Youth And Age by Samuel Taylor Coleridge (Poem, Summary, & Analysis)

 

Youth And Age

by Samuel Taylor Coleridge

(Poem, Summary, & Analysis) 

Youth And Age

 

Verse, a Breeze 'mid blossoms straying,

Where HOPE clung feeding, like a bee--

Both were mine ! Life went a-maying

With NATURE, HOPE, and POESY,

I was young!

 

When I was young? -- Ah, woeful WHEN!

Ah ! for the Change 'twixt Now and Then!

This breathing House not built with hands,

This body that does me grievous wrong,

O'er æry Cliffs and glittering Sands,

How lightly then it flashed along:--

Like those trim skiffs, unknown of yore,

On winding lakes and rivers wide,

That ask no aid of Sail or Oar,

That fear no spite of Wind or Tide!

Nought cared this Body for wind or weather

When YOUTH and I lived in't together.

 

FLOWERS are lovely; LOVE is flower-like;

FRIENDSHIP is a sheltering tree;

O! the Joys, that came down shower-like,

Of FRIENDSHIP, LOVE, and LIBERTY,

Ere I was old!

 

Ere I was old? -- Ah woeful ERE,

Which tells me, YOUTH'S no longer here!

O YOUTH! for years so many and sweet,

'Tis known, that Thou and I were one,

I'll think it but a fond conceit--

It cannot be that Thou art gone!

Thy Vesper-bell hath not yet toll'd:--

And thou wert aye a Masker bold!

What strange Disguise hast now put on,

To make believe, that thou art gone?

I see these Locks in silvery slips,

This drooping Gait, this altered Size:

But SPRINGTIDE blossoms on thy Lips,

And Tears take sunshine from thine eyes!

Life is but Thought: so think I will

That YOUTH and I are House-mates still.

 

Dew-drops are the gems of morning,

But the tears of mournful eve!

Where no hope is, life's a warning

That only serves to make us grieve,

When we are old:

 

That only serves to make us grieve

With oft and tedious taking-leave,

Like some poor nigh-related guest,

That may not rudely be dismist;

Yet hath outstay'd his welcome while,

And tells the jest without the smile.

 

Summary

The poem opens with a vivid recollection of youth, described as a joyful time filled with beauty and hope. The speaker compares this youthful phase to a gentle breeze drifting among blossoms, with hope clinging like a bee feeding on flowers. Life is depicted as a lively, carefree celebration ("a-maying") with nature, hope, and poetry all present together. The speaker identifies this as the time of being young.

The speaker then reflects on the past with a sense of sorrow, asking when exactly that time of youth was, highlighting the painful difference between then and now. The physical body, described as a "breathing House not built with hands," now feels like a burden that works against the speaker. The body once moved lightly and swiftly, like small, nimble boats that glide on lakes and rivers without needing sails or oars, fearless of wind or tide. In youth, the body was strong and resilient, unaffected by external forces.

Next, the poem shifts to emotional and relational joys of youth. Flowers symbolize beauty and love; friendship is likened to a protective tree providing shelter. These joys, described as falling like a refreshing shower, include friendship, love, and liberty — all experienced before old age came.

As the speaker moves into the present, old age is introduced with regret. The word "ere" (before) signals the departure of youth, now acknowledged as gone. The speaker mourns the loss of youth but also clings to the memory of being one with it for many sweet years. The speaker doubts the finality of youth’s departure, suggesting it might be a trick or disguise, a bold masker wearing a false face. Despite signs of aging such as silvering hair, a slower gait, and a changed body size, the speaker still sees signs of youth in the blooming lips and the tears that reflect sunlight in the eyes. The speaker chooses to believe that youth remains a part of them, like a housemate sharing the same home, sustained by the power of thought.

In the closing lines, the poem contrasts the morning’s dew, described as beautiful gems, with the tears of the sad evening. Life without hope becomes a warning, bringing grief as one ages. Old age is portrayed as a slow, tedious farewell, likened to a guest who has overstayed their welcome—polite but tiresome—telling jokes without the joy that once accompanied them.

