Upon Him and His Beloved, and Longs
For the End of the World
I have been changed to a hound with one red ear;
I have been in the Path of Stones and the Wood of Thorns,
For somebody hid hatred and hope and desire and fear
Under my feet that they follow you night and day.
A man with a hazel wand came without sound;
He changed me suddenly; I was looking another way;
And now my calling is but the calling of a hound;
And Time and Birth and Change are hurrying by.
I would that the Boar without bristles had come from the West
And had rooted the sun and moon and stars out of the sky
And lay in the darkness, grunting, and turning to his rest.
Poem Analysis:
William Butler Yeats, one of the foremost figures of 20th-century literature, often wove themes of myth, transformation, and existential longing into his poetry. In "He Mourns for the Change that has Come Upon Him and His Beloved, and Longs For the End of the World," Yeats explores the profound sense of loss and transformation that pervades human experience. The poem combines elements of mythological symbolism with personal reflection, creating a rich tapestry of emotional and philosophical depth.
The poem opens with a plaintive call: "Do you not hear me calling, white deer with no horns?" This initial image sets a mythic tone, invoking a sense of enchantment and otherworldliness. The "white deer with no horns" can be seen as a symbol of purity, innocence, and unattainable beauty. The speaker's transformation into a "hound with one red ear" introduces a sense of loss and displacement. In Celtic mythology, a hound with a red ear often symbolizes a being caught between worlds, highlighting the speaker's transition from a state of grace to one of suffering and pursuit.
Yeats' use of the "Path of Stones and the Wood of Thorns" as settings further emphasizes the harsh and painful journey the speaker endures. These landscapes are laden with symbolic meaning, representing obstacles, hardships, and the thorny nature of human existence. The elements of "hatred and hope and desire and fear" hidden under the speaker's feet encapsulate the complex emotions that drive and torment him in his relentless pursuit of the beloved.
The arrival of the "man with a hazel wand" marks a pivotal moment in the poem. Hazel wands are often associated with magic and transformation in folklore, and this figure's silent, sudden appearance underscores the arbitrary and uncontrollable forces that shape the speaker's destiny. The transformation imposed on the speaker, who was "looking another way," suggests a lack of agency and the capriciousness of fate. This shift from human to hound symbolizes a profound loss of identity and autonomy.
The theme of time's relentless march is poignantly captured in the line, "And Time and Birth and Change are hurrying by." This acknowledgment of the inexorable passage of time and the constant flux of life highlights the speaker's sense of helplessness and resignation. The transformation has left him with a "calling" that is now reduced to "the calling of a hound," signifying a diminished and futile existence.
In the closing lines, Yeats introduces the apocalyptic image of the "Boar without bristles" coming from the West. This boar, a creature stripped of its natural defenses, symbolizes a force of destruction that the speaker wishes would eradicate the cosmic order. The desire for the boar to "rooted the sun and moon and stars out of the sky" reflects an intense longing for an end to suffering and the cyclical nature of time. The speaker's yearning for darkness and rest encapsulates a deep-seated wish for oblivion and escape from the torment of existence.
In "He Mourns for the Change that has Come Upon Him and His Beloved, and Longs For the End of the World," Yeats masterfully intertwines mythological imagery with existential themes. The poem explores the anguish of transformation, the loss of identity, and the yearning for an end to suffering. Through rich symbolism and evocative language, Yeats invites readers to reflect on the profound changes that shape our lives and the universal desire for peace and resolution in the face of relentless change.