Yeats_ Poems

7/25/2019 Yeats_ Poems

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When You Are Old

Context: 1893, refects Yeats’ unrequited love or aude !onne" #his$oe% ta$s into the nationalistic attitudes o &reland' it %a(esreerence to !onne’s )$il*ri% soul+ an allusion to her involve%ent inthe &rish nationalist %ove%ent"

#he%es: nrequited -ove, #he a*ein* $rocess

#extual &nte*rit.: #his $oe% is ro% the $ers$ective o old $eo$leloo(in* ahead to a ti%e /here the. are old" &n the ori*inal contextthe $oe% ex$lores the ti%eless universal conce$t o love /hile alsore$resentin* the nationalistic attitudes o &reland at the ti%e"&n the %odern context, the ti%eless universal context o lovea$$eals to res$onders and dra/s e%$ath. ro% an. /ho haveex$erienced unrequited love in an. context"

0or%: &a%ic 2enta%eter

uote #echnique 45ect

#he a*ein*$rocess

)and+

)ull o slee$+,)noddin* . the

6re+)slo/l. read+)drea%+

7e$etition,2ace

!entle&%a*er.,

2ace

7e$etition o )and+ *ivesthe stana a rh.th%iceat, and structure andextends the $oe% *ivin*it a eelin* o old a*e"

Creates a sense o*entleness and sense o

love" ra/s out the$oe% and *ives it adra/n out and slee$.eel"

nrequited-ove

)ho/ %an.loved .our eaut./ith love alse ortrue+)one %an lovedthe $il*ri% soul in

.ou; and lovedthe sorro/s o.our chan*in*ace+

)<endin* do/neside the

*lo/in* ars+)$on the%ountainsoverhead+

2arallelis%Contrast

eta$hor

&%a*er.

2ersoni6cation

=uxta$osition

Yeats’ e%$hasises theshallo/ love hea$ed on!onne throu*h the$arallelis% at the starto the second stana" #his is contrasted

a*ainst the *enuine lovero% Yeats hi%sel /hoa$$reciates her or hernationalist s$irit )$il*ri%soul+, as /ell as her)chan*in* ace"+

#he su>ect o the $oets’love and the $oet$ersoni6ed as love itsel,

are >uxta$osed to revealtheir ex$ected tra>ector.over the .ears the $oet/ill ascend to *reatthin*s /hile his love /ille lo/l., let to exist in a



/orld evocative o hellas re$resented . the)*lo/in* ars+

#he ?econd Co%in*

Context: 1919, Co%$osed shortl. ater #he !reat War and &reland’s4aster $risin*' Yeats refects on these horri6c events ands$eculates that the a$ocal.$se is at hand"

#he%es: ?tailit. and &nstailit., Confict

#extual &nte*rit.: &n the ori*inal context, this $oe% refects on the

$ain and horror that the /orld has ex$erienced and o5erss$eculation aout /hat is to ollo/" &n the %odern context, the $oe%is refective o the chaos and tension in the /orld and o5erss$eculation on /hat is to ollo/" #he violent i%a*er. and ritualisticlan*ua*e as /ell as the reerence to and $erversion o the secondco%in*, %a(e this $oe% relevant in the %odern context"

0or%: !enerall., Yeats has e%$lo.ed &a%ic 2enta%eter throu*houtthis $oe%" @o/ever, his a$$lication o this %eter is inconsistent, adelierate structural decision used to conve. a sense o order ein*destro.ed" #he 1st stana has a *odli(e o%niscient narrator anddescries the /orld descendin* into chaos" Bnd ?tana is /ritten in1st $erson in the or% o a sonnet" #he or% o this $oe% is anoctave ollo/ed . sonnet or% /hich is a decision %ade . the$oet to start over a*ain, re$resentin* reirth" !raceul i%a*er.stands in contrast a*ainst the chaos and chan*in* o /orld order/ithin the $oe%"




?tailit. )turnin* andturnin* in the/idenin* *.re; #he alconcannot hear thealconer+

)#he centre

cannot hold+

)#he secondco%in*+

)?$iritus undi+

)lan( and$itiless *ae+ o the s$hinx

)And /hatrou*h east, itshour co%eround at last,slouchesto/ards<ethlehe% toe orn

eta$hor

eta$hor

7e$etition

&%a*er.

7hetoricaluestion

!raceuli%a*er.

