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THE JOURNEY OF THE MAGI By Thomas Stearns Eliot 

‘A cold coming we had of it, Just the worst time of the year 

For a journey, and such a long journey: 

The ways deep and the weather sharp, 

The very dead of winter.’ 

And the camels galled, sore-footed, refractory, 

Lying down in the melting snow. 

There were times we regretted 

The summer palaces on slopes, the terraces, 

And the silken girls bringing sherbet. 

Then the camel men cursing and grumbling and running away, and wanting their liquor and women, 

And the night-fires going out, and the lack of shelters, 

And the cities hostile and the towns unfriendly 

And the villages dirty and charging high prices: 

A hard time we had of it. 

At the end we preferred to travel all night, 

Sleeping in snatches, 

With the voices singing in our ears, saying 

That this was all folly. 

Then at dawn we came down to a temperate valley, 

Wet, below the snow line, smelling of vegetation; 

With a running stream and a water-mill beating the darkness, 

And three trees on the low sky, 

And an old white horse galloped away in the meadow. 

Then we came to a tavern with vine-leaves over the lintel, Six hands at an open door dicing for pieces of siiver

And feet kicking the empty wine-skins. 

But there was no information, and so we continued 

And arriving at evening, not a moment too soon 

Finding the place; it was (you may say) satisfactory. 

All this was a long time ago, I remember, 

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. 

ABOUT THE POET

Thomas Stearns Eliot 26 September 1888 – 4 January 1965) was a poet, essayist, publisher, playwright, literary critic and editor. Considered one of the 20th century's major poets, he is a central figure in English-language Modernist poetry.

Born in St. Louis, Missouri, to a prominent Boston Brahmin family, he moved to England in 1914 at the age of 25 and went on to settle, work, and marry there. He became a British citizen in 1927 at the age of 39, subsequently renouncing his American citizenship. 

Eliot first attracted widespread attention for his poem "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" in 1915, which, at the time of its publication, was considered outlandish. It was followed by "The Waste Land" (1922), "The Hollow Men" (1925), "Ash Wednesday" (1930), and Four Quartets (1943) He was also known for seven plays, particularly Murder in the Cathedral (1935) and The Cocktail Party (1949). He was awarded the 1948 Nobel Prize in Literature, "for his outstanding, pioneer contribution to present-day poetry". 

Thomas Sterns Elliot

BACKGROUND TO THE POEM

T.S. Eliot wrote this poem in 1927

1927 was the year in which T.S Eliot gained both British Citizenship and conversion to the Anglican Church. Thus the poem was inspired by Eliot’s spiritual life in the Church as well as other significant events in his life. T.S. Eliot took the poem’s opening lines from a sermon delivered by one Bishop Lancelot Andrews in 1622 – more than 300 years before.

SETTING OF THE POEM 

The poem has its setting in the different places, from where the Magi left for Bethlehem in Palestine, which was destination. The journey of the Magi its link to the Bible, where the three men (the Magi) travelled to see Jesus (the Messiah) who was born Bethlehem of Judea. 

SUMMARY OF THE POEM 

T.S. Eliot's ‘Journey of the Magi’ is a narrative account of the three wise men from the East in the Christian Bible. It recounts the hazardous effects encountered by the wise men (Magi) in search of the new born baby, Jesus.

The poem begins with the speaker listing out all of the troubles he and his men faced on their way to the manger in which Christ was born. The weather was freezing and there was hardly any food or shelter. Every time they came to a town they were turned away. Even the camels were suffering. 

In the second stanza, the men get to where they were going and find it to be simply, “satisfactory.” The manager has no great presence but that doesn’t mean the experience wasn’t important. 