 

Analysis in Detail

1. Contrast Between Youth and Age:

The poem centrally contrasts the vibrancy of youth with the inevitability of aging. Youth is portrayed as a time of freedom, vitality, and joy—“Life went a-maying / With NATURE, HOPE, and POESY.” The imagery of a breeze, blossoms, and a bee feeding on flowers conveys a sense of natural beauty and effortless movement, symbolizing the freshness and lightness of youth. In contrast, age is associated with loss, physical decline, and melancholy. The “breathing House not built with hands” represents the human body, which in youth was agile and strong but in old age becomes a source of “grievous wrong.”

 

2. Personification of Youth and Age:

Coleridge personifies youth almost as a companion or part of the self, addressing it directly and speaking of being “one” with youth. Even in old age, the speaker refuses to accept the full departure of youth, imagining it as a “Masker bold” that may be disguising itself. This personification creates an intimate relationship between the speaker and youth, suggesting that youth is not just a phase but a vital essence that the speaker wishes to keep alive mentally and spiritually.

 

3. Use of Nature Imagery:

Nature imagery runs through the poem to illustrate stages of life. Youth is linked to “blossoms,” “breeze,” “flowers,” and “springtide blossoms,” symbolizing growth, beauty, and renewal. Conversely, aging is tied to “dew-drops” (morning gems) and “tears of mournful eve,” showing how something once beautiful can fade and become associated with sorrow and reflection. This duality of morning and evening serves as a metaphor for the life cycle—youth as morning and old age as evening.

 

4. The Body as a “House”:

The body is metaphorically described as a “breathing House not built with hands,” emphasizing its impermanence and fragility. In youth, this house is vibrant and moves “lightly,” but with age, it becomes a “House” that causes pain and limits the spirit. This highlights the tension between the physical decline of the body and the undiminished spirit or mind.

 

5. Hope and Mental Attitude:

Despite the physical decline, the speaker’s mental attitude remains hopeful. The line “Life is but Thought: so think I will / That YOUTH and I are House-mates still” shows the power of the mind and imagination to sustain the essence of youth even when the body ages. This reflects a Romantic ideal where the spirit and mind can transcend physical limitations.

 

6. Emotional Tone and Reflection:

The poem conveys a bittersweet tone—nostalgic for the past but resigned to the present. The repeated exclamations “Ah, woeful WHEN!” and “Ah woeful ERE” express deep regret and sorrow over the passage of time. The speaker’s reflections are marked by a mixture of wistfulness, acceptance, and a subtle defiance against the finality of aging.

 

7. Symbolism of Friendship, Love, and Liberty:

In the middle stanza, friendship, love, and liberty are celebrated as the joys of youth. They are depicted using natural metaphors: friendship as a “sheltering tree,” love as flower-like, and liberty as something that comes down “shower-like.” These elements represent the social and emotional richness of youth, which contrasts with the isolation and weariness suggested in old age.

 

8. The Closing Metaphor of the Overstaying Guest:

The final image of old age as a “poor nigh-related guest” who “may not rudely be dismist” but has “outstay’d his welcome” is poignant. It conveys the idea that old age is an unwelcome but unavoidable part of life—one must be polite and endure it, even though it is tiresome and less joyful. The guest “tells the jest without the smile,” symbolizing how the pleasures and laughter of youth are now hollow or absent.

 

Summary of the Analysis

Coleridge’s Youth and Age is a reflective and lyrical meditation on the passage of time and the bittersweet reality of growing old. Using rich natural imagery and personification, the poem contrasts the vitality, hope, and joy of youth with the physical frailty and sorrow of age. Yet, it also expresses a Romantic belief in the enduring power of the mind and spirit to keep the essence of youth alive despite the body's decline. The emotional tone combines nostalgia, sorrow, and a dignified acceptance of life’s inevitable transitions.

