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Journey of the Magi
"Journey of the Magi" is a 43-line poem written in 1927 by T. S. Eliot.
The poem is one of five that Eliot contributed for a series of 38 pamphlets by several authors collectively titled the Ariel Poems. It is a meditation of the birth of Christ, which retells the story of the Magi, who travelled to Palestine to visit the newborn Jesus according to the Gospel of Matthew. It is a narrative in verse, told from the point of view of one of the magi. It expresses themes of alienation and a feeling of powerlessness, product of an ever-changing world.
T.S. Elliot was a poet, essayist, publisher, playwright, literary critic and editor. Born in 1888 in St. Louis (MO, USA), he is considered one of the 20th century's major poets, and a central figure in English-language Modernist poetry."In ten years' time," wrote Edmund Wilson in Axel's Castle (1931), "Elliot has left upon English poetry a mark more unmistakable than that of any other poet writing in English." In 1948, Eliot was awarded the Nobel Price "for his work as a trail-blazing pioneer of modern poetry."
The poem is one of five that Eliot contributed for a series of 38 pamphlets by several authors collectively titled the Ariel Poems. It is a meditation of the birth of Christ, which retells the story of the Magi, who travelled to Palestine to visit the newborn Jesus according to the Gospel of Matthew. It is a narrative in verse, told from the point of view of one of the magi. It expresses themes of alienation and a feeling of powerlessness, product of an ever-changing world.
T.S. Elliot was a poet, essayist, publisher, playwright, literary critic and editor. Born in 1888 in St. Louis (MO, USA), he is considered one of the 20th century's major poets, and a central figure in English-language Modernist poetry."In ten years' time," wrote Edmund Wilson in Axel's Castle (1931), "Elliot has left upon English poetry a mark more unmistakable than that of any other poet writing in English." In 1948, Eliot was awarded the Nobel Price "for his work as a trail-blazing pioneer of modern poetry."
2 pages, Unknown Binding
First published January 1, 1927
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About the author
T.S. Eliot
1,085 books5,664 followersThomas Stearns Eliot was a poet, dramatist and literary critic. He received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1948 "for his outstanding, pioneer contribution to present-day poetry." He wrote the poems The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock, The Waste Land, The Hollow Men, Ash Wednesday, and Four Quartets; the plays Murder in the Cathedral and The Cocktail Party; and the essay Tradition and the Individual Talent. Eliot was born an American, moved to the United Kingdom in 1914 (at the age of 25), and became a British subject in 1927 at the age of 39.
See also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T.S._Eliot
See also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T.S._Eliot
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
December 13, 2018
One of the most fascinating Christmas songs that I listen to every year is one I heard a few years ago when a relative made a Christmas mixtape CD (as folks did once upon a time) and circulated them among other family members who made more copies of it. On this CD was a curiosity, that no one in my family noticed, but of course I caught immediately. A track by Smokey Robinson and The Miracles which did something that amazed me. It combines the carol Away In A Manger (which is about the birth of Jesus Christ) with The Coventry Carol. The Coventry Carol is a 16th century carol about the Massacre of the Innocents. According to the 2nd chapter of Matthew, King Herod is told by the traveling Magi of the birth of the Jewish Messiah. Of course, this is not something a man who owes his position as king of the Jews to an occupying power wants to hear. Herod asks the Magi to find the child and report back to him, but the Magi being Magi, they don't do this and Herod in his rage has all the male children under 2 years in Bethlehem killed. This is of no consequence to Herod or Jesus since the Holy Family has already went into exile in Egypt.
So, the question you should ask is what the previous paragraph has to do with this poem? Well, I was reminded of the real immediate consequence of this birth while reading Eliot's poem, but I'll get to that later. This poem is three stanzas that recount the journey of the Magi to Bethlehem from the point-of-view of one of the Magi (we are not told who). The first stanza deals with the first-half of the journey and crossing through the difficult terrain of the Middle-East and the realities that three rulers would have coming to an isolated location while traveling in foreign lands with a huge, royal entourage. The second stanza is them (presumably) entering Judea and having the difficult task of locating the Christ Child that no one else had heard of; they find him by the end of the stanza. The crux of the poem is the last stanza:
So, the question you should ask is what the previous paragraph has to do with this poem? Well, I was reminded of the real immediate consequence of this birth while reading Eliot's poem, but I'll get to that later. This poem is three stanzas that recount the journey of the Magi to Bethlehem from the point-of-view of one of the Magi (we are not told who). The first stanza deals with the first-half of the journey and crossing through the difficult terrain of the Middle-East and the realities that three rulers would have coming to an isolated location while traveling in foreign lands with a huge, royal entourage. The second stanza is them (presumably) entering Judea and having the difficult task of locating the Christ Child that no one else had heard of; they find him by the end of the stanza. The crux of the poem is the last stanza:
"All this was a long time ago, I remember,We see that is being recounted long after the event, but we are do not know how long. Had The Crucifixion occurred? We don't know. What we do know is that, like in Milton's On The Morning Of Christ's Nativity, the birth of Christ signaled the beginning of the end of paganism in that part of the world (and by extension ours as Eliot would have it). A very concise and clever poem for the holiday and like Smokey Robinson's (probably unintentional) track of how one birth led to the death of many, this poem states that same thing was true for the culture of that time. Merry Christmas.
