Poem Analysis - The Folly Of Being Comforted

Introduction: A Lament for Lost Beauty

William Butler Yeats's "The Folly Of Being Comforted" is a poignant expression of grief over the perceived loss of a loved one's beauty through the passage of time. The poem begins with a well-meaning attempt at solace, but the speaker's heart vehemently rejects it, clinging instead to an idealized past. The tone is initially conversational, shifting to a passionate and despairing outcry as the speaker grapples with the inevitability of aging and its impact on his beloved. The poem ends with a note of desperate longing, emphasizing the futility of finding comfort in the face of such profound loss.

Love, Loss, and the Ravages of Time

The poem explores several intertwined themes, most notably love, loss, and the destructive power of time. The speaker's intense love for the woman is evident in his passionate rejection of any suggestion that her beauty is fading. This love fuels his sense of loss as he mourns the perceived diminishment of her youthful radiance. Time is personified as an enemy, relentlessly etching "threads of grey" and "little shadows" on her face. These physical changes are not merely superficial; they represent a deeper loss of the vibrant, untamed beauty that the speaker so cherishes. He sees time as a force that diminishes the essential essence of her being, replacing it with something less desirable.

The Heart's Unyielding Grief

The poem dramatically distinguishes between intellectual acceptance and emotional reality. The "ever kind" person offers a rational perspective, suggesting that time will bring wisdom and acceptance. However, the speaker's "Heart cries, 'No,'" revealing a profound emotional resistance to this logic. The heart refuses to be comforted, clinging to the belief that time cannot simply erase or replace the woman's beauty. This refusal highlights the irrationality of grief and the way it can defy logic and reason. The heart's cry underscores the poem's central conflict: the tension between accepting the inevitable passage of time and desperately yearning for the preservation of youthful beauty.

Fire and Summer: Symbols of Fading Radiance

The poem uses potent imagery to convey the woman's beauty and the speaker's anguish at its perceived decline. The "fire that stirs about her, when she stirs" symbolizes her inner vitality and passion, qualities that the speaker fears are being extinguished by time. This imagery contrasts sharply with the "threads of grey" and "little shadows," which represent the physical effects of aging. The memory of when "all the wild Summer was in her gaze" serves as a powerful symbol of her past youthful radiance. "Summer" here signifies a time of unrestrained beauty and vitality, now lost to the speaker. The use of these images underscores the speaker's belief that her beauty is intrinsically linked to her youth, and that the passage of time inevitably diminishes her allure.

The Illusion of Comfort: A Final Reflection

In conclusion, "The Folly Of Being Comforted" is a poignant meditation on the destructive power of time and the pain of witnessing the fading beauty of a loved one. The poem reveals the inadequacy of rational comfort in the face of profound emotional loss, emphasizing the speaker's desperate yearning for an idealized past. Ultimately, the poem suggests that true comfort is impossible when one is confronted with the inevitable changes brought about by time. The title itself highlights the futility of trying to soothe a heart that is consumed by grief, emphasizing the profound and often irrational nature of love and loss.