 

Key Exam Points

The poem contrasts the energy and hopefulness of youth with the decline and sorrow of old age.

Youth is symbolized through natural imagery like blossoms, breeze, flowers, and springtime, representing vitality and beauty.

The speaker personifies youth as a companion or “house-mate,” suggesting a deep personal connection and the desire to keep youth alive mentally.

The body is described as a “house not built with hands,” emphasizing its physical frailty, especially in old age.

Friendship, love, and liberty are celebrated as key joys of youth, portrayed through metaphors of sheltering trees and refreshing showers.

Aging is linked to loss, grief, and the fading of physical strength and hope, but the mind retains the power to sustain youthful spirit.

The tone is nostalgic and bittersweet, expressing regret for youth’s passing but also acceptance of aging’s inevitability.

The final metaphor compares old age to an overstaying guest—unwelcome but endured—highlighting the weary acceptance of life’s later stage.

Coleridge employs vivid nature imagery and personification to evoke the emotional contrasts between youth and age.

The poem reflects Romantic themes of the soul’s endurance and the tension between physical decay and mental resilience.

 

Revision Sheet

 

Overview:

A reflective poem exploring the contrast between youth and old age.

Focuses on feelings of joy, hope, and vitality in youth versus sorrow, loss, and physical decline in old age.

 

Structure & Tone:

Written in lyrical, flowing verses with vivid imagery.

Tone shifts from joyful and hopeful to nostalgic and melancholic.

 

Key Imagery:

Youth: Breeze, blossoms, bee feeding, springtime, flowers, swift boats on lakes and rivers — symbolize freedom, lightness, beauty, and vitality.

Age: “Breathing House not built with hands” (body as a fragile vessel), silver hair, slow gait, tears at evening — symbolize physical decline, sorrow, and fading life.

 

Personification:

Youth is personified as a “Masker” or companion who disguises itself but remains present mentally.

Old age is an unwelcome guest who overstays but cannot be rudely dismissed.

 

Themes:

The passage of time: Clear distinction between the energetic past and the weariness of the present.

Hope and Memory: The speaker clings to memories and mental resilience to keep youth alive.

Body vs. Spirit: Physical decline contrasts with the enduring spirit and thought.

Friendship, Love, Liberty: Celebrated as key joys in youth’s flowering years.

 

Important Lines to Remember:

“Life went a-maying / With NATURE, HOPE, and POESY, / I was young!”

“This breathing House not built with hands, / This body that does me grievous wrong”

“Life is but Thought: so think I will / That YOUTH and I are House-mates still.”

“Old age… like some poor nigh-related guest / That may not rudely be dismist.”

 

Summary:

The poem starts with a celebration of youth’s joys and the body’s agility.

It moves to a lament on aging, bodily decay, and the loss of vitality.

Despite the physical changes, the speaker chooses to believe that youth lives on in spirit and memory.

Ends with a resigned but gentle acceptance of old age’s inevitable presence.

 

Possible Exam Questions

 

Describe how Samuel Taylor Coleridge contrasts youth and old age in the poem Youth and Age.

 

Explain the significance of nature imagery in the poem Youth and Age. How does it help convey the speaker’s feelings?

 

How does the speaker personify youth in the poem? What effect does this have on the overall message?

 

Discuss the tone of the poem. How does it change from the beginning to the end?

 

What role do friendship, love, and liberty play in the poem? How are they connected to youth?

 

Analyze the metaphor of the body as a “breathing House not built with hands.” What does it reveal about the speaker’s view of aging?

 

In Youth and Age, how does the speaker respond to the loss of youth? Use examples from the poem.

 

How does Coleridge use imagery to express the emotions associated with old age in the poem?

 

What is the meaning of the final stanza in Youth and Age? How does it reflect the speaker’s attitude toward old age?

 

Discuss how Youth and Age reflects Romantic ideas about life, nature, and the human spirit.