"The Song of Wandering Aengus" is a poem about lots of things, but we can't leave out disappointment. Although we're never told whether or not Aengus finds the glimmering girl he's fallen in love with, the poem ends with him still searching for her. In other words, by the end of the poem, things aren't exactly looking up for Aengus. He's spent his entire life looking for this girl (she must be quite the looker if he's that obsessed with finding her) and he still hasn't found her—bummer. He's growing old. This suggests that his quest is ultimately going to end in disappointment.
Questions About Disappointment
- In what ways does the poem imply that Aengus will be disappointed in his quest for the glimmering girl?
- What is the relationship between time and disappointment in this poem?
- Is the speaker aware that he may be disappointed in his quest for the girl? Is he deluded in his belief that he will find her? What parts of the poem support your ideas?
Chew on This
Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devil’s advocate.
More than nature, magic, or even Celtic mythology, this is a poem about disappointment.
Nope—this isn't a poem about disappointment; it's a poem about hope.