Epitomizes the Perils of Love

Yeats describes "the soft look" of his guinea pig's younger eyes and the be have sexd "moments of grace" from the past. He writes as if his resign is now old and single, acknowledging the disappointing discrepancies between a dreamy, processed past and a sleepy, graying present. Clearly, the choices made have led to this received state of singleness and have resulted in a mischief of whimsical youth. He uses these changes in character descriptions as premonitory hints as to what awaits those who emphasize youthful beaut rather than accept authoritative cacoethes.

Although youth and beauty often attract obscene love, Yeats' poem portrays the dangers that come from indulging in the self-confidence of beauty rather than embracing the romance of true love. He recalls "how umpteen ... loved your beauty with love false or true," to fence the wild popularity of his beautiful subject. Evidently, beauty and grace are more(prenominal) than enough to attract followers, both heartfelt and fleeting. How incessantly, every reciprocation on behalf of the poem's subject, whether of true love or empty beauty, is ever menti aned. Herein lies the ugly truth behind the vanity of beauty. The subject of Yeats' poem appears to be equally as vane and beauty-conscious as are her admirers. Vanity blinds her ability to recognize, accept, or reciprocate any love that is not directly related to her personal beauty.

The subject's vanity even prevents her from experiencing the true love that surpasses lustful infatuation. It seems th

at the poet himself may be among the subject's many lovers, for he acknowledges how "one man loved the pilgrim soul ... and loved the sorrows of your ever-changing face.

" One who can see through the facade of personal beauty and find beauty in the inner person, is one who has found true love. Although time and age will whither the fatuous love of admirers, Yeats indicates that his is a true love - a love that originates in the knowing depths of his subject's soul. Therefore, the "sorrow" and "changing face" that pursue maturity will not alienate his feelings of true love because they extend beyond outer beauty. Unfortunately, such love is not enough to overcome the vanity and self-obsession that accompany the beauty exuded by individuals such as Yeats' subject.

After his poetic portrayals of beauty and love, Yeats returns to his sign description of forewarning by the "glowing bars" of fire. He is now but a hidden "face among a crowd of stars," merely one of the many lovers to be shunned by the vane subject of his poem. Too beautiful and self-obsessed to accept the true love of another, Yeats' subject is remaining single and old, and he is left to pace among her many star-crossed lovers.

"When You Are Old" epitomize
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