W.B. Yeats

Synopsis

W. B. Yeats (1865-1939) was not only Ireland's greatest poet but one of the most influential voices in world literature in the twentieth century. His extraordinary work, in the words of this volume's editor Seamus Heaney, encourages us 'to be more resolutely and abundantly alive, whatever the conditions.'


Other volumes in this series: Auden, Betjemen, Eliot, Hughes and Plath

Summary

Chapter 1: The Early Years

* Explores Yeats's childhood and early influences in Dublin and County Sligo.
* Real example: Yeats's childhood home, Thor Ballylee, where he spent summers and wrote many poems inspired by the rural landscape.

Chapter 2: The Celtic Revival and the Irish Literary Renaissance

* Examines Yeats's involvement in the Celtic Revival movement and its impact on his poetry.
* Real example: Yeats's play "The Countess Cathleen," which features mythical and folklore elements rooted in Irish Celtic tradition.

Chapter 3: Symbolism and Imagination

* Analyzes Yeats's use of symbolism, myth, and the imagination to explore themes of love, loss, and the human condition.
* Real example: Yeats's poem "The Second Coming," which uses vivid imagery and metaphors to depict a sense of impending chaos and renewal.

Chapter 4: The Later Years and Nobel Prize

* Explores Yeats's poetic and philosophical development in his later years.
* Real example: Yeats's collection of poems "The Tower," which reflects on themes of aging, mortality, and the search for meaning.

Chapter 5: Major Themes and Poetic Legacy

* Examines the recurring themes and motifs in Yeats's poetry, including love, beauty, history, and the relationship between the individual and society.
* Real example: Yeats's poem "Leda and the Swan," which explores the tension between power, beauty, and the consequences of human action.

Chapter 6: Yeats and the Theatre

* Discusses Yeats's contributions to the theatre, including his plays and his work with the Abbey Theatre in Dublin.
* Real example: Yeats's play "At the Hawk's Well," which showcased his interest in Irish mythology, symbolism, and ritual.

Chapter 7: Yeats and the Irish Nation

* Explores Yeats's complex relationship with Irish nationalism and his role in Irish politics.
* Real example: Yeats's poem "Easter 1916," which commemorates the Easter Rising and reflects on the political and cultural conflicts of Ireland's history.

Chapter 8: Critical Reception and Legacy

* Analyzes the critical reception of Yeats's work and its lasting impact on literature.
* Real example: Yeats's poem "The Lake Isle of Innisfree," which has become one of the most widely anthologized and beloved poems in English literature.