An aged man is but a paltry thing/ A tattered cloth upon a stick.”
___ is a notable literary work by ___. A complete discussion of this literary work is given, which will help you enhance your literary skills and prepare for the exam. Read the Main texts, Key info, Summary, Themes, Characters, Literary devices, Quotations, Notes, and various study materials of ___.
Answer
Explain with reference to the context: “An aged man is but a paltry thing/ A tattered cloth upon a stick.” [NU: 2022]
This quote is taken from “Sailing to Byzantium” (1927) by W. B. Yeats (1865–1939). In this quote, the poet talks about life, age, and art. He feels old. He wants to leave the world of youth. He wants to enter a timeless world of beauty. The poet says:
“An aged man is but a paltry thing,
A tattered coat upon a stick.”
These lines are from the first stanza of the poem. The poet is in Ireland. He sees young people enjoying life. They sing, dance, and love. But he is old. He feels left out.
The poet calls an old man “a paltry thing.” This means he thinks an old man is weak and small. He has no energy. He cannot enjoy life like the young. He then uses a picture. He says an old man is like “a tattered coat upon a stick.” A stick with an old coat looks empty. It has no life inside. It stands still. It moves only if the wind blows.
This image shows the poet’s feelings. He feels his body is useless. It is worn out like old clothes. It is thin and weak like a stick. It cannot do much. The poet thinks only the mind can stay alive and strong. The body will grow old, but the soul can grow wiser. This is why he wants to go to Byzantium. In Byzantium, he can learn from art and holy things. His soul can live forever, beyond age.
These lines show Yeats’s sadness about old age. They also show his wish to escape it. The picture of the “tattered coat” makes us feel the weakness of age and the poet’s desire for eternal beauty.