?ho/s thatthere has eena loss ocontrol"

#he orces thathold ever.thin*

to*ether aredeclinin*'rea(do/n osocial order"

Acts as arevelation, ut Yeats’ vision othis ilicalevent is arre%oved ro%ourex$ectations"

#he /orld s$irit,the $oetssource oins$iration"

7efects itsindi5erence to

the secondco%in* it actsnot out o%alice or evilut out onecessit."-eaves thereader /ith aeelin* ouncertaint.,a%$li.in* the

unease anddread created. Yeats’$erverse visiono the ?econdCo%in*"

Confictsa*ainst thethe%e o chaosand chan*in* o /orld order inthis $oe%"



Confict )ere anarch.is loosed u$onthe /orld, #heblood-dimmedtide is loosed,+

)loosed+

)?hado/s othe indi*nantdesert irds+

)And /hatrough beast, itshour co%eround at last,slouches to/ards<ethlehe% toe orn

&%a*er.

7e$etition

0oreodin*&%a*er.

&%a*er.

7efects theviolence andhorrorassociated /iththe rea(do/no social order"

&llustrates the

chaoticu$heaval is notaritrar. usin*re$etition toe%$hasise its$re%editatednature"

O5ers a feetin**li%$se into thehorror thata/aits"

Wor(s tosuvert theaudiencesex$ectation o ari*hteous event/ithdescri$tionsthat evo(e ear

and uncertaint."

A%on* ?chool Children

Context: 19B8, #he ins$iration or the $oe% /as a visit to ?t"OtteranDs ?chool in Waterord, /hich Yeats %ade in 0eruar. 19BE inhis oFcial ca$acit. as a senator o the &rish 0ree ?tate" Yeats is

%oved to refect u$on his lieDs unrequited love, his decadeslon*love o the actress, e%inist and &rish nationalist aud !onne"

#he%es: A*ein* 2rocess, nrequited -ove



#extual &nte*rit.: &n oth the ori*inal and %odern context, this $oe%deals /ith the universal the%e o the hu%an condition, $ri%aril.a*ein*, and also unrequited love" #he evocative and Aestheticlan*ua*e allo/s the $oe% to re%ain a$$ealin* to an. conte%$orar.audience"

0or%: 4i*ht stanas o ei*ht lines each and e%$lo.s a rh.%esche%e, aaacc, (no/n as ottava ri%a"


A*ein* 2rocess )#he children’se.es+)A sixt..earolds%ilin* $ulic%an+

)Or else, toalter 2lato’s$arale,; &ntothe .ol( and/hite o the oneshell+

)and & thou*hnever o-edaean

(ind;@ad $rett.$lu%a*e once+

)Co%ortale(ind o oldscarecro/+

Contrast

Allusion

eta$hor

7efective #one

eta$hor

Allusion

Yeats contrastshi%sel a*ainstthe children hesees eorehi%,e%$hasisin* hisa*e"

Yeats alludes toand reinter$rets2lato’s $aralethat %en and/o%en e*inlie identical atirth and *ro/a$art"

&n Yeats’ vision,he and aud!onne have*ro/n closer asti%e has$assed,ulti%atel.co%in*to*ether as the).ol( and/hite+ o the

one e**"

7efects u$onhis o/nchan*in*a$$earance,even thou*h henever dis$la.edthe eaut. o-eda, he /as.oun* anduna*ed once"

7eveals thede*radation o



)au*hters othe s/an+

)so%ethin* oever. $addler’sherita*e+

)iduattracento6n*er ashionit+

)@ollo/ ochee(+)A %ess oshado/s+

)theuncertaint. o

his settin*orth+

)2lato+)Aristotle+)2.tha*oras+

eta$hor

7efective #one&%a*er.

7hetoricaluestion

Allusion

eta$hor

his a$$earanceand ho/ hetries to %as(his a*ein*visa*e"

Yeats $ortra.s!onne in an

i%a*e o thedivine"@o/ever, .su**estin* thatshe sharesherita*e /ith$addlers hereco*nises thateven the divine/ill haveex$erienced anordinar.childhood andthereore dra/sco%$arisons/ith thechildren he seeseore hi%"

Yeatsrei%a*ines the$resent da.!onne as arealistic7enaissance erascul$ture" #his&%ues a senseo $erectionand artistr. into!onne des$ite

the harshi%a*er." @etreasures herdes$ite heradin*a$$earance"

Yeats as(s i%others /ouldendure the $aino childirth ithe. could see/hat the./ould eco%e" #his sho/s YeatsGresentulness



)Old clothesu$on old stic(sto scare a ird"+

o the a*ein*$rocess"

All investi*atedand urthered

ourunderstandin*o the /orld"

Yeats’ sho/sthat >ust li(ehi%sel, the.eca%e old anddied, thereoreeven these*reat %ensuccu%ed toa*e"

nrequited-ove

)& drea% o a-edaean od.+

)<oth Huns and%others/orshi$i%a*es+

)(ee$ a %arleor a rone

re$ose+

)O Chestnuttree, *reatrootedlosso%er,; Are

.ou the lea,the losso% orthe ole+

)@o/ can /e(no/ the

Allusion

Co%$arison

eta$hor

eta$hor

&%a*er.

