William Butler Yeats
analytical Essay
832 words
William Butler Yeats
One of Ireland's finest writers, William Butler Yeats served a long apprenticeship in the arts before his genius was fully developed. He did some of his greatest work after he was fifty.
Yeats was born in Dublin, Ireland, on June 13, 1865. His father was a lawyer-turned-Irish painter. In 1867 the family followed him to London and settled in Bedford Park. In 1881 they returned to Dublin, where Yeats studied the Metropolitan School of Art. Yeats spent much time with his grandparents in County Sligo in northwestern Ireland. The scenery and folklore of this region greatly influenced Yeats' work. For a while he studied art, but during the 1890s he became active in London's literary life and helped found the Rhymers' Club.
Yeats' early work was not especially Irish. Soon, however, he began to look to the ancient rituals and pagan beliefs of the land for his artistic inspiration. He tried to merge this interest with his aristocratic tastes to create an original Irish poetry and to establish his own identity.
In 1896 Yeats met Lady Gregory, an aristocrat and playwright who shared his interest in Ireland's past, especially in its folklore. In 1899 they formed a literary society that was the predecessor of the Abbey Theatre. Among his plays were 'The Countess Cathleen' (1892) and 'Cathleen ni Houlihan' (1902), with Maud Gonne in the title role. In 1899 he proposed to her, but she refused to marry him. As a means of getting closer to Maud, Yeats later...
In this essay, the author
- Explains that william butler yeats served a long apprenticeship in the arts before his genius was fully developed. he did some of his greatest work after he was fifty.
- Explains that yeats' early work was not particularly irish, but he began to look to ancient rituals and pagan beliefs of the land for his artistic inspiration. he tried to merge this interest with his aristocratic tastes to create an original irish poetry and establish his identity.
- Narrates how yeats met lady gregory, an aristocrat and playwright who shared his interest in ireland's past, especially in its folklore. in 1899 he proposed to her, but she refused to marry him.
- Analyzes how yeats' suggestive, beautiful lyricism changed to the tune of spare and tragic bitterness as ireland faced certain war in the early 1910s.
- Describes how yeats' love for maud gonne sparked his interest in the country's political struggles. he defended protestant interests and took pro-treaty stance against republicans.
- Explains that yeats devoted himself to literature and drama, believing that poems and plays would create a national unity capable of transforming the country. he published 'easter 1916' about the irish nationalist uprising.
- Explains that yeats persuaded john millington synge to return to irish folklore for subject material in his work for the abbey, which opened in 1904.
- Explains that occultism played a significant role in yeats' life. he was impressed with the works of emanuel swedenborg, william blake, stephane mallarme, and charles baudelaire.
- Explains that yeats founded the irish academy of letters in 1932 and was briefly involved with the fascist ‘blueshirts’ in dublin in 1933.
- Analyzes how yeats set forth his theories of history and human personality in a prose style poem called 'a vision'.
- Narrates how yeats became seriously ill while vacationing in mallorca and died in roquebrune, france. his body remained buried there throughout world war ii, but in 1948 it was brought back to ireland for burial in county sligo.
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- William Butler Yeatsexplanatory essayWilliam Butler Yeats was born in Dublin, Ireland, on June 13, 1865. He was the eldest son of a painter. In 1867 his family moved to London, but he frequently visited his grandparents in Northern Ireland. There he was greatly influenced by the folklore of the region. In 1881 his family returned to Dublin. Their Yeats studied at the Metropolitan School of Art. During school he became more focused on literature.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that william butler yeats was born in dublin, ireland, on june 13, 1865, the eldest son of a painter. his family moved to london, but he visited his grandparents in northern ireland.
- Explains that yeats made his debut in 1885 with the publication of his first poems in the dublin university review. in 1887, his family returned to bedford park in london, and he devoted himself to writing.
- Explains that yeats's early work did not reflect his irish heritage, but he turned to his culture for inspiration. he published a book of tales titled fairy and folk tales of the irish peasantry in 1888.
- Narrates how yeats met lady gregory, an aristocrat and playwright, who shared the same interest in ireland's past. they formed the irish literary theater.
