Growing Old

Old, weak, feeble, and dying are words that describe what we have to look forward to as we grow older. To many these are just words that have no true empathetic meaning because most can not relate. However, if we were to read these words in a poem regarding a
man or woman that
we might know or relate to then these words become part of our lives and now these words affect what we think. There are two versions of growing old that most think of when we reflect on the subject of aging. One version is romantic and it touches our souls and the other version is realist and we reflect on it with little emotion. In comparing William Wordsworth’s poem, “Simon Lee”, to Matthew Arnold’s poem, “Growing Old”, one can find the similarities in the simplicity of theme. However, in contrast the poets’ approaches to mortality are completely unique in their interpretation.


Wordsworth proves his emotions with words like “me” and “I”, which allows the reader to feel the same as he does. Wordsworth, being a Romantic writer, must have been stirred by the pure force of his senses, including his heart. Not to say that Romantic writers were wholly emotional writers, but rather they wished to stir emotions within the reader, as Wordsworth has in “Simon Lee”. Wordsworth is more benevolent in his approach to the grim reality of growing old, “O gentle reader!”. His words carry more compassion. Perhaps Wordsworth’s compassion comes form having seen mortality in the form of a man to whom he was familiar with, “Simon Lee“. In “Simon” Wordsworth provides the reader with a familiar figure that we all may know. Many people have watched as someone close to them grow older but, do not put the time into perspective. Those that have become “overtasked” by life and we feel a great sense of humility at their sight. Simon is an endearing character and, as people do, we relate to the people that we have seen or read about. These characters touch our hearts and leave lasting impressions.

When left with the description of aging and its affects, with words like “pain” and “weary”, as in Matthew Arnold’s “Growing Old”, most readers cannot empathize because they have not reached that point in their own lives. Although Arnold’s poem is the ultimate truth and seems to be the conventional way of regarding growing old, it lacks sentiment. Arnold seems detached from the matter of mortality other than to describe it with a foreshadowing anger to the life that has slipped away. Arnold speaks of the ravages of time as they pertain to everyone. They are, hence, without a face and they seem to make no connection to an actual person not even himself. Arnold’s poem leaves an impression but, not one that the reader can imagine in reality. It seems funny that Arnold be an “emotional writer” (poets.com/Arnold) because in “Growing Old” he seems so detached from the actual emotions that come from being old and more concerned with the physicality of it. Arnold asks, “What is it to grow old?”, “it” being unspecified and un-relatable.

The subject of inevitability, for everyone, is the subject of mortality. In contrast to Wordsworth’s poem, Arnold is more blatant with his subject and language. Arnold describes mortality in a question and Wordsworth’s in a happening. Wordsworth’s poem is the epitome of sympathy and Arnold’s poem is the epitomized description of “Growing Old”.



William Wordsworth "Simon Lee"

Matthew Arnold "Growing Old"