Question

Read the poem.

The Song of Wandering Aengus

by William Butler Yeats

I went out to the hazel wood,
Because a fire was in my head,
And cut and peeled a hazel wand,
And hooked a berry to a thread;
And when white moths were on the wing,
And moth-like stars were flickering out,
I dropped the berry in a stream
And caught a little silver trout.

When I had laid it on the floor
I went to blow the fire a-flame,
But something rustled on the floor,
And someone called me by my name:
It had become a glimmering girl
With apple blossom in her hair
Who called me by my name and ran
And faded through the brightening air.

Though I am old with wandering
Through hollow lands and hilly lands,
I will find out where she has gone,
And kiss her lips and take her hands;
And walk among long dappled grass,
And pluck till time and times are done,
The silver apples of the moon,
The golden apples of the sun.

Read these lines from "The Song of Wandering Aengus."

And pluck till time and times are done,
The silver apples of the moon,
The golden apples of the sun.

How does Aengus's desire to pluck the apples affect the meaning in the poem?


It represents Aengus's desire to capture the beauty he saw when he was young.


It reflects Aengus's disappointment in wandering for so many years.


It suggests the youthful passion Aengus feels about his renewed life.


It reflects the frustration Aengus feels about being idle.

Answer 1

Aengus's desire to pluck apples in 'The Song of Wandering Aengus' symbolizes an enduring quest for beauty and fulfillment, representing a universal, timeless pursuit of ideals.

Step-by-step explanation:

In the poem "The Song of Wandering Aengus" by William Butler Yeats, Aengus's desire to pluck the apples symbolizes a yearning to capture the ephemeral beauty and the fulfillment of desires that he experienced in his youth.

The "silver apples of the moon" and "golden apples of the sun" convey a quest for something that is just beyond reach, perhaps a quest for everlasting joy, knowledge, or beauty.

This is not merely a reflection of youthful passion or a response to idleness; rather, it’s a deep and enduring aspiration that has driven Aengus to continue seeking throughout his life, symbolizing the timeless human pursuit of ideals and dreams despite the passage of time.