The true impact of the journey and meeting comes after the men have returned home. They are no longer the people they were before they set off. The speaker states that he longs for a second death through which he is able to join God

Stanza 1 - These first five lines enclosed in quotation marks were culled from a Christmas Sermon by Lancelot Andrews, the Bishop of Winchester, in 1622, whom Eliot admired his writings and sermons. The poem is a dramatic monologue, as the journey is being narrated by one of the participants. The first stanza uncovers the early travails of the Magi. The weather is not conducive; there is cold. The journey is undertaken during the winter. The poetic persona says it is the worst time of the year. It is so unfortunate that they have to undertake the journey at this time. 

In the first stanza of this piece the speaker, who is one of the traveling Magi, starts the poem by giving a broad overview of the journey he and the other Magi embarked on. It was not a pleasant trip. They had a “cold coming…of it.” The men were forced to deal with terrible weather that made everything harder. The speaker reflects on the days of travel as having occurred in the “worst time of the year / For a journey. Due to the fact that they could not choose when they travelled, they had to face these conditions.  

Due to their unpleasant experiences, their camels become uncooperative; The men were not the only ones who suffered at this time, their camels, which were made to walk through the landscape bearing the men and their supplies were “galled, sore-footed, refractory.” They eventually ended up “Lying down in the melting snow.” It is interesting that the poet chose to begin this piece, which is about the birth of Christ, in such a way. It does away with the image of majestic beings riding in to visit the child, instead, they are painted as deeply human. They suffered just as anyone would traversing the countryside. The speaker even states at one point that “There were times we regretted,” or missed, “The summer palaces…the terraces…And the silken girls bringing sherbet.” These were all elements of their home which were familiar to them and without which they were made to travel. 

The following lines, which are crafted in an ever-worsening list, describe a litany of problems the men faced. There were the “camel men” who were often “cursing and grumbling.” At points, they even ran away from the camps seeking out “liquor (alcoholic drinks) and women  (and brothels (prostitutes) just to calm their nerves amidst the suffering. This shows their lifestyle of hedonism in the past. The campsites were often cold as the fires went out, and there were no “shelters” to keep the men and animals dry. 

It is already night. The city is already reclining. The people of that city are hostile and unfriendly. The villages, though grubby (dirty), charge them high prices for accommodation and other immediate needs. The men had a “hard time…of it.” By the time they got to the end of their journey, they had learned to prefer traveling at night. This way they could avoid the worst that the landscape, and the cities it held, had to offer. The stanza ends by stating their regrets for the journey. ’With the voices singing in our ears, saying/ That this was all folly.’ 

In the second stanza, a few changes come over the party of travellers. They sigh a bit of relief as they get to a temperate valley. This place seems to be more hospitable than the previous city they pass through. There is brighter weather here and a finer topography. The smelling vegetation depicts fertility and fecundity. The running stream depicts the flow of life; the three trees on the low sky signify the crucifixion of Jesus with two thieves on both sides and the trinity of God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit; an old white horse foreshadows Jesus' war during Armageddon (the end of the World). They do not get further guidance and information on their journey, They inquired at this tavern, looking for information about Christ and they received none. The men continue to travel and “arrive at evening.” The speaker states, not a moment too soon. Everyone was close to their final breaking point having faced hunger, terribly cold weather, shelterless nights, and inhospitable towns. but they continue.

 At the inn (a hotel or motel) they see six hands dicing for pieces of silver, symbolizing the soldiers who share Jesus' garment and the betrayal of Jesus by Judas for thirty pieces of silver. And at evening, they finally get to the place. He says that the pace they finally came to was “satisfactory,” nothing more. This could be a reference more to the physicality of the place rather than the momentous nature of the occasion, but either way, it is a strikingly drab and depressing way to describe the moment

Stanza 3 – In the third stanza, the speaker halts his description of the journey and moves on to describe how he feels about the entire experience now. Here, the poetic persona lets the readers know as he does in the opening of the poem, that this journey was embarked upon, a long time ago. It is clear he has terrible memories of the trip. He begins by saying it was “a long time ago” but that he would “do it again.” It was, at least in his mind, a journey worth undertaking. It is at this point in the poem the speaker directs a question to his listener to whom he is telling the story. He asks “...were we led all the way for Birth or Death?” He asks whether the birth of Christ is actually 'Birth or Death’. It is obvious that it is birth, since they can see the new born Jesus. 

