Yeats and Keats differently introduced their notions of time circulation andeternal life. One expressed limitations of human which could be overcome by art.And the other introduced time flowing in harmony and peace. And in one poem,we can see something lively such as young people, birds, trees, salmon-falls, and inthe other poem we can find laziness and leisure. However, there is some similarityin that they introduce the subjects of circulation of life and eternal life.
Yeats shows the passage of time by the Great Wheel or gyre which developsin the course of formation, fullness, decline. And Keats also presents the passage oftime by using the phrases such as “swell the gourd,” “plum the hazel shell,” “warmday will never cease.” These symbolize swelling and continuance of time.
So we can find the way how time is flowing in their poems. In Yeats's“Sailing to Byzantium,” time travels from a youth to an old age, and in “ToAutumn,” time travels from summer to autumn.
In this circulation Yeats's immortality can be reached by the media of art. AndKeats gets it by the circulation of seasons. So one continues to voyage witheagerness for Byzantium in which he could find his everlasting life through themosaic of 15th century, and the other comfortably waits for next seasons. Twopoets respectively develop their poems in different ways, but they finally achievethe same subjects of ever-lasting life in the passage of time.
In conclusion, Yeats pursued immortality by separating spirit from the body,because the flesh would be decayed. On the other hand, Keats thought that theimmortality could be acquired by being one with time. Unlike Yeats's “Sailing toByzantium”, Keats’s “To Autumn” has a tendency to keep harmony and reconciliation, instead of confrontation. Therefore, autumn enjoys “sitting,” and“asleep” without haste.