#o the eaut. o -eda inreerence toaude !onne"?eein* the *irlsat the schoolre%inded hi%o her /hen she

/as .oun*"

<oth ris( nothavin* theirlove returnedro% *od'children"7efects Yeats’o/n requitedlove"

#his is a%eta$hor or Yeats’ vision othe $erectionin !onne andher $o/er to)rea( hearts+"

sed toreco*nise the

i%$ortance inunit. o allthin*s" I #hetree needs all 3co%$onents



dancer ro% thedance+ #he dancer

cannot exist/ithout thedance and viceversa" Yeatsleaves us /ith arelativel.

o$ti%istici%a*e"

#he Wild ?/ans at Coole

Context: 191J, Coole 2ar(, in Count. !al/a., /as the ho%e o -ad.Au*usta !re*or., a $la./ri*ht and nationalist /ho% Yeats %et in1898" #he. *re/ to e close and Yeats s$ent his su%%ers /ith herat Coole 2ar(, a $eaceul and eautiul $lace, $o$ular /ith other/riters" Yeats used to en>o. ta(in* quiet /al(s in the /oods /ithin

the lar*e *rounds"

#he%es: Chan*e, nrequited -ove, Hature

#extual &nte*rit.: <oth the ori*inal and %odern context attractres$onders throu*h the use o universal the%es relatin* to thehu%an condition' a*ein*, chan*e, re*ret etc"

0or%: 7ou*hl. ia%ic %eter, /ith the 6rst and third lines intetra%eter, the second, ourth, and sixth lines in tri%eter, and the6th line in $enta%eter, so that the $attern o stressed s.llales ineach stana is K3K3L3" #he structure o the $oe% contriutes to the$laintive, %elanchol. tone"

uote #echniques 45ect



@u%anCondition

)*reat ro(enrin*s+

)and no/ %.heart is sore+

)un/earied still,lover . lover, #heir heartshave not *ro/nold+

)eli*ht %en’se.es /hen &a/a(e so%eda.; #o 6nd the.have fo/na/a.+

&%a*er.

eta$hor

Contrast

7hetoricaluestion

?u**estinco%$leteness,hintin* at loss"

#he re*ret andlon*in*contextuall.relates ac( to

Yeats’unrequited loveor aud !onne"

Yeats refects onthe love the.e>o. and theun/eariness otheir hearts,/hile theo$$osite is trueor hi% in his olda*e"

-eaves usrefectin* on theinevitailit. ochan*e"

Hature )#he trees are intheir autu%n

eaut.,; #he/oodland $athsare dr.+

) #he nineteenthautu%n & sa/,eore & had /ell6nished,;All

suddenl.%ount+

)All’s chan*edsince &+

&%a*er.

Adver

Contrast

A eautiul$icture o nature

is $ainted" #hiscontriutes tothe constanc. o natureestalished inthis stana"

#he constanc. o nature is urther

revealed . Yeats’ refectionon the $assa*eo ti%e ut thisis shattered .the i%%ediac.o the adversuddenl.

-in(s the

$assa*e o ti%e/ith chan*e"Contrastsa*ainst theconstanc. onature"



An &rish Air%an oresees his eath

Context: 1918, /ritten to eulo*ise Yeats’ riend a>or 7oert!re*or. o Coole 2ar(, /ho died 6*htin* or the 7o.al Air 0orce inWW1" &reland’s lac( o direct involve%ent in WW1 leads to Yeats’refection )those that & 6*ht & do not hate+ /hile &reland’s anti$ath.to/ards 4n*lad at the ti%e leads to )those that & *uard & do notlove"+

#he%es: 2atriotis%, @u%an Condition I alance et/een lie anddeath

#extual &nte*rit.: &n the ori*inal context, this $oe% a$$eals to theconte%$orar. concerns o WW1" #his $oe% has continued to holdtextual value throu*h the aesthetics created throu*h Yeats’ use o



lan*ua*e;structure to create alance" #he universal the%e ohu%an condition allo/s this $oe% to re%ain relevant"