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. I had seen birth and death,
But had thought they were different; this Birth was
Hard and bitter agony for us, like Death, our death.
We returned to our places, these Kingdoms,
But no longer at ease here, in the old dispensation,
With an alien people clutching their gods.
I should be glad of another death."
March 21, 2020
Magi, the three prudent kings of the East, having knowledge of the nativity of Christ, set out on an elongated and severe journey to Bethlehem, when a dazzling star appeared in the sky.
The winter was at its chilliest and the travel had to be made through unfathomable valleys filled with snow. The fires they lit were diminutive and inadequate to keep them warm. In the absence of shelter, they had to lie on thawing snow. Not only were their camels sore-footed and riotous, the camel drivers were persistently peevish and tetchy due to the destitution of the journey. They craved for wine and women. They wanted to run away.
The magi themselves felt that it was unintelligent of them to have set out on that long and ruthless journey. They too thought of their summer palaces and silken girls who served them. Passing through towns and villages, they encountered antagonistic and inhospitable people. The villages were unclean. People demanded sky-scraping prices for goods and services provided.
Eventually they decided to journey through the night, sleeping only a little by turns. Early at daybreak they reached a pleasurable valley with temperate climate and full of greenery. A water mill was running on the bank of a graceful stream. Through the open door of a house they saw six hands gambling for silver coins. They also saw drunken men kicking empty wineskins in a tavern. They tried to get information about the birth of Christ, but no one had knowledge. So they continued their journey.
On the horizon they saw three trees (or crosses) and a white horse galloping into a pasture. Lastly, in the evening they reached the house where Christ was born.
The narrator, one of the three Magi, makes it clear that he did not know whether they had embarked on the journey to observe a birth or a death. Of course Christ was born -- there was evidence for his birth. But they also experienced a death. Their own death – the death of an old order.
They returned to their kingdoms, where they found themselves among unfamiliars because their own people yet clinged to their previous faith. The narrator wraps up by saying that he would fancy another death.
In this poem one of the Magi relates the physical hardships of the journey during the coldest period of winter. The journey represents man’s spiritual pursuit and the dawn of an original belief. For the three kings it was a dreadfully excruciating mental experience. For them it was the death of the world they knew. Their own people looked like aliens.
The Theme of this poem is derived from the account of the birth of Christ given in the Gospel of St Mathew. Eliot emphasises on the a) physical hardship and the b) spiritual agony it brought to the Magi.
They knew what birth is. But this birth was moderately dissimilar -- this birth was like a death for them. It was the death of their old loyalty and values. They underwent a mental soreness and anguish. They were faced with ambiguity and bewilderment.
Spiritual regeneration is always accompanied by hardships and difficulties. The Magi had psychological arrests. Inner voices told them to turn back. But a personal urge led them on. Finally they completed the journey prolifically. Completing it, however, they found it complex to subsist in the old world. They wished for another death to have an absolute spiritual renaissance.
It is this spiritual alteration and amendment that the journey symbolises. It was a sparkling rupture from their old beliefs.
The winter was at its chilliest and the travel had to be made through unfathomable valleys filled with snow. The fires they lit were diminutive and inadequate to keep them warm. In the absence of shelter, they had to lie on thawing snow. Not only were their camels sore-footed and riotous, the camel drivers were persistently peevish and tetchy due to the destitution of the journey. They craved for wine and women. They wanted to run away.
The magi themselves felt that it was unintelligent of them to have set out on that long and ruthless journey. They too thought of their summer palaces and silken girls who served them. Passing through towns and villages, they encountered antagonistic and inhospitable people. The villages were unclean. People demanded sky-scraping prices for goods and services provided.
Eventually they decided to journey through the night, sleeping only a little by turns. Early at daybreak they reached a pleasurable valley with temperate climate and full of greenery. A water mill was running on the bank of a graceful stream. Through the open door of a house they saw six hands gambling for silver coins. They also saw drunken men kicking empty wineskins in a tavern. They tried to get information about the birth of Christ, but no one had knowledge. So they continued their journey.
On the horizon they saw three trees (or crosses) and a white horse galloping into a pasture. Lastly, in the evening they reached the house where Christ was born.
The narrator, one of the three Magi, makes it clear that he did not know whether they had embarked on the journey to observe a birth or a death. Of course Christ was born -- there was evidence for his birth. But they also experienced a death. Their own death – the death of an old order.
They returned to their kingdoms, where they found themselves among unfamiliars because their own people yet clinged to their previous faith. The narrator wraps up by saying that he would fancy another death.
In this poem one of the Magi relates the physical hardships of the journey during the coldest period of winter. The journey represents man’s spiritual pursuit and the dawn of an original belief. For the three kings it was a dreadfully excruciating mental experience. For them it was the death of the world they knew. Their own people looked like aliens.
