English Literature
The Heritage of Words
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Tanka Raj Dahal
Department of English
Kathmandu Model College, Bagbazar, Kathmandu
Lamentation of the Old Pensioner
-W.B. Yeats
By: Tanka Raj Dahal
By: Tanka Raj Dahal
Genre: Poem
Writer: WB Yeats
Issues: comparison of
youthful beautiful
past of an old
pensioner with his
sorrowful present
old age.
Tone: nostalgic and full of
anger and
dissatisfaction
Speaker: an old pensioner
Lamentation of the Old Pensioner
-W.B. Yeats
• Born in Dublin, Ireland,
By: Tanka Raj Dahal
on June 13, 1865
• widely considered to be
one of the greatest poets
of the 20th century.
• His poetry deals with a
variety of themes
ranging from ancient
legend, mythology,
folklore, politics, history,
love and constantly
creates new myths of
his own.
Lamentation of the Old Pensioner
-W.B. Yeats
Title:
By: Tanka Raj Dahal
Lamentation : The word
lamentation means mourning
or wailing over the loss of
some precious things, a
privilege position or an
advantage.
• For the loss of something
precious
• For being deprived of the
privilege position
• For being in a
disadvantaged position
Why ?
Old Pensioner
By: Tanka Raj Dahal
NOT
Old Man
Lamentation of the Old Pensioner
-W.B. Yeats
• The old speaker becomes nostalgic and recalls
By: Tanka Raj Dahal
his beautiful past.
• He finds old age more painful and lonely than
his young life.
• The circumstances are not as per his
expectations and expresses his
dissatisfaction and his grief of his old age
Lamentation of the Old Pensioner
-W.B. Yeats
• The speaker is very old and
By: Tanka Raj Dahal
is living a retired life
• He is taking shelter under a
broken tree (not secure)
• It means he is deprived of a
reliable shelter
• A broken tree doesn’t give
shade; neither from rain nor
from the sun to the old man.
• He does not get enough
pension to run his life.
Lamentation of the Old Pensioner
-W.B. Yeats
When he was young
By: Tanka Raj Dahal
• He was handsome
energetic and viable
• He was the centre of
attraction (talk of the
town)
• He was surrounded by
beautiful girls
• He involved in politics
• He had power and job
• He had reliable shelter
Lamentation of the Old Pensioner
-W.B. Yeats
Now in his old age
By: Tanka Raj Dahal
• He has been ugly like
scarecrow
• He has lost his youth,
energy, viability
• He has lost his power and
position
• All the beautiful girls have
left him
• Not a single woman turns
her face towards him
• He himself has become a
broken tree
Lamentation of the Old Pensioner
-W.B. Yeats
• He sees some mischievous
boys making weapons for
By: Tanka Raj Dahal
some conspiracy.
• These ‘rascals’ are sure to
create chaos in the society
through some barbarous
activities.
• But the poet is not
concerned about the
possible anarchy in the
society. He is sad as the
time has transfigured him.
Lamentation of the Old Pensioner
-W.B. Yeats
• His bygones days are like a
By: Tanka Raj Dahal
dream to him.
• The one who snatched his joy,
youth and golden DAYS OF
PAST IS
TIME
• His past life only gives him
agony because Time has turned
him into ugly, weak and
useless old man.
• It has taken away all his
physical charms, energy, and
friends.
Lamentation of the Old Pensioner
-W.B. Yeats
• He thinks that his greater
enemy is Time because it
made him old and stole
his physical beauty, power
and beautiful lovers.
• So, he shows his anger by
spitting into the face of
time.
Lamentation of the Old Pensioner
-W.B. Yeats
By: Tanka Raj Dahal
Broken Tree • Refers to Ireland where he is
not secure and happy.
(first stanza) • Living miserable life
• Refers to himself who has
turned very old and has
Broken Tree become useless and
worthless.
(third stanza) • Living lonely and miserable
life
Lamentation of the Old Pensioner
-W.B. Yeats
Personification
Personification is a figure of speech that is used to
By: Tanka Raj Dahal
give human attribute to a non-human object.
Example:
I spit into the face of Time
Note: the poet has personified the word TIME by
using capital ‘T’
Questions for Practice:
1.Why does the old man want to ‘spit into the face of time’?
2.Why and how does the old pensioner lament?
By: Tanka Raj Dahal
3.What is the speaker lamenting on?
By: Tanka Raj Dahal
