T.S. Eliot’s “The Journey of the Magi” offers a profound meditation on the themes of spirituality, transformation, and the complexities of faith. Through the narrative of the Magi’s journey to the birthplace of Christ, Eliot not only captures the physical hardship of the journey but also delves into the psychological and emotional turmoil faced by the travelers. In this article, we will break down the poem’s figures of speech, mood, tone, and language, providing an educational guide that makes this classic accessible for both novices and those well-versed in literature.
The Poem: “The Journey of the Magi” by T.S. Eliot
The Journey of the Magi
By T.S. Eliot
A cold coming we had of it,
Just the worst time of the year
For a journey, and such a long journey:
The ways deep and the weather sharp,
The very dead of winter.
And the camels galled, sorefooted, refractory,
Lying down in the melting snow.
There were times we regretted
The summer palaces on slopes, the terraces,
And the silken girls bringing sherbet.
Then the camel men cursing and grumbling
And running away, and wanting their liquor and women,
And the night-fires going out, and the lack of shelters,
And the cities hostile and the towns unfriendly
And the villages dirty and charging high prices:
A hard time we had of it.
At the end we preferred to travel all night,
Sleeping in snatches,
With the voices singing in our ears, saying
That this was all folly.
Then at dawn we came down to a temperate valley,
Wet, below the snow line, smelling of vegetation;
With a running stream and a water-mill beating the darkness,
And three trees on the low sky,
And an old white horse galloped away in the meadow.
Then we came to a tavern with vine-leaves over the lintel,
Six hands at an open door dicing for pieces of silver,
And feet kicking the empty wine-skins.
But there was no information, and so we continued
And arriving at evening, not a moment too soon
Finding the place; it was (you might say) satisfactory.
All this was a long time ago, I remember,
And I would do it again, but set down
This set down
This: were we led all that way for
Birth or Death? There was a Birth, certainly
We had evidence and no doubt. I had seen birth and death,
But had thought they were different; this Birth was
Hard and bitter agony for us, like Death, our death.
We returned to our places, these Kingdoms,
But no longer at ease here, in the old dispensation,
With an alien people clutching their gods.
I should be glad of another death.
Figures of Speech in “The Journey of the Magi”:
T.S. Eliot employs a variety of figures of speech throughout “The Journey of the Magi” to enrich the poem’s themes. Below are 15 key figures of speech used in the poem:
- Alliteration (Line 1): “A cold coming we had of it”
- The repetition of the “c” sound in “cold coming” emphasizes the harshness of the journey, setting the tone of discomfort and struggle.
- Metaphor (Line 1): “Just the worst time of the year”
- “The worst time of the year” metaphorically sets the scene for the physical and emotional challenges the travelers will face, implying a season of hardship and discomfort.
- Imagery (Lines 4-5): “The ways deep and the weather sharp, / The very dead of winter.”
- Vivid imagery paints a picture of the harsh winter conditions, with “sharp” weather and deep roads conveying the difficulty of the journey.
- Personification (Line 6): “And the camels galled, sorefooted, refractory”
- The camels are personified by attributing human-like characteristics such as “sorefooted” and “refractory,” emphasizing their exhaustion and resistance to the journey.
- Hyperbole (Lines 7-8): “Lying down in the melting snow.”
- The exaggeration here shows the extremity of the camels’ struggle, which reflects the overwhelming nature of the journey itself.
- Anaphora (Lines 9-11): “There were times we regretted”
- Repetition of “there were times” emphasizes the multiple occasions of regret and frustration the travelers experience, building the sense of difficulty.
- Juxtaposition (Lines 12-13): “The summer palaces on slopes, the terraces, / And the silken girls bringing sherbet.”
- The juxtaposition of the luxurious past (summer palaces, silken girls) with the harsh present of the journey highlights the stark contrast in the Magi’s experience.
- Irony (Line 14): “Then the camel men cursing and grumbling / And running away, and wanting their liquor and women”
- There is a sense of irony in the camel men’s complaints, as they are supposed to be assisting the Magi, but instead are focused on their personal desires.