The Theme of this poem is derived from the account of the birth of Christ given in the Gospel of St Mathew. Eliot emphasises on the a) physical hardship and the b) spiritual agony it brought to the Magi.
They knew what birth is. But this birth was moderately dissimilar -- this birth was like a death for them. It was the death of their old loyalty and values. They underwent a mental soreness and anguish. They were faced with ambiguity and bewilderment.
Spiritual regeneration is always accompanied by hardships and difficulties. The Magi had psychological arrests. Inner voices told them to turn back. But a personal urge led them on. Finally they completed the journey prolifically. Completing it, however, they found it complex to subsist in the old world. They wished for another death to have an absolute spiritual renaissance.
It is this spiritual alteration and amendment that the journey symbolises. It was a sparkling rupture from their old beliefs.
December 23, 2025
Not a word wasted!
May 14, 2020
سفر سه مجوس / تی.اس الیوت / فارسیِ رُزا جمالی
سرمایی می آمد که ما را در برگرفته بود
درست زمانی که بدترین بود برای سفر
و چنین سفری
دراز
راهها گود است و هوا گزندهست...
و این زمستان مرگبار است
شتران با پاهایی تاول بسته، زخمی و چموش
و در برفِ آب شونده دراز می کشند
زمانی بود که ما حسرت آن قصرهای تابستانی را بر کوهپایهها داشتیم
و دخترانی ابریشمین که شربت می آوردند
شتربانان ناسزا می گفتند و غرولند می کردند
گریختند
و شراب و زنانِ خود را می خواستند
و این آتشِ شبانه خاموش می شود که سرپناهی نیست
شهرها چه خصمانه ست و شهرک ها خالی از دوستی
روستاها پلشت
و جیب ات را خالی می کنند
زمانِ سختی داشتیم
و سرِ آخر برآن شدیم که تمامِ شب سفر کنیم
و گاه چرتی بزنیم
با آن صداها که در گوش هایمان می خواندند و می گفتند
که این همه بیهوده بود.
و در فلق بود بود که به آن درهی خوش آب و هوا رسیدیم
تر و نمناک، زیر برفها علفها را بوئیدیم
با نهرهائی جاری و آن آسیابِ آبی که تاریکی را می نواخت
و سه درخت در چشم انداز آسمان
پائین تر
و اسبی که در علفزار به تاخت می رفت
و بعد به میخانه ای رسیدیم و انگورها که آویزان بود بر درگاهش
شش دست در آن درگاه باز برای مهرهای نقره گون طاس می ریختند
و پا می کوبیدند بر مشک های خالیِ شراب
به پیش رفتیم
چرا که کسی چیزی نمی دانست
و غروب بود که رسیدیم
که چه دیر بود
برای یافتن آنجا
و تو شاید بگوئی
کافی بود.
و این همه زمانی پیش ازین بود
که به خاطر می آورم
و دوباره این را انجام خواهم داد،
سفری می آغازم
و این ما را به همان راه برد
زاده شدن یا مرگ؟ زاده شدنی بود قطعا
به گواهی ما
و شکی نبود
چرا که من مرگ و زندگی را دیده ام
اما فکر می کردم که آنها متفاوت اند
چرا که زاده شدن سخت است
و رنجی تلخ است برای ما
شبیه مرگ، مرگ.
ما به جای خود بازگشتیم
و آن قلمرو
اما دیگر آسوده نبودیم
و به آن طومار کهن
که مردمی بیگانه چنگ می زدند به خدایانِ خویش
که من از مرگی دیگر خوشحال می شوم.
شعر "سفر سه مجوس" روایت پیشگوئی سه موبد ایرانی به بیت اللحم است. این سه موبد کندر و اسپند را هدیه می برند و آمدن مسیح را پیشگوئی می کنند. شعر از فضاسازی شرقی برخوردارست، توصیف شتران و میخانه و کاروان این شعر را به غزلی از سعدی ماننده می کند. الیوت بعد از گرویدن به مسیحیت کاتولیک این شعر را سروده است و اشارات شعر به موعظه های سرلنسلوت هویداست. شعر از سفری سخت سخن می گوید و از بار موسیقیایی و واج آرائی برخوردارست. مرگ برای شاعر مفهومی عرفانی دارد؛ انگار که از وصالی معنوی سخن می گوید و ازین وصل خشنودست، دریک بررسی تطبیقی می توان سطر آخر این شعر را با مصرع " به روز مرگ چون تابوتِ من روان باشد" مولانا مقایسه کرد. سطر آخر دیباچه ای ست بر شعری که سهراب سپهری در رثای فروغ فرخزاد سروده است. روای بی نیازی خود را ازین جهان مادی اینگونه بیان کرده است و سختی راه در این سفر مقدس می گوید. نمودی از کهن الگوی "سفر مقدس" یونگ در این شعر آشکارست.
