When You Are Old Flashcards
Summary :
“When You Are Old” by W.B. Yeats is a poem that asks people to think about love as they get older.
It talks about looking back at their youth and the choices they made.
The poem says that true love is often missed because many focus on looks instead of real feelings.
The speaker tells the listener to remember the love that was strong and true.
In the end, it reminds us to value those who really care about us, as this kind of love is special and important.
- Who is the poet addressing? Describe the person.
The poet addresses a woman he loves, who was beautiful and admired by many but may not have recognized true love.She has soft,deep eyes and some sorrow in her face.
- How can we say the person being addressed had many admirers? Did everyone love the person truly?
Many loved her beauty, indicating she had many admirers and because of the line “how many loved your moment of glad grace”, but not all love was genuine; some were only attracted to her appearance.
Explain the phrase ‘your changing face.’
The phrase ,’your changing face’ refers to the way in which a face alters with age.
Comment on the relevance of the title of the poem .Suggest an alternative title.
The title reflects on looking back at life and love. An alternate title could be “Reflections on True Love.”
What is the rhyme scheme of the poem ,when you were old?
The rhymes scheme of the poem is ABBA, CDDC,EFFE.
- How many loved your moments of glad grace, And loved your beauty with love false or true, But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you, And loved the sorrows of your changing face…
How can we say that the person being addressed was once beautiful?
Who was the ‘one man’ the poet is talking about?
Explain the phrase, ‘the pilgrim soul in you’.
How can we say that the person being addressed was once beautiful?
The line ‘your moments of glad grace’ states that she was very beautiful and everyone loved her grace.
Who was the one man the poet is talking about?
The ‘one man’ is the poet himself.
Explain the phrase, the pilgrim soul in you.
This phrase refers to her deeper essence and experiences, which the poet loves beyond her beauty.
- And bending down beside the glowing bars, Murmur, a little sadly, how Love fled And paced upon the mountains overhead And hid his face amid a crowd of stars.
Why would the person being addressed ‘murmur, a little sadly?
Name the figure of speech used in the above lines. Quote the lines.
How can we say that the love was lost forever?
Why would the person being an address murmur a little sadly ?
The girl is the person addressed.She is sadly murmuring because she is sad that her lover had ran to the mountains and how her love fled.
Name the figure of speech used in the above lines. Quote the lines
‘And bending down beside the glowing bar’ - personification
‘Murmur a little sadly,how love fled’ - personification
How can we say that the love was last forever.
The poem says “Love fled” and hid “amid a crowd of stars,” meaning it is gone and unreachable forever.
Think of all the images that came to your mind while reading the poem when you are old. Write a note on the imagery used in the poem.
In “When You Are Old”, the poet uses images to help us picture the poem. We see an old woman sitting by the fire, thinking about her past. She reads a book, which shows her memories. The poet also talks about how he loved her soul, not just her looks. These images show love, aging, and sadness, making the poem easy to imagine.
What is the mood of the poem? What emotions did you have while reading the poem?
The mood of “When You Are Old” is sad and thoughtful. It talks about growing old and remembering lost love. While reading, I felt sadness because the poet loved the woman for her inner beauty, but she didn’t fully see it. The poem gives a feeling of regret and love.
What is the mood of the poem? What emotions did you have while reading the poem?
The mood of “When You Are Old” is sad and thoughtful. It talks about growing old and remembering lost love. While reading, I felt sadness because the poet loved the woman for her inner beauty, but she didn’t fully see it. The poem gives a feeling of regret and love.
