moon and all the milky sky, And all that famous harmony of leaves, Had blotted out man's image and his cry.
A girl arose that had red mournful lips, And seemed the greatness of the world in tears.
Doomed like Odysseus and the labouring ships And proud as Priam murdered with his peers; Arose, and on the instant clamorous eaves, A climbing moon upon an empty sky, And all that lamentation of the leaves, Could but compose man's image and his cry.
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The Sorrow of Love is listed on Textopian as a poem by W.B. Yeats, dated 1910 CE.
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- Work type: Poem
- Author: W.B. Yeats
- Date: 1910 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Lyric Poetry, Romanticism, Symbolism, Modernism, Elegy
- Length: 133 words
- Structure: 1 section, 3 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
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Genres
- Lyric Poetry — The poem expresses personal emotions and reflections on love and sorrow, characteristic of lyric poetry.
- Romanticism — Themes of deep emotion, nature, and individual experience align with Romantic ideals.
- Symbolism — The use of imagery and symbols to convey deeper meanings is prevalent throughout the poem.
- Modernism — The exploration of complex emotions and fragmented imagery reflects modernist tendencies.
Tags
Poetry · Romance · Tragedy · Love · Loss · Sorrow · Longing · Yearning · Melancholy · Despair · Heartbreak · Pain