He knows that there “certainly” was a “Birth.” This is the case as there was “evidence and no doubt,” but what of the death? In the next lines, he equates birth and death. This particular birth was so painful to the Magi and their companions that it was “like Death, our death.” 

On the other hand, this birth also comes with death. For example, when King Herod hears that a Saviour (Messiah) is born in his kingdom, he orders the killing of all infants, so that Jesus can be killed in the process. Also, Jesus comes to save the world from sin. He wants people to die to sin, and resurrect with Him in righteousness (baptism). Jesus comes to kill the old dispensation (idolatry). 

After the trip was over they “returned to [their] places, these Kingdoms.” When they arrived there and attempted to settle back into the lives they once knew and loved, they were “no longer at ease.” Everything had changed for them. The men did not feel comfortable in this world in which “alien people [were] clutching their gods,” when they had seen the true God. The return of the Magi to their Kingdom is to preach the good news of salvation and make his people relinquish their gods and embrace the true Saviour. Though, he takes a lot of risks (pains and troubles) to see the Messiah, he desires to repeat such a horrendous journey.

The poem concludes with the speaker stating that he would be glad to die another death. Perhaps this one could bring him to his final rest alongside God. 

THEMES 

Life is a journey - Eliot's “Journey of the Magi’ is a reflection of man's journey on the earth, from birth to death. There are obstacles to cross. It takes determination for people to overcome life's challenges and achieve their goals. The Magi experience a lot of obstacles and Challenges. Their camel men who exhibit frailty and carnality, give up along the line. Even their camels get tired and refuse to gallop. Seeing what lies ahead of them, they do not give up until they see the Messiah. There Is satisfaction. They achieve thelr goal. 

Regret - Regret often comes when there is suffering. Human nature abhors any form of discomfort. It takes determination to live above regret when one wants to achieve one's goals in life. The first stanza of the poem presents a lot of obstacles on the way of the voyagers. They are overwhelmed and they actually regret. The camel men are not too spiritual. They are only interested in the mundane things; so, they show Irreversible regret. But the Magi are more spiritual. They overcome the obstacles; they show their regret in the first place, but continue. The end is satisfaction. No wonder Jesus says, “Whoever puts his hands on the plough and looks back is not fit for the kingdom of God.” 

Salvation - The birth of Jesus brings salvation to the entire universe. The supremacy of God is shown when King Herod, upon hearing about the birth of Jesus, orders the killing of all infants. Jesus is spared in spite of this evil plot. The devil often targets people with great destinies, to bring them down. Jesus comes to save the world from sin. The poetic persona acknowledges that Jesus comes with salvation (new dispensation); so, he calls their idolatry, an 'old dispensation’. He promises to preach the gospel of salvation to his people, though he says that is an arduous task. “We returned to our places, these Kingdoms, /But no longer at ease here, in the old dispensation,”. The people still seem to hold on to their ‘gods’.

The Theme of Spiritual Rebirth and Renewal - The poem explores the process of the inner struggles and physical challenges that one has to go through in order to achieve spiritual rebirth.

For the persona, there can be no renewal and strengthening of one’s faith without going through this painful process. But like everything worthwhile, the end justifies the means.

The Theme of Change - Change only happens when the old order gives way to the new. And this transformation hardly takes place without struggle and pain. This applies in all facets of man’s existence. For the narrator, the spiritual transformation he and the others have experienced is worth the effort.

The Theme of the Effects of Historical Events on Society - Journey of the Magi goes beyond the level of the individual. Apart from being an exploration of the individual’s spiritual journey in search of renewal of faith, it also addresses the profound effects of historical events on whole societies and cultures.

One such effect is the change in the identity of a people anytime an event of great importance occurs.