- Narrates how yeats proposed to lady gregory, but she refused his offer. his passion for a free ireland ignited his interest in the political struggles of ireland.
- Narrates how yeats bought an old stone tower near coole park, which became his summer home, and married georgie hyde-lee.
- Explains that yeats served as a senator in the irish parliament, and was given the nobel prize in 1923. in his final years he worked to finish a vision and published the oxford book of verse and new poems.
430 wordsRead More - Yeats Roseanalytical essayYeats: The Rose To Ireland in the Coming Times Summary and Analysis"). Thomas Osborne Davis lead the Young Ireland party, James Clarence Mangan was a translator, and Sir Samuel Ferguson translated Gaelic legends into English ("Poems of W.B. Yeats: The Rose To Ireland in the Coming Times Summary and Analysis").
In this essay, the author
- Explains that william butler yeats was an irish writer whose work was influenced by the country of ireland and its ancient legends.
- Explains that william butler yeats was born in dublin, ireland on june 13, 1865. he was a member of the protestant, anglo-irish minority.
- Explains that william butler yeats attended dublin's erasmus smith high school, where he met many of the city artists and writers. william fell in love with poetry and attended the metropolitan school of art to further his interest.
- Explains that yeats kept in touch with his irish culture and incorporated famous irish legends, and heroes in much of his work.
- Explains that yeats' the rose was a collection of revised poems that dealt with his frustrated love for maud gonne, the rosicrucian andcabalistic doctrine he was learning in the order of the golden dawn, and those legends of ancient pre-christian ireland.
- Analyzes how yeats' first poem, "the rose upon the rood of time," symbolizes a nationalist vision of ireland and maud gonne.
- Analyzes how yeats mentions cruchulain, fergus, and the druids in his poem. the irish reference is to the gaelic language.
- Analyzes how yeats was influenced to incorporate ancient irish legends into his work in "the rose upon the rood of time."
- Analyzes how yeats portrays a sort of irish nationalism theme in his poem, "to ireland in the coming years." he wants to go down in irish history and be considered among the poets who have sweetened ireland's miserable history.
- Describes the three poets mentioned in yeats' "to ireland in the coming times": thomas osborne davis, james clarence mangan, and sir samuel ferguson.
- Analyzes how "to ireland in the coming times" portrays yeats love for ireland and his irish nationalism.
- Analyzes how yeats' nationalism and love for ireland greatly impacted his work. he was influenced by old irish tales and folklore, which made his poetry stand out.
1297 wordsRead More - The Life and Work of William Butler Yeatsanalytical essayThe Life and Work of William Butler Yeats Born in Dublin in the year 1865, William Butler Yeats would go on to become universally recognized by his peers as the greatest poet of this century writing in the English language. This recognition would come as early as 1828, a decade before his death with the publication of arguably his finest volume, The Tower (Fraser, 207). The son of one time attorney and later well known painter John Butler Yeats, W.B. Yeats was of partially Cornish and Gaelic decent, born near Dublin and raised between both England and Ireland. Though born in Dublin and raised between England and Ireland, Yeats would develop, through his mother, a love for the west country of Ireland that would last all his life.
In this essay, the author
- Describes the life and work of william butler yeats, born in dublin in 1865 and raised between england and ireland.
- Explains that yeats developed a love for the west country of ireland through his mother. he later depicted his beloved county sligo in works like "the lake isle of innisfree".
- Explains that yeats's childhood would be broad in education and personal experiences. his internal contradictions would shape the writer and man he would one day become.
- Explains that yeats spent much of his childhood in london, where he attended the godolphin school, and at the age of fifteen, returned to dublin to attend the erasmus smith school.
- Explains that yeats's spiritual outlook would play a significant role in his life and his works.
- Analyzes how yeats sought to create a fresh tradition and unique style in his writing. he found his vehicle to accomplish just that in irish mythology and folklore.
- Explains that yeats' adult life is divided into three periods. the first was passed in london where he belonged to a group of fin de sieclepoets.
- Analyzes how yeats was caught up in the irish revolution and met lady gregory, who saved him from himself. together with j.m. synge, they founded the abbey theater and irish academy.
