In Yeats’s poem “The Song of Wandering Aengus,” the closing lines mention “the silver apples of the moon” and “the golden apples of the sun.” Which of the following interpretations is NOT a symbolic meaning attributed to these apples?

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They represent a return to an idyllic, lost paradise.They refer to alchemical symbols representing the physical body and the spirit.They signify the onset of the apocalypse.They stand for a desire that has been fulfilled.They embody eternal youth and immortality.

Explanation

The apples in the poem are commonly interpreted as symbols of a lost paradise (A), alchemical elements representing body and soul (B), and fulfilled longing (D). However, they are not associated with the idea of an impending apocalypse (C), which makes option C the incorrect symbolic meaning.