- In the first line, the speaker ponders the fact that Swift has died. His journey in life is over.
- In the second and third lines, the speaker states that terrible anger can no longer tear Swift’s heart. Swift used his writings to express his anger against the evils he saw in life. He protested against all things English.
- Then, in lines four and five, the speaker challenges the reader to imitate the writings of Swift. Since Swift’s epitaph is located in St. Patrick’s Cathedral, the most likely people to read the epitaph are people who are so fascinated with the world that they travel to explore its wonders. However, the meaning may simply be that every living person is on a life journey until death.
- In the final statement, the speaker praises the fact that Swift devoted himself to human freedom. Yeats, like Swift before him, was particularly interested in freedom of the mind.
Death
Death provides a rest from strong human emotions such as anger. The poem pictures people as travellers on a journey that ends in death. Sometimes an epitaph sums up the best quality of a dead person. People are remembered and imitated after death.
Death provides a rest from strong human emotions such as anger. The poem pictures people as travellers on a journey that ends in death. Sometimes an epitaph sums up the best quality of a dead person. People are remembered and imitated after death.
Freedom
The poet admires freedom of the mind. Swift was a champion of freedom for wealthy Protestants, writers and artists.
The poet admires freedom of the mind. Swift was a champion of freedom for wealthy Protestants, writers and artists.
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