- Explains that yeats's work and focus would take on a more practical value. his poetry would become more based in reality, less ambiguous, and more direct.
- Analyzes the influence of maud gonne on the life and work of w.b. yeats.
- Analyzes how yeats labeled himself a socialist, one who despised the middle classes, and his ideal ireland was divided between hard-riding protestant and devout catholic peasantry.
- Narrates how yeats proposed to iseult in 1917 and was rejected again by gonne. he married georgie lees in 1918 and settled on the coast.
- Explains that yeats' third stage of life was a diverse one, in which some of his best works would be created and he would come to push the world of irish literature.
- Analyzes how yeats won the nobel prize for literature in 1923. he was a revolutionary and arguably one of the largest contributors in history.
- Describes w.b. yeats as a complex man with diverse interests and causes. though involved in various movements, differing schools of thought, he never abandoned his primary vehicle, poetry.
- Analyzes how yeats used fantasy, mysticism, and the unknown as an analogy to examine and explain the human condition.
- Opines that yeats would die at seventy-three, disillusioned with his ireland and his life, but that he loved them both still is unquestionable.
- Describes s of twentieth century authors: a biographical dictionary of modern literature.
- Explains that rogers, pat, and scott-kilvert, ian, eds. the oxford illustrated history of english literature. volume vi.
2138 wordsRead More - Robert Frostexplanatory essayRobert Frost Robert Frost (1874-1963) was one of the finest of rural New England's 20th century pastoral poets. Frost published his first books in Great Britain in the 1910s, but he soon became in his own country the most read and constantly anthologized poet. Frost was awarded the Pulitzer Prize four times. Robert Frost was born in San Francisco, California on March 26, 1874. His father, a journalist and local politician, died when Frost was eleven years old.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that robert frost was one of the finest of rural new england's 20th century pastoral poets. he published his first books in great britain in the 1910s, but became the most read and constantly anthologized poet.
- Narrates how frost worked as a teacher, cobbler, farmer, and teacher at pinkerton academy and at the state normal school in plymouth.
- Explains that frost sold his farm and took his wife and four young children to england, where he published his first collection of poems, "a boy's will" and "north boston."
- Describes how frost bought a farm near franconia, new hampshire, taught at amherst college and michigan universities, and published his third collection of verse, "mountain interval".
- Narrates how frost purchased a farm in south shaftsbury, vermont, near middlebury college in 1920. after his wife died in 1938, frost became strongly attracted to kay morrison, whom he employed as his secretary.
- Explains that frost participated in the inauguration of president john kennedy in 1961 by reciting two of his poems. he traveled to the soviet union as a goodwill group and received numerous literary and academic honors.
513 wordsRead More - William Butler Yeats Research Paperexplanatory essayWilliam butler Yeats believed in Ireland because of his family. His mother would speak of leprechauns
In this essay, the author
- Explains that yeats's interest in ireland, especially its folktales, fueled much of his output.
- Explains that yeats wasn't excite about all the new science at the time. he was a visionary and surrounded himself with poetic images.
- Describes how yeats became involved in the literary life of london. he was friends with william morris and w.e.
- Explains that william butler yeats was a poet who lived in london but was born in dublin ireland. he wrote poetry about the irish life style and their traditions trying to keep them alive.
- Describes how william butler yeats was left feeling empty after the death of the controversial irish leader charles stewart parnell in 1891.
1903 wordsRead More - William Butler Yeats Research Paperanalytical essayWilliam Yeats is deliberated to be among the best bards in the 20th era. He was an Anglo-Irish protestant, the group that had control over the every life aspect of Ireland for almost the whole of the seventeenth era. Associates of this group deliberated themselves to be the English menfolk but sired in Ireland. However, Yeats was a loyal affirmer of his Irish ethnicity, and in all his deeds, he had to respect it. Even after living in America for almost fourteen years, he still had a home back in Ireland, and most of his poems maintained an Irish culture, legends and heroes. Therefore, Yeats gained a significant praise for writing some of the most exemplary poetry in modern history
In this essay, the author
- Explains that yeats' interest in drama was influenced by his father's love for melodramatic literature. he managed to draft ten plays using the simple and direct dialogue style that was usually needed for stage plays and transferred the style to his poems.
