Journey of the Magi
"Journey of the Magi" can be read and perceived on many different levels. The imagery, while when first read is easy to understand, may be researched to find deeper meaning. Since the poem was written in the year of Eliot's own conversion to Christianity, the quest of the Magi for the Christ child can be seen as a parallel to Eliot's own religious quest. The first five lines of "Journey of the Magi" describe the hardships of their journey (Barbour 190-191). I think these five lines also refer to the difficulty of Eliot's conversion to Christianity. Lines 2-4 express the hardships that have been endured through Eliot's life and the Magi's journey. "Winter" expresses a feeling of death and despair. It shows that the Magi are losing or have lost all hope throughout life. The camels lying down in the melting snow reinforces the enormous dif
as well the image of the Second Coming and the return of Christ from the East, dispelling darkness as the Sun of Righteousness (Confrontation with Christianity" 77). Line 8 refers to things they had endured and would like to change. The Magi were use to the luxuries of their lifestyles. The Magi go from a feeling of despair to finally reaching their destination. "Satisfactory" shows that the Magi have completed their journey and they are pleased with the outcome. The vision of the "old white horse" helps to clarify that the Magi have conquered their task. Dean points out the early morning descent into a "temperate valley" evokes three significant Christian events: "The nativity and all the attendant ideas of the dawning of a new era. In Revelation 19:6 the white horse appears once again carrying the King of Kings when he appears out of the heavens. The "Old white horse" represents war and the conqueror in Revelation 6:2 of the Bible. In "Journey of the Magi," Eliot displays the depth to which his journey affected his life by relating his own conflicts with conversion to the struggles of the original Magi on the first journey to Christ.
Common topics in this essay:
Magi Line,
Journey Magi,
Satisfactory Magi,
Christianity Lines,
Nancy Hargrove's,
Michael Dean,
James Wohlpart,
Magi Eliot,
Magi Christ,
Kaplan Wall's,
journey magi,
white horse,
five lines,
temperate valley,
conversion christianity,
eliot's own,
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Acceptance Essays
