Magi's Journey

Symbolism plays a key role in the “Journey of the Magi”, it works in conjunction with the poem’s vivid imagery but is nonetheless the most important point. This poem shows the journey of three magi through tough terrain on their arduous journey. Their journey is split into three different parts, “the coming’, finding, and end” (Gish 194). Each of these parts contain an aspect of symbolism that supports the ending of an old age and the beginning of a new age. The poem starts of with the three magi making their journey to there destination which is unknown to the reader. Along this journey the magi encounter many hardships such as “the night-fires going out, and the lack of shelters, [a]nd the cities hostile and the towns unfriendly

[a]nd the villages dirty and charging high prices” (Eliot l. 12-15). Even through all these hardships and the “regret [they feel for] the easy, sensual life they have left and are never to regain” (Gish 194) they continued ever onwards. The life the magi left behind is symbolic for the start of the transition from the old age into what will become the new age. It also symbolizes the

Afterwards the magi continue into the valley coming upon a tavern but finding no use there continue until they arrive at there destination finding what their journey was for, the birth of Jesus. This part of the story symbolizes the final push needed to begin the new age and leave the old age behind. As well as being a symbol for the new age the birth of Christ is full of “obscurity and lack of fulfillment” (Gish 195) which symbolizes along with foreshadows that Christ has a more important role in the future of this new age. The birth of Christ also symbolizes the beginning of the magi’s beliefs changing which will lead them to later feeling uncomfortable in the place they called home. After the finding the poem transitions into the third stanza where we see the