- Analyzes how yeats' fictitious innovation held no intrinsic desirability for him, possibly excluding in its universal connotation with youthful potency. he condemned eliot's horizontal cadences and emotionless, parched attitude.
- Explains that yeats' work was about or influenced by his native home, ireland. he confronted demise with unshakable bravery that created partly on his indefinite optimism for reawakening and appreciation for the brave valor that he obtained in ireland during the historical moments as well as in the eighteenth century.
- Describes william yeats as one of the best bards in the 20th era. he was an anglo-irish protestant, the group that had control over the every life aspect of ireland.
- Analyzes how yeats explored mysticism with his wife and conducted over four hundred conferences of their mystical phenomenal that enabled them to articulate theories, life, and historical moments.
1954 wordsRead More - Edgar Allan Poeanalytical essayEdgar Allan Poe was a man considered by many to be the personification of Death. He is regarded as a true American Genius whose works seized and frightened the minds of millions. However, Poe greatly differed from other acclaimed authors of his time. He had a unique writing style that completely altered the reality surrounding his readers. Rather than touch their hearts with lovable fictional characters he found a way of expressing himself that no other author had at the time. Poe’s combination of demented genius and difficult past experiences led him to become one of the greatest writers of all time.
In this essay, the author
- Compares edgar allan poe's writing style to other acclaimed authors of his time. his combination of demented genius and difficult past experiences led him to become one of the greatest writers of all time
- Explains that edgar allan poe was born in boston, massachusetts, to parents who were itinerant actors. he was taken into the home of a richmond, virginia tobacco merchant, and rapidly developed his skills in writing and reading.
- Narrates how poe continued to flourish in his studies when mr. allan's business took him to great britain. he was expelled for not paying his gambling debts and moved to boston.
- Explains that poe moved to baltimore and lived with his aunt, mrs. maria clemm. his short story "ms found in a bottle" sparked his career as staff member of various magazines. some of his best known stories were written during those years.
- Analyzes how poe married his 13-year-old cousin virginia clemm in 1836. she became incapacitated due to a bursting blood vessel and remained that way until her death of tuberculosis.
- Analyzes how poe's grief and troubles with love seemed to be intertwined into one of his most famous tales: "the raven".
- Opines that edgar allan poe is considered to be the father of the detective story and a stepfather of science fiction.
- Analyzes edgar allan poe's "the raven" as a dark reflection on lost love, death, and hope.
- Analyzes how poe separates the characters and images into two main categories: light and dark. the raven and the dreary december night represent life and death.
- Analyzes how edgar allan poe's "the raven" was a challenging poem to read. the raven represented an aspect of himself that he couldn't cope with.
1338 wordsRead More - Ireland: The Invention of Traditionanalytical essayThe tales were rediscovered around 1880 inspiring the Irish literary revival in romantic fiction by writers such as Lady Augusta Gregory and the poetry and dramatic works of W.B. Yeats. These works wer...
In this essay, the author
- Explains that traditions may be constructed around historical or mythological events, people or symbols that reinforce the image required to focus people’s conception of the past.
- Analyzes how the ancient mythology of ireland is one of its greatest assets. the book of the dun cow, (lebor na huidre), contains stories from the eighth and ninth centuries.
- Explains that the ulster cycle, (an rraocht), is concerned with heroic battles by great irish warriors. the statue put up in the general post office in sackville street, dublin, to remember the fallen of the 1916 rising was inspired by these tales
- Explains that the tales were rediscovered around 1880 inspiring the irish literary revival in romantic fiction by writers such as lady augusta gregory and the poetry and dramatic works of w.b. yeats.
- Explains that ireland's mythology is secular, while many of the sweeping sagas of antiquity have religious connotations. the irish cycles cut across the religious divide of catholic and protestant.
- Analyzes how the texts illustrate the antiquity of the irish, their literacy and artistry, and their heroic nature. they are of great significance to the nationalistic movement and the many modern works of art they inspired.