Thus, the birth of the Christ child not only changed the lives of these three wise men. It also resulted in an irrevocable change in the cultures and religions of societies across the world.

FIGURES OF SPEECH / POETIC DEVICES

Language - The diction by the poet is easy for an average reader to decipher. Mood/Tone - The mood of the poet is that of mourning, mixed with Joy. The tone is that of regrets, mixed with satisfaction. 

Simile - “Hard and bitter agony for us, like Death, our death.” 

Metaphor - The poet takes the biblical story of the journey to Bethlehem by the three wise men at the birth of Christ Jesus and uses it to explore his personal spiritual journey toward an acknowledgement and renewal of faith.

Contrast - The structure of the poem, Journey of the Magi, is built around the literary device known as contrast.

For instance, the deep feeling of satisfaction that the Magi experienced at the end of the last stanza was unlike the pains and tortures they initially went through in the first stanza.

Irony -  It is ironical that the camel men who are chaperones (escorts) to the Magi easily give up. Their eyes are blind to the benefits (salvation) which Jesus brings. Jesus also dies on the cross to save mankind and he suffers too. Their journey is a holy one, but they start longing for alcohol and women along the way. It is an irony that dirty villages charge high prices. The villagers capitalize on the helpless situation of the Magi, so they charge exorbitant prices. It is an irony that the birth of Jesus Christ also comes with death. Also, It is ironic that in spite of the risks and pains associated with the journey, the poetic persona wishes he went again. 

Antithesis - “Birth or Death? There was a Birth, certainly, /I had seen birth and death,”. The word “Birth” contrasts with “Death”. “I should be glad of another death.” The word ‘glad' contrasts with ‘death’ 

Litotes — This is an ironical understatement in which an affirmative is expressed by the negative of its contrary. Example: °... not a moment too soon”, “Finding the place; it was (you may say) satisfactory.” 

Personification -

And the night-fires going out, 

And the lack of shelters, And the cities hostile and the towns unfriendly 

Synecdoche 

“Six hands at an open door dicing for pieces of silver,” (‘six hands’ here represent six people.) 

“And feet kicking the empty wine-skins” (‘feet’ here represent people.) Repetition - ‘time’ ‘Birth' and ‘Death’ are being repeated for the purpose of emphasis. 

Anaphora - This is the repetition of words at the beginning of two or more consecutive lines of poetry. Example: 

And the night-fires going out, and the lack of shelters, 

And the cities hostile and the towns unfriendly And the villages dirty and charging high prices: 

Alliteration - This is a poetic device that involves the repetition of an initial consonant sound — “cold coming” “ways...weather camel...cursing wanting ... women

“dawn... down” 

Assonance

Cursing and grumbling

Running away and wanting

Repetition - An example of repetition in Journey and the Magi is the use of “and the” several times in the first stanza. Its effect is to emphasize the theme of suffering as an integral part of the journey of faith

Pun - “And three trees .../ ...but set down/ This set down” 

Allusions: {. Biblical allusion: The 'magi' is a Biblical allusion. It is a reference to the three wise or ‘three kings' who travelled to Bethlehem in the land of Judea, to see Jesus. The experience is narrated by the Magus, one of the Magi. Refer to the explanation on Stanza 2 under “Summary of the poem”, to see the various allusions to the Bible. Literary allusion: These first five lines enclosed in quotation marks allude to the opening lines of a Christmas Sermon by Lancelot Andrews, the Bishop of Winchester, in 1622: 

‘A cold coming we had of it, 

Just the worst time of the year 

For a journey, and such a long journey: 

The ways deep and the weather sharp, 

The very dead of winter.’ 

Paradox

I should be glad of another death

This is the very last line in the poem. It underlines the profoundly satisfying effect of this spiritual rebirth on the persona.

So satisfying it is that, if need be, he would gladly go through the difficult journey all over again.

Structure - The poem is written in three stanzas of unequal lines. It is without end rhyme or regular rhythm; hence written in free verse