What does ‘Byzantium’ symbolize in the poem “Sailing to Byzantium?”

Answer

 What does ‘Byzantium’ symbolize in the poem “Sailing to Byzantium?” [NU: 2016, 22]

W.B. Yeats (1865–1939) is a great Irish poet. In his poem, “Sailing to Byzantium” (1927), he talks about growing old. Yeats feels that the world of the young is full of love and fun. There is no place for old people. So, he says,

“That is no country for old men.”

Yeats wants to leave the real world and go to Byzantium, a holy and artistic city. In the poem, Byzantium is not just a place. It is a symbol of something deeper, a place of art, spirit, and eternal life.

Symbol of a Spiritual World: Byzantium is not like the real world. It is a place of spiritual peace and pure wisdom. The poet says,

“And therefore I have sailed the seas and come 

To the holy city of Byzantium.”

Here, “holy city” means a place where the soul is free. It is full of truth. Here, there are no physical things like the body or beauty. The poet wants to leave the world of youth and enjoy the peace of the soul in Byzantium.

Symbol of Eternal Art and Beauty: Byzantium also stands for art that never dies. The poet wants to escape death. He wants to become a work of art, like a golden bird that sings forever. He says,

“Once out of nature I shall never take 

My bodily form.”

This means he wants to leave his weak old body. He wants to become something beautiful and eternal, like art made of gold. Byzantium is the place where such eternal things are created.

Symbol of Freedom from Old Age and Pain: In real life, the poet feels weak and useless because of old age. But in Byzantium, he can live without pain. He wants to forget his dying body and live as a free soul.  So, Byzantium is a symbol of a better