journey of the maji

Eliot uses the form and structure of the poem to enforce the mythic construct of a physical and spiritual journey. He separates the poem into three sections or stanzas. First innocence: Spiritually and physically, the Magi have no idea of the hardships that a journey to praise the baby Jesus, will entail. To their alarm they begin to see the disgusting state that their world is in. Second the fall: The wise men separate themselves from the rest of their society. However, they have high expectations that the birth of Christ will be grandeur and when they arrive, they

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He combines the auditory and visual senses. The Magus has learned that he must release himself from the possessions of this earthly world and prepare for the passage into the true Kingdom. The Magus is finally able to understand the paradox that one must leave this world in order to be born into true utopia.

The use of sound is quite effectively employed by Eliot. By using synesthesia Eliot produces a vivid understanding of the wise men's journey. The Magi are trying to leave behind the old contemptible world and its old beliefs. There is a visual image of leaves over the lintel and also a visual image of all the drinking and gambling taking place.

Finally Eliot uses figurative language to help us experience the spiritual journey the wise men take.

And I would do it again, but set down

This set down

This: were we led all that way for

Birth or Death? There was a Birth, certainly,

We had evidence and no doubt. As well, Eliot makes the biblical reference to the birth of Jesus, "I had seen birth and death, / But had thought they were different; this Births was/ Hard and bitter agony for us, like Death, our death" (37-39). This structure of a classical journey strengthens Eliot's spiritual and physical journey of the Magi.

Common topics in this essay:
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Approximate Word count = 1056
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)

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