Journey of the Magi
A poem by T.S.Eliot
Translated to Persian by Rosa Jamali
#rosajamali #world_poetry #poetrytranslations #poetry_in_translation #poetry #persiantranslations #T_S_Eliot
#رزا_جمالی #شعر_ترجمه #ترجمه_شعر #شعر_جهان #شعر_قرن_بیستم #تی_اس_الیوت
http://rosajamali.blogfa.com/post/96
سرمایی می آمد که ما را در برگرفته بود
درست زمانی که بدترین بود برای سفر
و چنین سفری
دراز
راهها گود است و هوا گزندهست...
و این زمستان مرگبار است
شتران با پاهایی تاول بسته، زخمی و چموش
و در برفِ آب شونده دراز می کشند
زمانی بود که ما حسرت آن قصرهای تابستانی را بر کوهپایهها داشتیم
و دخترانی ابریشمین که شربت می آوردند
شتربانان ناسزا می گفتند و غرولند می کردند
گریختند
و شراب و زنانِ خود را می خواستند
و این آتشِ شبانه خاموش می شود که سرپناهی نیست
شهرها چه خصمانه ست و شهرک ها خالی از دوستی
روستاها پلشت
و جیب ات را خالی می کنند
زمانِ سختی داشتیم
و سرِ آخر برآن شدیم که تمامِ شب سفر کنیم
و گاه چرتی بزنیم
با آن صداها که در گوش هایمان می خواندند و می گفتند
که این همه بیهوده بود.
و در فلق بود بود که به آن درهی خوش آب و هوا رسیدیم
تر و نمناک، زیر برفها علفها را بوئیدیم
با نهرهائی جاری و آن آسیابِ آبی که تاریکی را می نواخت
و سه درخت در چشم انداز آسمان
پائین تر
و اسبی که در علفزار به تاخت می رفت
و بعد به میخانه ای رسیدیم و انگورها که آویزان بود بر درگاهش
شش دست در آن درگاه باز برای مهرهای نقره گون طاس می ریختند
و پا می کوبیدند بر مشک های خالیِ شراب
به پیش رفتیم
چرا که کسی چیزی نمی دانست
و غروب بود که رسیدیم
که چه دیر بود
برای یافتن آنجا
و تو شاید بگوئی
کافی بود.
و این همه زمانی پیش ازین بود
که به خاطر می آورم
و دوباره این را انجام خواهم داد،
سفری می آغازم
و این ما را به همان راه برد
زاده شدن یا مرگ؟ زاده شدنی بود قطعا
به گواهی ما
و شکی نبود
چرا که من مرگ و زندگی را دیده ام
اما فکر می کردم که آنها متفاوت اند
چرا که زاده شدن سخت است
و رنجی تلخ است برای ما
شبیه مرگ، مرگ.
ما به جای خود بازگشتیم
و آن قلمرو
اما دیگر آسوده نبودیم
و به آن طومار کهن
که مردمی بیگانه چنگ می زدند به خدایانِ خویش
که من از مرگی دیگر خوشحال می شوم.
شعر "سفر سه مجوس" روایت پیشگوئی سه موبد ایرانی به بیت اللحم است. این سه موبد کندر و اسپند را هدیه می برند و آمدن مسیح را پیشگوئی می کنند. شعر از فضاسازی شرقی برخوردارست، توصیف شتران و میخانه و کاروان این شعر را به غزلی از سعدی ماننده می کند. الیوت بعد از گرویدن به مسیحیت کاتولیک این شعر را سروده است و اشارات شعر به موعظه های سرلنسلوت هویداست. شعر از سفری سخت سخن می گوید و از بار موسیقیایی و واج آرائی برخوردارست. مرگ برای شاعر مفهومی عرفانی دارد؛ انگار که از وصالی معنوی سخن می گوید و ازین وصل خشنودست، دریک بررسی تطبیقی می توان سطر آخر این شعر را با مصرع " به روز مرگ چون تابوتِ من روان باشد" مولانا مقایسه کرد. سطر آخر دیباچه ای ست بر شعری که سهراب سپهری در رثای فروغ فرخزاد سروده است. روای بی نیازی خود را ازین جهان مادی اینگونه بیان کرده است و سختی راه در این سفر مقدس می گوید. نمودی از کهن الگوی "سفر مقدس" یونگ در این شعر آشکارست.
Journey of the Magi
A poem by T.S.Eliot
Translated to Persian by Rosa Jamali
#rosajamali #world_poetry #poetrytranslations #poetry_in_translation #poetry #persiantranslations #T_S_Eliot
#رزا_جمالی #شعر_ترجمه #ترجمه_شعر #شعر_جهان #شعر_قرن_بیستم #تی_اس_الیوت
http://rosajamali.blogfa.com/post/96
March 18, 2017
I keep reading things about Elliot's strong Christian faith, and this poem made me wonder if that faith was more nuanced than he is given credit for. The concept is intriguing - the fate of one of the magi in that nebulous period between the birth of Christ and the death of Christ. How do you live with the change of a miracle when there is no religion to attach it to yet? Where do you rest your faith? How do you relate to the country and people you left behind and now return to? Eliot's recognition that the birth brought about the death of this man's religion and culture, at least for him, was insightful.