- Explains that the ancient tales of ireland were written in the original language of gaelic, which is one of their defining characteristics. the ancient language can be authenticated by manuscripts written as far back as the wüzberg codex.
- Explains that the english attempted to sublimate gaelic and the use of it declined sharply from the seventeenth century.
- Explains that the english suppression of language included the spoken word and literature as well as the old gaelic names that involved prefixes to establish family connections.
- Explains that the nationalists encouraged the gaelic revival movement which managed to get the language reintroduced into the educational system.
- Explains that speaking and reading one’s own language strengthens the nationalist cause and irish identity. ireland was converted to christianity and formed a separate, distinctly celtic form of the catholic church.
- Explains that the early irish church left behind distinctive buildings and a form of faith that can be regarded as manifestly irish. surviving ruins are now recognised as important medieval sites.
- Explains that cashel, or carraig phádraig, symbolises irish courage in the face of english brutality.
- Explains that the towers were adopted and identified completely with the nationalist cause that a modern version was constructed as grave marker for their hero, michael collins.
- Explains that the unique cormac's chapel is the first use in ireland of the continental, romanesque style. it is an example of an architectural form chosen and adapted to be peculiarly irish.
- Explains how the irish nationalists 'invented traditions' around their ancient tales, language, and medieval ruins to highlight their irishness and accentuate their right to take back their country from the english.
- Describes the bibliographical works of s: keedy, heath, yeats, taylor, and o'keeffe.
- Analyzes norton-taylor, hainin, and fitzgerald's work on the celts, time life, international nederland.
- Describes bain, g., constable, rigan, and pegg, b. celtic myths and legends poetry and romanticism.
- Cites ions, v., and de weyer, r. on the world’s mythology, london, hamlyn.
- Explains that labor gabala is the book of invasions, lebor na huidre is the dun cow and the ulster cycle is an rraocht.
- Cites standish o’grady, lady augusta gregory, and irish surnames.
1077 wordsRead More - W. B. Yeats Research Paperexplanatory essayW.B. Yeats was born in Sandymount, Ireland; June 13th, 1865. At a young age Yeats decided he didn't want to be part of the protestant Religion, and wanted a “more profound than either the Catholic or the Protestant.” (Britannica School) He decided on a hidden Ireland religion, more Pagan than Christian. When Yeats was two years old he and his family moved to London, but for almost all of his childhood he spent most of his time with his grandparents who lived in Sligo. This country's nature and surroundings was Yeats’s inspiration for most of his poems. In 1883, three years after his family moved back to Dublin, He attended the Metropolitan School of Art. Another one of his lead inspirations was a woman named Maud Gonne, He was in love with
In this essay, the author
- Explains that w.b. yeats was born in sandymount, ireland, in 1865. he chose a hidden ireland religion, more pagan than christian.
190 wordsRead More - William Butler Yeats poem, Leda and the Swan and Fred Chappel’s Narcissus and Echo Poets use many different stylistic devices to capture the attention of the reader. After all, who wants to read a boring poem? Many times, it is the opening line that acts as the "hook." What better way to capture someone's attention than to incite emotion with the first word. Some poets use form to their advantage.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how william butler yeats' "leda and the swan" and fred chappel's "narcissus and echo" use different stylistic devices to capture the attention of the reader.
- Analyzes how chappel creates two distinct poetic rhythms by echoing the last sound of each line in his poem. narcissus, the first character, fell in love with his reflection in a pond. echo is the other character in this "tragic" love story.
- Analyzes how chappel uses this story as the base for his poem, which seems to be of narcissus' love.
- Analyzes how william butler yeats uses slant rime and forceful language to bring life to another greek myth, "leda and the swan."
- Analyzes how yeats uses rhyme as an advantageous stylistic device. by using quatrains in an "abab" rhyme scheme for the first half of the poem, he effectively holds the reader's interest.
- Compares chappel's echo verse with yeats' sharp, forceful language and slant rime. both are effective stylistic devices that create different, but equally effective poems.
771 wordsRead More