The poem is an account of the journey experienced through the point of view by one of the Magi. It reiterates Eliot’s consistent theme of alienation and feelings of individual powerlessness in a changing world. The poem can overall be seen as an allegory for the spiritual journey in which the flesh still craves for sensual enjoyment. The second half of the poem is fermented by symbolic imagery of the valley, signifying the significant change in their lives in response to their arduous journey. The final stanza envelops a psychological change between the appreciation of birth and death – to which is attributed through the ‘arduous journey’.