0or%: #he co%ination o ia%ic $enta%eter and A<A< rh.%estructure lend /ei*ht to Yeats’ ex$loration o alance' short, cli$$edlines o equal s.llales and rh.%es al/a.s havin* a $air $rovide anaesthetic alance to acco%$an. the the%e o alance throu*houtthe $oe%"

uotes #echniques 45ect

2atriotis% ). countr. isMiltartan Cross'. countr.%enMiltartan’s $oor+

)A lonel. i%$ulseo deli*ht+

)#hose that &6*ht & do nothate,; those that& *uard & do not

love+

2arallelis%

2ersoni6cationOx.%oron

2arallelis%

4%$hasises thes.%%etr. andalance o the$oe%, lin(in* theair%an to as$eci6c*eo*ra$hiclocation and

o5erin* aninsi*ht into theAir%an’s identit."

se o$ersoni6catione%$hasises thesin*ular i%$ulsethat drove theair%an to 6*ht

and ulti%atel.die" #his decisionsho/s thealance inevidencethrou*hout the$oe% throu*hthe ox.%oron o)lonel.+ and)deli*ht"+

Creates a senseo s.%%etr. ashe ex$oundsu$on the $oliticalcircu%stancessurroundin* theair%an’sdecision to 6*htin the 7A0"



@u%an Condition )I know that &shall %eet %.ate; Somewherea%on* theclouds aove+

)Ho li(el. endcould rin* the%loss; Or leavethe% ha$$ierthan eore+

)/aste oreath+

)&n alance /iththis lie, thisdeath"+

Contrast

Contrast

7e$etition

=uxta$osition

#he certaint.contrasted /iththe va*ueness isthe 6rst instanceo alancedideas that iscentral to the$oe%"

7eveals theirrelevance othe /arsoutco%e to the&rish $eo$le andcontinues thestructuralalance &n the$oe%"

4%$hasises hisnihilistic attitudein refectin* onoth his $ast anduture" <alance isevident"

7eveals theulti%ate%eanin* o the

$oe%' that theair%an eels thatlie and deathexist in alanceand that hisdeath /ill$rovides.%%etr. or his%eanin*less lie"



-eda and the ?/an

Context: 19B3, Neus ra$ed or seducedP -eda, a %ortal, /hile he/as in the or% o a s/an" 0ro% that, @elen, Cl.te%nestra, Castor,and 2ollux /ere orn" #hese /ere all (e. $la.ers and;or literar.characters that too( $art in events surroundin* the #ro>an War andthe transition ro% the end o earl. !ree( civiliation and the irtho a %ore %odern era" #he $oe% ocuses on a $articular event,-edaDs ra$e and conce$tion, set to the ac(dro$ o a lar*er historicaltransition"

#he%es: Confict, Aesthetic -an*ua*e

#extual &nte*rit.: &n the ori*inal context, this $oe% is enticin*throu*h the aesthetics o the evocative lan*ua*e, the universalthe%e o the threat o confict ollo/in* the *reat /ar /ould haveattracted readers in that ti%e" &n the %odern context the aestheticlan*ua*e allo/s the $oe% to re%ain valued as /ell as the stilluniversal the%e o confict and uncertaint. aout the uture ohu%anit."

0or%: A 2etrarchan ?onnet" 4i*ht lines octaveP exa%ine the ra$e o-eda . the s/an ollo/ed . E lines sestetP /hich sho/ the

consequences" #he. are divided at the $oint o cli%ax"


Confict )the *reat/in*s+ )herthi*hscaressed; <.the dar(/es+)eathered*lor.+

)lo/+,)eatin*+,

)sta**erin*+,)shudder+,)urnin*+,)%astered+

)terri6ed

&%a*er.2hallicConnotations

Active Qers

Ad>ectives

4vo(es the$o/er andviolence .the s/an,there is astron*%asculinequalit. to thelan*ua*e,$articularl.the $hallicconnotationso *lor."

Contrast othe $o/er othe s/an and

thehel$lessnesso -eda" revealthe i%alancein the $o/eret/een the



va*ue+,)loosenin*+,)hel$less+

)#he ro(en/all, the

urnin* rooand to/er;AndA*a%e%nondead+

Allusion to thedestruction otro.

$air"e%$hasisesthe aestheticqualit. o the$oe%"

re$resents thedo/nall o

%odernsociet., asalso ex$loredin #?C"

4aster, 191E

Context: &ts title reers to the &rish reellion o 4aster, 191E, /hen as%all *rou$ o reels in ulin unex$ectedl. $roclai%ed theestalish%ent o an &rish 7e$ulic" #he reellion /as in de6ance othe <ritish rule under /hich &reland /as then *overned"

#he%es: 2olitics, Confict

#extual &nte*rit.: #his $oe% eatures aesthetic qualit. o lan*ua*e,

ex$loration o the universal hu%an qualit. o inner confict;tur%oil,and is relevant to conte%$orar. events" #his allo/s the $oe% tore%ain valued in all contexts"

0or%: &a%ic tetra%eter and ia%ic tri%eter" sed to e%$hasise theinsi*ni6cance o $olitical conor%it." #he rh.%e sche%e is A<A<"


2olitics )this other %an+,)a drun(en,

vain*loriouslout+

)i*norant *ood/ill+)ni*hts inar*u%ent; untilher voice *re/shrill+)What voice%ore s/eet thanhers; When,.oun* andeautiul,; ?herode toharriers+

escri$tivelan*ua*e

Ad>ective&%a*er.