October 30, 2018
Despite the claims that this is a meditation on the birth of Christ by the poet, it's really more of a meditation from the perspective of the magi, years after their visit, and even then the meditation is not extremely deep.
May 26, 2024
'I should be glad of another death.'
রবীন্দ্রনাথের এই কবিতার অনূদিত রুপ হচ্ছে 'তীর্থযাত্রী'
তীর্থযাত্রী
কন্কনে ঠাণ্ডায় আমাদের যাত্রা--
ভ্রমণটা বিষম দীর্ঘ, সময়টা সব চেয়ে খারাপ,
রাস্তা ঘোরালো, ধারালো বাতাসের চোট,
একেবারে দুর্জয় শীত।
ঘাড়ে ক্ষত, পায়ে ব্যথা, মেজাজ-চড়া উটগুলো
শুয়ে শুয়ে পড়ে গলা বরফে।
মাঝে মাঝে মন যায় বিগড়ে
যখন মনে পড়ে পাহাড়তলিতে বসন্তমঞ্জিল, তার চাতাল,
আর শর্বতের পেয়ালা হাতে রেশমি সাজে যুবতীর দল।
এ দিকে উটওয়ালারা গাল পাড়ে, গন্গন্ করে রাগে,
ছুটে পালায় মদ আর মেয়ের খোঁজে।
মশাল যায় নিভে, মাথা রাখবার জায়গা জোটে না।
নগরে যাই, সেখানে বৈরিতা; নগরীতে সন্দেহ।
গ্রামগুলো নোংরা, তারা চড়া দাম হাঁকে।
কঠিন মুশকিল।
শেষে ঠাওরালেম চলব সারারাত,
মাঝে মাঝে নেব ঝিমিয়ে
আর কানে কানে কেউ বা গান গাবে--
এ সমস্তই পাগলামি।
ভোরের দিকে এলেম, যেখানে মিঠে শীত সেই পাহাড়ের খদে;
সেখানে বরফ-সীমার নীচেটা ভিজে-ভিজে, ঘন গাছ-গাছালির গন্ধ।
নদী চলেছে ছুটে, জলযন্ত্রের চাকা আঁধারকে মারছে চাপড়।
দিগন্তের গায়ে তিনটে গাছ দাঁড়িয়ে,
বুড়ো সাদা ঘোড়াটা মাঠ বেয়ে দৌড় দিয়েছে।
পৌঁছলেম শরাবখানায়, তার কপাটের মাথায় আঙুরলতা।
দুজন মানুষ খোলা দরোজার কাছে পাশা খেলছে টাকার লোভে,
পা দিয়ে ঠেলছে শূন্য মদের কুপো।
কোনো খবরই মিলল না সেখানে,
চললেম আরো আগে।
যেতে যেতে সন্ধে হল;
সময় পেরিয়ে যায় যায়, তখন খুঁজে পেলেম জায়গাটা--
বলা যেতে পারে ব্যাপারটা তৃপ্তিজনক।
মনে পড়ে এ-সব ঘটেছে অনেক কাল আগে,
আবার ঘটে যেন এই ইচ্ছে, কিন্তু লিখে রাখো--
এই লিখে রাখো-- এত দূরে যে আমাদের টেনে নিয়েছিল
সে কি জন্মের সন্ধানে না মৃত্যুর।
জন্ম একটা হয়েছিল বটে--
প্রমাণ পেয়েছি, সন্দেহ নেই।
এর আগে তো জন্মও দেখেছি, মৃত্যুও--
মনে ভাবতেম তারা এক নয়।
কিন্তু এই-যে জন্ম এ বড়ো কঠোর--
দারুণ এর যাতনা, মৃত্যুর মতো, আমাদের মৃত্যুর মতোই।
এলেম ফিরে আপন আপন দেশে, এই আমাদের রাজত্বগুলোয়
আর কিন্তু স্বস্তি নেই সেই পুরানো বিধিবিধানে
যার মধ্যে আছে সব অনাত্মীয় আপন দেবদেবী আঁকড়ে ধ'রে।
আর-একবার মরতে পারলে আমি বাঁচি।
রবীন্দ্রনাথের এই কবিতার অনূদিত রুপ হচ্ছে 'তীর্থযাত্রী'
তীর্থযাত্রী
কন্কনে ঠাণ্ডায় আমাদের যাত্রা--
ভ্রমণটা বিষম দীর্ঘ, সময়টা সব চেয়ে খারাপ,
রাস্তা ঘোরালো, ধারালো বাতাসের চোট,
একেবারে দুর্জয় শীত।
ঘাড়ে ক্ষত, পায়ে ব্যথা, মেজাজ-চড়া উটগুলো
শুয়ে শুয়ে পড়ে গলা বরফে।
মাঝে মাঝে মন যায় বিগড়ে
যখন মনে পড়ে পাহাড়তলিতে বসন্তমঞ্জিল, তার চাতাল,
আর শর্বতের পেয়ালা হাতে রেশমি সাজে যুবতীর দল।
এ দিকে উটওয়ালারা গাল পাড়ে, গন্গন্ করে রাগে,
ছুটে পালায় মদ আর মেয়ের খোঁজে।
মশাল যায় নিভে, মাথা রাখবার জায়গা জোটে না।
নগরে যাই, সেখানে বৈরিতা; নগরীতে সন্দেহ।
গ্রামগুলো নোংরা, তারা চড়া দাম হাঁকে।
কঠিন মুশকিল।
শেষে ঠাওরালেম চলব সারারাত,
মাঝে মাঝে নেব ঝিমিয়ে
আর কানে কানে কেউ বা গান গাবে--
এ সমস্তই পাগলামি।
ভোরের দিকে এলেম, যেখানে মিঠে শীত সেই পাহাড়ের খদে;
সেখানে বরফ-সীমার নীচেটা ভিজে-ভিজে, ঘন গাছ-গাছালির গন্ধ।
নদী চলেছে ছুটে, জলযন্ত্রের চাকা আঁধারকে মারছে চাপড়।
দিগন্তের গায়ে তিনটে গাছ দাঁড়িয়ে,
বুড়ো সাদা ঘোড়াটা মাঠ বেয়ে দৌড় দিয়েছে।
পৌঁছলেম শরাবখানায়, তার কপাটের মাথায় আঙুরলতা।
দুজন মানুষ খোলা দরোজার কাছে পাশা খেলছে টাকার লোভে,
পা দিয়ে ঠেলছে শূন্য মদের কুপো।
কোনো খবরই মিলল না সেখানে,
চললেম আরো আগে।
যেতে যেতে সন্ধে হল;
সময় পেরিয়ে যায় যায়, তখন খুঁজে পেলেম জায়গাটা--
বলা যেতে পারে ব্যাপারটা তৃপ্তিজনক।
মনে পড়ে এ-সব ঘটেছে অনেক কাল আগে,
আবার ঘটে যেন এই ইচ্ছে, কিন্তু লিখে রাখো--
এই লিখে রাখো-- এত দূরে যে আমাদের টেনে নিয়েছিল
সে কি জন্মের সন্ধানে না মৃত্যুর।
জন্ম একটা হয়েছিল বটে--
প্রমাণ পেয়েছি, সন্দেহ নেই।
এর আগে তো জন্মও দেখেছি, মৃত্যুও--
