1. Youth and Age: The poem juxtaposes the imagery of youth and age. The speaker, who is in the later stages of life, expresses his desire to escape the limitations of physical aging and experience a renewed vitality and creativity. This juxtaposition highlights the dichotomy between the ephemeral nature of youth and the enduring essence of art.
2. Byzantium and Ireland: Yeats contrasts the bustling city of Byzantium, with its rich cultural heritage and artistic splendor, with the comparatively rustic and rural landscape of Ireland. This juxtaposition serves to emphasize the speaker's yearning for a more stimulating and aesthetically engaging environment.
3. Life and Death: Throughout the poem, the speaker grapples with the themes of life, death, and transcendence. He juxtaposes images of decay and mortality with visions of immortality and artistic rebirth. This contrast underscores the speaker's struggle between his physical decline and his desire for a lasting legacy through art.
4. Classical Art and Modern Civilization: Yeats draws parallels between the enduring beauty and wisdom of classical art and the fleeting, superficial aspects of modern civilization. The juxtaposition of these elements invites readers to reflect on the value and significance of art in the face of temporal change.
5. Sensuality and Spirituality: The poem juxtaposes sensual imagery, such as the "dome of many-coloured glass" and the "gold mosaic," with spiritual symbolism and religious allusions. This contrast highlights the speaker's attempt to find a harmonious balance between earthly pleasures and spiritual fulfillment.
By juxtaposing these contrasting elements, Yeats creates a dynamic and multilayered poem that explores themes of mortality, transcendence, art, and the human quest for meaning and fulfillment.