How is the poem ‘In Memory of W. B. Yeats’ different from the traditional elegy?

Answer

How is the poem ‘In Memory of W. B. Yeats’ different from the traditional elegy? [2020]

W. H. Auden’s (1907–1973) “In Memory of W. B. Yeats” is a modern elegy written in 1939 after Yeats’s death. It is not full of tears and decoration like traditional elegies. Instead, it mixes realism, politics, and poetry’s truth.

Modern Setting and Real Background: Auden begins with a real and cold picture of the day when Yeats died. It is not dreamy like the old elegies. The scene is full of snow, frozen rivers, and silent airports. Auden says,

“The day of his death was a dark cold day.” 

The line comes again and again. This repetition gives a modern, newspaper-like truth. The poet does not imagine angels or gods. He shows real people, “brokers roaring like beasts,” and “the poor” living as usual. The elegy becomes a picture of modern life, not of heaven or mourning.

No Pity, but Thoughtful Tribute: Old elegies are full of emotion and tears. But Auden’s tone is calm and wise. He praises Yeats with respect, not with pity. He shows that poetry lives even when the poet dies. Yeats is not a god but a man who suffered and created beauty. Auden honours his struggle and art in a thoughtful way. It is not crying or decoration, but deep understanding and truth.

Universal Message of Hope: In the last part, Auden turns the elegy into hope and duty. He calls Yeats,

“Follow, poet, follow right 

To the bottom of the night.”

He asks Yeats to teach people to “rejoice” even in pain. He ends beautifully, saying,

“In the prison of his days 

Teach the free man how to praise.”

This is not only for Yeats but for all poets. It gives moral strength, not sadness.

Auden changes the traditional elegy into a modern one. He mixes death with daily life, reason with emotion, and sadness with