7hetoricaluestion

eta$hor

Yeats o$enl. disdains =ohnac<ride, ho/ever reco*nises hi%

in the $oe% or his role in theu$risin*"

<oth the ad>ective and i%a*er.$ortra. ar(ievic in an unfatterin*%anner she /as the onl.revolutionar. to avoid executionP"@e recalls her in her .outh aseautiul" ?ho/s the $assin* o ti%ehas resulted in e%itter%ent"

Calls ac( to .eats’ descri$tion othe %iddle class the )%otle.+, the)%eanin*less /ords+, oth o thosealluded to $la. their $art"



)casual co%ed.+

)@earts /ith one$ur$ose alone+

)enchanted to astone+

)The horse thatco%es ro% theroad,; The rider,the birds thatrange/ Fromcloud totumbling cloud,… A shadow ofcloud on thestream”

“ #he stones inthe %idst o all+

?.necdoche

eta$hor

&%a*er.Contrast

Contrasteta$hor

Yeats realises the intense $assion o the revolutionaries or theirnationalistic cause"?u**estin* that their hearts haveturned to stone, dra/in* u$on theunchan*in* nature o stone in orderto reveal their asolute resolution in

the cause"

&%a*er. o thin*s that chan*e overti%e"

0urthers $revious %eta$hor" #hecontrast et/een the shitin* oi%a*es and the un%ovin* stonee%$hasises the dedication andlo.alt. o the revolutionaries to theircause"

&nnerConfict

)A terrileeaut. is orn+

)0ro% counter ordes( amonggre/!ighteenth-centur houses"”

)2olite%eanin*less/ords+

)/here %otle. is/orn+

)O /hen %a. itsuFce+

Ox.%oron

&%a*er.

7e$etition

eta$hor

7hetoricaluestion

#he ox.%oronic rerain o the $oe%illu%inates Yeats’ conficted$ers$ective on the 4aster $risin*"On one and, it /as the irth o

un/averin* &ris nationalis%, a)eaut.+ in the sacri6ce $eo$le/ere /illin* to %a(e, on the otherhand, it resulted &n horri6c acts oviolence" #his $oe% ex$lores Yeats’conficted e%otions on theseevents"

Conve.s Yeats’ $ers$ective on the&rish %iddleclass existence lea(and eatureless"

escries his inner interactions /iththe revolutionaries that heencounters da. to da." #hiscontrasts a*ainst the $assion andervour evident in the su>ects othe $oe%"

4%$hasises the *eneral eelin* o

disclai% that Yeats eels or the%iddle class existence /hich heendures" @o/ever, this sta*nant,lea( suset o societ. is suddenl.transor%ed . the u$risin*"



)What is it utni*htall+)/as it needlessdeath ater all+

)enou*h; #o

(no/ the.drea%ed and aredead'+ And /hati excess love;<e/ildered the%till the. died+

)Wherever *reenis /orn+

.s$he%is%7hetoricaluestion

eton.%.

#he stone heart co%es to re$resentcoldness and a lac( o e%otion, the6rst evidence in Yeats’ /averin* inhis conviction aout the value o the%en’s sacri6ces" #he cascade orhetorical questions, /hich ita$$ears Yeats is atte%$tin* to /or(throu*h his uncertaint., reiterates

this uncertaint."

Yeats >uxta$oses the d.s$he%istic,)the. drea%ed and are dead+a*ainst the ho$eul rhetoricalquestion, )/hat i excess o love;<e/ildered the% till the. died+ #helea( outloo( o the or%er isi%%ediatel. di%inished . theo$ti%istic uncertaint. o the latter,urther contriutin* to the a$$arentinconsistenc. o Yeats’ eelin*s orthe u$risin*"

eton.%ous or &reland, #he actthat the re$ercussions o the$risin* /ill e elt throu*houtever. &rish co%%unit. reveals that Yeats a$$reciates the asolutesi*ni6cance o these events, evenas he re%ains conficted aout oth

their necessit. and his o/n inaction"

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Yeats_ Poems

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