মনে ভাবতেম তারা এক নয়।
কিন্তু এই-যে জন্ম এ বড়ো কঠোর--
দারুণ এর যাতনা, মৃত্যুর মতো, আমাদের মৃত্যুর মতোই।
এলেম ফিরে আপন আপন দেশে, এই আমাদের রাজত্বগুলোয়
আর কিন্তু স্বস্তি নেই সেই পুরানো বিধিবিধানে
যার মধ্যে আছে সব অনাত্মীয় আপন দেবদেবী আঁকড়ে ধ'রে।
আর-একবার মরতে পারলে আমি বাঁচি।
October 6, 2016
Suffering, religion, and death are all terms that are not mutually exclusive and many religions incorporate some form of suffering to instill morale for their believers (e.g., martyrdom). In his poem “Journey of the Magi,” T. S. Eliot explores these themes and incorporates them into his poems via biblical allusions and symbols. The Gospel of Matthew is the gospel in which one can find the narrative of the Magi, and many allusions are made to it by Eliot to identify the narrator and provide historical context for his poem’s content. Because of the title and the ending stanza intermingled with the familiarity of the Nativity narrative, the narrator is presumed to be one of the magi who attended the birth of Jesus of Nazareth, recounting a past journey of his, offering retrospect of his experience for the reader. In his poem “Journey of the Magi,” T. S. Eliot recounts the nativity of Christ with numerous religious symbols and gospel-allusions to portray these same themes of suffering, religion, and death.
Two examples can be offered as biblical allusions portrayed in “Journey of the Magi.” Firstly, in the last stanza, the aged magus specifies that “there was a birth, certainly, we had evidence and no doubt,” which is a clear allusion to the Nativity scene in the gospel where the narrator had witnessed the Theotokos bear forth the Christ-child. Secondly, the magus also recalls that the birth which he witnessed was “hard and bitter agony for us, like Death, our death,” because of “these kingdoms… in the old dispensation,” which could be either an allusion to the historical account of Christ ushering forth an end to old religion and Christianity assuming religious dominance in the Roman Empire (which is unlikely, seeing that the magus did not live long enough to see the legalization of Christianity in Rome, nor its officiation as the state religion); or likelier, an allusion to Christ overcoming the bindings of our spiritual death through the Incarnation and Atonement.
Suffering is the first major theme that is evident throughout the poem, with a literal suffering of the narrator’s body tolled from his journey to witness the birth of Christ as well as a figurative suffering ushered forth by Christ’s ministry that took tore the veil of the Temple. Suffering and fear are intermingled towards the final stanza of the poem, but it is initially evident in the first stanza, when the narrator describes his suffering from traveling in the “very dead of winter,” as well as “sleeping in snatches, with the voices singing our ears, saying that this was all folly.” This new perspective on the Nativity through the eyes of one of the magi is interesting, because it is not found in the original account of the narrative found in Matthew’s gospel, in which the main focus is Mary and Joseph. The imagery and tone depicted in the narrator’s experience of traveling through “the ways deep and the weather sharp, the very dead of winter,” contributes to the perilous suffering undergone by the narrator during his quest to witness the birth of the Messiah and paints a cold, painful setting that a reader of the gospels does not typically consider.
