𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗢𝗹𝗱 𝗣𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗿| 𝗡𝗘𝗕 𝗡𝗼𝘁𝗲𝘀| 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘀 𝟭𝟮| 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗱𝘀

 The Lamentation of the Old Pensioner  

By W.B. Yeats

A Note Prepared by:

Dipendra Shrestha (Lecturer of English)

About the Writer

           Irish poet and dramatist

           was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature in 1923

About the poem (theme)

  Simply, this poem is about an old pensioner who is lamenting on the loss of his youth, power and love.

  It is a nostalgic poem that compares the past and the present situation of the speaker.

  The speaker says that he was very happy, young, powerful, handsome and hopeful in the past. He had many beautiful girlfriends. He would sit in front of fire with other young men and talk about love and politics.

  But now, he is very sad, old, powerless, ugly, lonely and hopeless. He has no girlfriends now.

  Therefore, he is angry with the time because it has changed him. He wants to spit into the face of time.

Detailed Summary

  This poem is about a retired officer/ old pensioner who remembers about his past when he was a young man. He finds difference between the past and present. He was happy in the past when he was young . On other hand, he was very handsome and young in the past but now, he is very old and ugly. He is sick, helpless, unloved, powerless and hopeless at present. He used to sit on a chair near the fire with other young friends and talk about love and politics .  He still remembers the beautiful girls who used to love him. He was powerful, hopeful and energetic .

  He is angry with the time  and wants to spit on its face  because it has made him old . He is very sad, lonely  and weak  now. No girls look at him now. Therefore, he is lamenting  on the loss of his youth, power and lovers. He remembers his beautiful past and likes to go back.

Important Questions

a.   Why does the old pensioner spit into the face of time?  {HSEB-2058/68/71,Par.}

b.   How and why does the old pensioner lament? {HSEB-2061,2071-Supp.}

c.   Why does the old pensioner condemn the time? {2071,Reg.}

d.   What is the speaker lamenting on?       {HSEB-2062}

e.   Why does the poet show his anger against time? {HSEB-2065}

f.     Mention the three things the old man laments about. Why is he sad about them?     {HSEB-2059}

g.   Explain the title of the poem “The Lamentation of the Old Pensioner”. {HSEB-2059}

h.   Why is the poet angry in “The Lamentation of the Old Pensioner”. {HSEB-2067}

 This poem is about an old pensioner who is lamenting on the loss of his youth, power and love. He was very happy, young, powerful, handsome and hopeful in the past. He had many beautiful girlfriends. He would sit in front of fire with other young men and talk about love and politics. But now; he is very sad, old, powerless, ugly, lonely and hopeless. He has no girlfriends now. Therefore, he is angry with the time because it has changed him. He wants to spit into the face of time.

i.    What is the lamentation of the old pensioner? {2072, Reg.}

j.    What makes the old pensioner feel isolated in his old age? {2070-Supp.}

k.  Write an essay on Youth and Age. {HSEB-2060/Long}