The Sorrow of Love (Poem by William Butler Yeats)

The Sorrow of Love

By William Butler Yeats

The brawling of a sparrow in the eaves,
The brilliant moon and all the milky sky,
And all that famous harmony of leaves,
Had blotted out man’s image and his cry.

A girl arose that had red mournful lips
And seemed the greatness of the world in tears,
Doomed like Odysseus and the labouring ships
And proud as Priam murdered with his peers;

Arose, and on the instant clamorous eaves,
A climbing moon upon an empty sky,
And all that lamentation of the leaves,
Could but compose man’s image and his cry.

Poem Analysis:

"The Sorrow of Love" by William Butler Yeats is a poignant and evocative poem that explores themes of love, nature, and the transformative power of emotions. Through vivid imagery and rich symbolism, Yeats crafts a narrative that delves into the profound impact of love on the human soul and the paradoxical nature of desire. In this analysis, we will examine the poem's structure, themes, and literary devices to uncover its deeper meaning.

Themes:

1. The Transformative Power of Love: The poem explores how love has the capacity to transform ordinary experiences and surroundings into something extraordinary. It is a force that can elevate the mundane to the sublime.
2. Nature and Emotion: Nature serves as a backdrop to the emotional turmoil experienced by the speaker. The poem suggests that the beauty and harmony of nature can be overshadowed by the intensity of human emotions.
3. The Transience of Human Experience: The poem alludes to the fleeting nature of human existence and emotions. Moments of intense emotion, such as love and sorrow, are contrasted with the enduring presence of nature.

Structure:

"The Sorrow of Love" consists of three quatrains (four-line stanzas) with a regular rhyme scheme (ABAB). This structure provides a sense of order and balance to the poem while allowing for the exploration of the themes and emotions presented.

Analysis:

1. "The brawling of a sparrow in the eaves": The poem begins by describing a seemingly ordinary event—a sparrow's noise in the eaves. This mundane occurrence serves as a backdrop to the powerful emotions that will be explored in the poem.
2. "The brilliant moon and all the milky sky": Yeats introduces elements of nature—the moon and the sky—to set the scene. The moon's brilliance and the milky sky create a sense of beauty and serenity.
3. "And all that famous harmony of leaves": The natural world is described as harmonious, emphasizing its tranquil and balanced state.
4. "Had blotted out man’s image and his cry": The intensity of nature's beauty has the power to overshadow human concerns and desires. The speaker suggests that in the presence of such natural harmony, human existence becomes insignificant.
5. "A girl arose that had red mournful lips": The introduction of the girl with "red mournful lips" signifies the emergence of passionate and intense human emotion in contrast to the tranquil natural setting.
6. "Seemed the greatness of the world in tears": The girl's tears and her emotional intensity make her seem like the embodiment of the world's greatness, which is tinged with sorrow and emotion.
7. "Doomed like Odysseus and the labouring ships": The reference to Odysseus and the laborious journeys of ships suggests a sense of destiny and struggle in the girl's life.
8. "Arose, and on the instant clamorous eaves": The girl's emergence coincides with the return of noise and clamor to the eaves, signifying the disruption of the earlier harmony.
9. "A climbing moon upon an empty sky": The moon, now described as "climbing," continues to ascend in the sky, but the sky is no longer described as milky and harmonious. The moon's ascent may symbolize the rise of human emotion.
10. "Could but compose man’s image and his cry": Despite the disruption, the presence of the girl and her emotional intensity allows for the reassertion of "man's image and his cry." Human emotion and experience are rekindled and given voice.

"The Sorrow of Love" by William Butler Yeats skillfully juxtaposes the tranquility of nature with the intensity of human emotion. Through vivid imagery and symbolism, the poem explores the transformative power of love and the ability of strong emotions to reawaken and give meaning to human existence. It invites readers to contemplate the interplay between the natural world and the depth of human feeling, leaving them with a profound sense of the complex nature of love and sorrow.