“Journey of the Magi” also generously elaborates on the biblical passage alluded to with a garnish of artistic twist. It is impossible to retain the full implications of the poem’s contents without understanding the biblical Nativity, and the vague allusions within the poem struggle to fully imply its biblical reference. A note of criticism is the fact that there is no mention of a Nativity-star in the poem, which may be off-setting for the reader it is such an enormous highlight for the Nativity scene in the alluded gospel narrative. In fact, without the information provided in the poem’s title: “Journey of the Magi,” it would be nearly impossible to discern the identity of the narrator. “Six hands” are also mentioned in the second stanza, presumably referencing the number of journeying magi; however, it is of interesting note that no specific number of magi are referenced in the biblical passage, and that this line alludes to a biblical tradition rather than the Scriptures.
Death is spoken of in the final stanza, after the elaborate progression of suffering, hardship, and finally, arrival. At the end of his second stanza, the narrator recounts that his group “[found the place], it was (you may say) satisfactory,” obviously referencing their arrival at Christ’s birthplace. Then, the group of magi may have been unaware of their journey’s full significance, and only now in bringing his memories under inspection is he aware that he had witnessed the death of a previous dispensation. There is a fascinating link between life and death, and the narrator nearly conflates the two in saying, “Birth or Death? …[I] had thought they were different; this birth was hard and bitter agony for us.” This could either be A) an obvious reference to the “hard and bitter agony” that the magi underwent in their travels and the exhaustion upon their arrival; or, B) The agonizing death brought on by the ministry of Jesus of Nazareth, and the narrator only now understanding its implications of taking away old traditions and customs.
The death spoken of is both physical and spiritual, and is a symbol for the death of the flesh and renewal of spiritual birth. In John 3, Jesus of Nazareth and the Pharisee Nicodemus exchange a discourse on this very subject of symbolism, with Jesus telling Nicodemus that to see the Kingdom of God, one must be “born again,” which likewise implies a preceding death of the old self. In the eighth line of the final stanza, the magus undergoes a spiritual death brought on by the Incarnation of God, and because of the immense spiritual pain ushered in by this event to all pagans and unbelievers, the narrator claims that he “should be glad of another death,” implying an ultimately tragic perspective from the narrator who behold the birth of Christ.
Suffering, religion, and death are all contingent aspects of humanity, with every culture formulating a system to ascribe some form of definition to each one. Through Jesus Christ, the old religion and customs have passed away and the new religion has been revealed to us. In “Journey of the Magi,” the themes of suffering, religion, and death are expressed in biblical symbolisms and allusions to the gospel narrative of the Nativity.
Two examples can be offered as biblical allusions portrayed in “Journey of the Magi.” Firstly, in the last stanza, the aged magus specifies that “there was a birth, certainly, we had evidence and no doubt,” which is a clear allusion to the Nativity scene in the gospel where the narrator had witnessed the Theotokos bear forth the Christ-child. Secondly, the magus also recalls that the birth which he witnessed was “hard and bitter agony for us, like Death, our death,” because of “these kingdoms… in the old dispensation,” which could be either an allusion to the historical account of Christ ushering forth an end to old religion and Christianity assuming religious dominance in the Roman Empire (which is unlikely, seeing that the magus did not live long enough to see the legalization of Christianity in Rome, nor its officiation as the state religion); or likelier, an allusion to Christ overcoming the bindings of our spiritual death through the Incarnation and Atonement.
Suffering is the first major theme that is evident throughout the poem, with a literal suffering of the narrator’s body tolled from his journey to witness the birth of Christ as well as a figurative suffering ushered forth by Christ’s ministry that took tore the veil of the Temple. Suffering and fear are intermingled towards the final stanza of the poem, but it is initially evident in the first stanza, when the narrator describes his suffering from traveling in the “very dead of winter,” as well as “sleeping in snatches, with the voices singing our ears, saying that this was all folly.” This new perspective on the Nativity through the eyes of one of the magi is interesting, because it is not found in the original account of the narrative found in Matthew’s gospel, in which the main focus is Mary and Joseph. The imagery and tone depicted in the narrator’s experience of traveling through “the ways deep and the weather sharp, the very dead of winter,” contributes to the perilous suffering undergone by the narrator during his quest to witness the birth of the Messiah and paints a cold, painful setting that a reader of the gospels does not typically consider.
