18 December, 2022
Hello friends, here I am writing a blog on two most famous poems of W. B. Yeats, 'The Wild Swans at Coole' and 'No Second Troy'.
∆ About the Poet William Butler Yeats :
William Butler Yeats was an Irish poet dramatist and prose writer. He was written symbolic poems and made use of melody as a singer. His poems deals with universal brotherhood, natural beauty, sentimental simplicity, suffering, sorrows and heroism, among other things.
'The Wild Swans at Coole'
∆ Poem :
The trees are in their autumn beauty,
The woodland paths are dry,
Under the October twilight the water
Mirrors a still sky;
Upon the brimming water among the stones
Are nine-and-fifty swans.
The nineteenth autumn has come upon me
Since I first made my count;
I saw, before I had well finished,
All suddenly mount
And scatter wheeling in great broken rings
Upon their clamorous wings.
I have looked upon those brilliant creatures,
And now my heart is sore.
All's changed since I, hearing at twilight,
The first time on this shore,
The bell-beat of their wings above my head,
Trod with a lighter tread.
Unwearied still, lover by lover,
They paddle in the cold
Companionable streams or climb the air;
Their hearts have not grown old;
Passion or conquest, wander where they will,
Attend upon them still.
But now they drift on the still water,
Mysterious, beautiful;
Among what rushes will they build,
By what lake's edge or pool
Delight men's eyes when I awake some day
To find they have flown away?
∆ Analysis of the Poem :
This is the most famous poem of W.B. Yeats, a great Irish post. ‘The Wild Swans at Coole’ was first published in 1917. The poem speaks about the infinite beauty of nature. It also reflects how the speaker’s life has transformed since he was a young man and enjoyed these bounties of nature with a lighter tread. It also expresses the changing nature of time and its impacts on mankind.
This poem is an expression of wonder. The poem begins with the description of the beautiful Coole Park in the autumn. The speaker presents a pictographic image of the place such as; the dry woodland paths, still sky, and trees. Only the brimming water brings this calm scene to life. While reaching the shore of the lake, the speaker sees 59 swans swimming peacefully upon the reflective water. This enchanting sight drags him into the past, making him remember the time when nineteen years ago, he visited the same place and observed the swans when suddenly they flew and scattered in the sky. He feels sorry for their preset state because he realizes that things have changed and so does the vibrant flight of the swans.
However, the unity and beauty of these creatures seem permanent to him. He thinks that even when they take a flight to another place, they provide comfort to another observer. So, very few things in the transient world are eternal.
'No Second Troy'
∆ Poem :
Why should I blame her that she filled my days
With misery, or that she would of late
Have taught to ignorant men most violent ways,
Or hurled the little streets upon the great,
Had they but courage equal to desire?
What could have made her peaceful with a mind
That nobleness made simple as a fire,
With beauty like a tightened bow, a kind
That is not natural in an age like this,
Being high and solitary and most stern?
Why, what could she have done, being what she is?
Was there another Troy for her to burn?
∆ Analysis of the poem :
'No Second Troy' is a poem by W.B Yeats published in the volume called The Green Helmet and Other Poems. It is published in 1908.
Yeats was not so fond of this kind of violent activity but he admired Maud Gonne and loved her. However, Maud Gonne loved someone else (MacBride) and Yeats refers to this heartbreak in his many poems. He often uses her name in his poems to show resentment or pain.
The poem 'No second Troy' is about the love relationship between the poet and Maud Ginne, a very beautiful Irish woman. W.B. Yeats wrote this poem after Gonne had rejected his proposal on numerous occasions.
In this poem William Butler asks a rhetorical question, asking why he should blame her for making his life full of sorrows. He mentions that Maud Gonne was diverting people toward violence against Britain. Maud Gonne is accused of incitiing class warfare by William Butler.
Maud Gonne has also been praised by William Butler for her beautiful,courageous,nobel and peaceful nature.
William Butler was a non-violence supporter and wanted to make Ireland and independent country without any violence but Maud Gonne was in favor of violence.
As a result, William compared Maud Gonne to Helen of Troy and his homeland to Troy and he feared that his homeland would be destroyed. so he asks, 'was there, another Troy for her to burn?' and does not want any violence against Britain.
Thank you.
• Word Count : 814
• Images : 3
