Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Old Man Traveling - the gift of time
I enjoy very much the message under the surface level of this poem. At the surface: we see an old man traveling to see his dying son. Below the surface: we see a man who has every reason in the world to feel distraught, worry, impatience, and many other negative feelings. However, his presence induces other feelings, of calmness, a subdued nature, peace, and tranquility. Wordsworth is trying to explain that this effect is a result of the immense time that this old man has had here on earth. This is seen when he makes the reference that "the young behold with envy" something that comes naturally to the old man. Thus Wordsworth is telling of the gift of time in this poem, and explaining that this gift is given to all who wait.
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I completely agree with your interpretation. It is clear that the old man, having lived on this earth for so long, has reached some level of maturity that is helping him cope with such a devastating event. I do wonder, though, if the news of his son is new or old to him. Is the man coping with the news of his dying son so well because it is just now sinking in that he might be losing his son or is it his maturity that blankets any outlandish emotion regarding the event.
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