"As You Came from the Holy Land" is a poem written by English poet and playwright William Shakespeare. The poem, which is believed to have been written in the late 16th century, is a nostalgicically-themed work that reflects on the fleeting nature of youth and the passage of time.
One of the central themes of "As You Came from the Holy Land" is the idea of loss and the inability to hold onto the past. The poem begins with the speaker addressing the reader, saying "As you came from the holy land, / Of Walsinghame, / Met you not with my true love / By the way as you came?" This opening line establishes the theme of longing for something that has been lost, as the speaker is asking the reader if they have seen their "true love" on the journey back from the holy land.
The poem continues with the speaker describing their "true love" as being "fair" and "young," and expressing their regret at having lost this person. The speaker says that their love "hath forsworn me" and that they are now "all alone." This sense of loss and loneliness is further emphasized in the final lines of the poem, where the speaker asks the reader to "Pray you, tell me, / Where did you leave her?" This final plea underscores the speaker's deep desire to be reunited with their lost love and to return to a happier time in their life.
Another important theme in "As You Came from the Holy Land" is the idea of the passage of time and the inevitability of change. The speaker laments the fact that their love is now "forsworn," suggesting that their relationship has changed or ended. This is further emphasized by the use of the word "forsworn," which can also mean "to swear falsely or break an oath." The speaker's love has not only left them, but has also broken the promises or vows that they made to each other.
This theme of change is also reflected in the speaker's use of the phrase "As you came from the holy land." The holy land is a metaphor for a distant, exotic place, and the use of this phrase suggests that the speaker's love is a distant memory, something that is now distant and unfamiliar. The speaker's use of the past tense in the phrase "As you came" also reinforces the idea that their love is a thing of the past, and that they are now left with only memories and regrets.
In conclusion, "As You Came from the Holy Land" is a poignant and nostalgicically-themed poem that reflects on the themes of loss, change, and the passage of time. Through the speaker's longing for their lost love and the use of metaphor and imagery, Shakespeare masterfully captures the feelings of regret and longing that can come with the end of a relationship and the passage of time.