- Imagery (Lines 18-19): “And the night-fires going out, and the lack of shelters”
- Strong imagery of the extinguished fires and lack of shelter emphasizes the hardship and the uncomfortable conditions the Magi face.
- Metaphor (Line 21): “With the voices singing in our ears, saying / That this was all folly.”
- The metaphor of the voices singing in their ears suggests the inner conflict and doubt the travelers feel about the purpose of their journey.
- Contrast (Lines 23-24): “Then at dawn we came down to a temperate valley, / Wet, below the snow line, smelling of vegetation”
- The contrast between the cold, harsh conditions at the beginning and the temperate valley represents a shift in the journey from hardship to a more peaceful arrival.
- Symbolism (Lines 26-28): “And an old white horse galloped away in the meadow”
- The white horse can symbolize purity, hope, or even the arrival of Christ, marking the culmination of the Magi’s journey and the symbolic birth they witness.
- Metaphor (Line 32): “Six hands at an open door dicing for pieces of silver”
- The metaphor of “dicing for pieces of silver” alludes to the betrayal of Christ, symbolizing greed and the transactional nature of the encounter.
- Rhetorical Question (Line 37): “Were we led all that way for / Birth or Death?”
- The rhetorical question invites the reader to ponder the deeper existential questions faced by the Magi: was their journey for the purpose of witnessing life or death?
- Oxymoron (Line 40): “This Birth was / Hard and bitter agony for us, like Death, our death.”
- The juxtaposition of “birth” with “hard and bitter agony” is an oxymoron, suggesting that the new life (Christ’s birth) is accompanied by suffering, death, and transformation for the Magi.
Mood and Tone in “The Journey of the Magi”
- Mood: The mood of the poem is somber and reflective. The journey is fraught with physical discomfort and emotional turmoil. However, there is also a sense of spiritual awakening as the Magi arrive at their destination, which adds a layer of profound introspection to the mood.
- Tone: The tone of the poem is both resigned and contemplative. The Magi, after enduring great hardship, reflect on the significance of their journey with a sense of uncertainty. The tone also carries an undercurrent of disillusionment, as they question whether the birth they witnessed was truly worth the agony they endured.
Language in “The Journey of the Magi”
The language used by T.S. Eliot in “The Journey of the Magi” is rich in complexity, blending elements of both simplicity and depth. The straightforward language conveys the physical journey’s hardships, while the symbolic and metaphorical language encourages deeper exploration of spiritual themes. The shifts in tone and mood are conveyed through changes in the language, from the roughness of the journey to the more tranquil description of the valley.
Class Activities:
- Visual Mapping of the Journey: Have students create a visual representation of the Magi’s journey, highlighting key points and transitions (e.g., harsh conditions, temperate valley, arrival at the birth). Discuss the significance of these transitions.
- Role Play and Debate: Have students role-play the Magi’s experience and engage in a debate about whether their journey was worth the hardship. Use quotes from the poem to support their arguments.
- Poetry Recitation with Expression: Ask students to recite the poem, focusing on tone, mood, and how the expression of voice can change based on the emotions conveyed in the poem.
- Contextual Exploration: Encourage students to research the historical and religious context of the Magi’s journey. How does this add depth to their understanding of the poem?
- Symbolism Study: Have students identify other symbols in the poem and explore their significance. Discuss how the symbols relate to the themes of birth, death, and spiritual transformation.
Class Assignments:
- Poetry Analysis: Write a detailed analysis of the poem’s figures of speech, focusing on their role in conveying the themes of the poem.
- Personal Reflection Essay: Write a reflective essay on the personal and spiritual implications of the journey the Magi undergo. How does the poem speak to contemporary struggles?
- Historical Comparison: Research the Magi’s journey in a historical and religious context. Compare the events of the poem to actual historical accounts or religious texts.
- Creative Writing: Write a poem that explores a personal journey or a transformative experience, inspired by the Magi’s story.
- Character Study: Create a character study of the speaker in the poem. How do their feelings about the journey evolve throughout the poem?
