How Does Yeats Present Value in “Sailing to Byzantium?”

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Sailing to Byzantium is a critically claimed poem by W.B. Yeats. Highly regarded as one of the greatest 20th century poets, Yeats wrote the poem as a metaphor for a spiritual journey, exploring timeless philosophical issues such as art, human spirit, coming of age, and immortality. In order to analyse Yeats’s presentation of value in Sailing to Byzantium, we must first define literary value; however, value is one of the most subjective and pliable issues within English Literature, definitions of value literally change from person to person. However, this essay will attempt to apply some aspects of value to Yeats’s work. Firstly, we must examine the writing style and expertise of the author; Yeats utilizes the rhyming stanza form known as Ottova rima, a technique that comprises eight iambic lines and an a-b-a-b-a-b-c-c rhyme scheme (6 lines of alternating rhyme followed by a couplet at the end of the stanza). Ottova rima itself has great cultural significance, finding its roots within 14th century Italy, and becoming a popular poetic device throughout the renaissance period. This use of a historically meaningful linguistic technique could be considered valuable, as it shows that Yeats has put considerable thought into the structuring and presentation of the poem; it can be presumed that, as an author, Yeats wielded substantial literary knowledge in regards to poetic form. The subject matter of a poem is another factor to draw into debate when scrutinizing the value of a text. Philosophical exploration is widely regarded as a valuable asset within a poem; examples of philosophical enquiry can be found throughout the poem, for instance, Consume my heart away; sick with desire / And fastened to a dying animal / It knows not what it is; and gather me / Into the artifice of eternity.” In this case, Yeats wishes for the sages of Byzantium to consume his heart
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