“Journey of the Magi” also generously elaborates on the biblical passage alluded to with a garnish of artistic twist. It is impossible to retain the full implications of the poem’s contents without understanding the biblical Nativity, and the vague allusions within the poem struggle to fully imply its biblical reference. A note of criticism is the fact that there is no mention of a Nativity-star in the poem, which may be off-setting for the reader it is such an enormous highlight for the Nativity scene in the alluded gospel narrative. In fact, without the information provided in the poem’s title: “Journey of the Magi,” it would be nearly impossible to discern the identity of the narrator. “Six hands” are also mentioned in the second stanza, presumably referencing the number of journeying magi; however, it is of interesting note that no specific number of magi are referenced in the biblical passage, and that this line alludes to a biblical tradition rather than the Scriptures.
Death is spoken of in the final stanza, after the elaborate progression of suffering, hardship, and finally, arrival. At the end of his second stanza, the narrator recounts that his group “[found the place], it was (you may say) satisfactory,” obviously referencing their arrival at Christ’s birthplace. Then, the group of magi may have been unaware of their journey’s full significance, and only now in bringing his memories under inspection is he aware that he had witnessed the death of a previous dispensation. There is a fascinating link between life and death, and the narrator nearly conflates the two in saying, “Birth or Death? …[I] had thought they were different; this birth was hard and bitter agony for us.” This could either be A) an obvious reference to the “hard and bitter agony” that the magi underwent in their travels and the exhaustion upon their arrival; or, B) The agonizing death brought on by the ministry of Jesus of Nazareth, and the narrator only now understanding its implications of taking away old traditions and customs.
The death spoken of is both physical and spiritual, and is a symbol for the death of the flesh and renewal of spiritual birth. In John 3, Jesus of Nazareth and the Pharisee Nicodemus exchange a discourse on this very subject of symbolism, with Jesus telling Nicodemus that to see the Kingdom of God, one must be “born again,” which likewise implies a preceding death of the old self. In the eighth line of the final stanza, the magus undergoes a spiritual death brought on by the Incarnation of God, and because of the immense spiritual pain ushered in by this event to all pagans and unbelievers, the narrator claims that he “should be glad of another death,” implying an ultimately tragic perspective from the narrator who behold the birth of Christ.
Suffering, religion, and death are all contingent aspects of humanity, with every culture formulating a system to ascribe some form of definition to each one. Through Jesus Christ, the old religion and customs have passed away and the new religion has been revealed to us. In “Journey of the Magi,” the themes of suffering, religion, and death are expressed in biblical symbolisms and allusions to the gospel narrative of the Nativity.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 2, 2022
Exploring the difficulty of the journey, the dissenting voices, the pain of awakening to the importance of the Savior's birth and the bleakness of the return. Emotionally detached. It seems to leave open to question whether the whole thing was worth it. Originally released in 1927 as a little pamphlet with artworks by E. McKnight Kauffer. It's worth searching doing a web search for images of that first edition.
January 10, 2018
"Were we led all that way for Birth or Death?"
3 Stars!
I quite like it actually, and since I was not that big a fan of The Waste Land this is a welcome surprise.
July 7, 2020
This poem is genius.
It very much foreshadowed- for better or worse- all the prose-like poetry that twas to come afterward.
Like all of Eliot's best poetry, a masterpiece reflecting upon the universal condition- or sickness- of time.
It very much foreshadowed- for better or worse- all the prose-like poetry that twas to come afterward.
Like all of Eliot's best poetry, a masterpiece reflecting upon the universal condition- or sickness- of time.
Read
March 5, 2020Is the 'pain' thaaat intense ?
March 15, 2021
ENGL120
June 26, 2021
It truly is hard to return to your regular life and fit in with the rest of the world when only you have had an enlightening vision.
June 16, 2022
I’m not Christian, so idk
June 20, 2023
better, not as depressing
June 26, 2023
big slay get that religious trauma out 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
September 4, 2023
maybe it's just my obsession with religious allusion but it honestly kind of slapped. maybe also because it was less about eliot venting about his life idk
September 6, 2023
each poem of t.s. eliot has just proven to be one existential crisis after another
December 22, 2023
We returned to our places, these Kingdoms,
But no longer at ease here, in the old dispensation,
With an alien people clutching their gods.
I should be glad of another death.
January 4, 2024
Journey of the Magi
Brief 1st-person POV of the famous pilgrimage
Brief 1st-person POV of the famous pilgrimage
April 2, 2024
Beautiful. I love Eliot's poetry.
July 21, 2025
Enjoyed this poem
December 9, 2024
Yes best poem for HSC get it
April 27, 2017
"We returned to our places, these Kingdoms,
But no longer at ease here, in the old dispensation,
With an alien people clutching their gods.
I should be glad of another death."
In this meditation on birth and death, of the new replacing the old, the Magi recount of their fabled journey and the momentous witnessing of the birth of Jesus. Far from the bliss associated with Jesus' miracle birth, the Magi return to their kingdoms in defeat: they're being replaced and they know it.
But no longer at ease here, in the old dispensation,
With an alien people clutching their gods.
I should be glad of another death."
In this meditation on birth and death, of the new replacing the old, the Magi recount of their fabled journey and the momentous witnessing of the birth of Jesus. Far from the bliss associated with Jesus' miracle birth, the Magi return to their kingdoms in defeat: they're being replaced and they know it.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews