W.B.Yeats' Poems
Poems: W.B.Yeats
This blog is part of thinking activity assigned by Dilip Barad sir. For assignment details visit "YEATS".
Compare the treatment of war in On Being Asked for a War Poem with other war poems by Wilfred Owen or Siegfried Sassoon.
Introduction
William Butler Yeats’ On Being Asked for a War Poem presents a markedly different treatment of war compared to the poetry of Wilfred Owen or Siegfried Sassoon. While Yeats refuses to engage in direct war poetry, Owen and Sassoon expose its brutal realities. A comparison between Yeats' poem and Wilfred Owen’s Dulce et Decorum Est or Siegfried Sassoon’s Glory of Women reveals contrasting attitudes toward war poetry itself and the portrayal of war’s impact.
Yeats’ Rejection of War Poetry
In On Being Asked for a War Poem, Yeats refuses to glorify or even directly engage with war, stating:
"I think it better that in times like these
A poet’s mouth be silent, for in truth
We have no gift to set a statesman right;
He has had enough of meddling who can please
A young girl in the indolence of her youth."
Yeats views poetry as something personal and removed from politics and war. He suggests that poetry should not concern itself with war, as it cannot change the course of political events. His refusal contrasts sharply with the direct, visceral engagement of Owen and Sassoon.
Wilfred Owen’s Exposure of War’s Horrors
Owen’s Dulce et Decorum Est presents a grim reality of war, exposing the horrors faced by soldiers:
"If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood
Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs,
Obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud
Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues-"
Unlike Yeats, who avoids depicting war, Owen immerses the reader in its brutality. He directly criticizes the patriotic sentiment Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori (It is sweet and proper to die for one’s country), calling it “The old Lie.”
Siegfried Sassoon’s Critique of War Ideals
Sassoon, like Owen, is critical of war but also targets the societal hypocrisy surrounding it. In Glory of Women, he mocks those who romanticize war from a distance:
"You love us when we’re heroes, home on leave,
Or wounded in a mentionable place."
He exposes the disconnect between soldiers' suffering and the way they are perceived by civilians, particularly women who idealize their sacrifice. Sassoon’s anger toward war contrasts with Yeats’ passive detachment.
Conclusion: Aesthetic Detachment vs. Critical Engagement
Yeats avoids war poetry, arguing that poetry should not attempt to intervene in political matters. Owen and Sassoon engage directly with war, exposing its horrors and criticizing its glorification. This contrast reflects broader debates about the role of poetry in responding to war: should poets remain detached, as Yeats suggests, or should they bear witness, as Owen and Sassoon insist?
Write a modernist-inspired poem reflecting on a contemporary global crisis, drawing on Yeats’s themes and techniques.
A Falcon’s Cry Over Burning Shores
Turning and turning in the silent stream,
the city drowns in its own light.
A child, wrapped in wires of glass,
reaches for the sky—
but the sky is shut.
No poet’s words can unchain the tide,
no statesman’s voice can cauterize the wound.
They have made a labyrinth of reason,
where truth is fed to starving screens.
Somewhere, a drone hums like a carrion bird,
its shadow stretching across the dust.
The center falters, shifts, dissolves—
not with a bang,
but in the quiet click of an unseen hand.
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| This is AI generated image along with the poetry for it's justification. |
Do you agree with Yeats’s assertion in 'On Being Asked for a War Poem' that poetry should remain apolitical? Why or why not?
Yes, I agree with Yeats’ assertion in On Being Asked for a War Poem that poetry should remain apolitical. Yeats suggests that poetry should not serve as a political tool, stating:
"I think it better that in times like these
A poet’s mouth be silent, for in truth
We have no gift to set a statesman right;"
This rejection of political engagement in poetry aligns with his belief that art should focus on aesthetic and personal experiences rather than attempt to influence political affairs.
While Yeats avoids political poetry in this instance, his other works- such as Easter 1916- engage with political themes. However, On Being Asked for a War Poem suggests that poets should not be pressured into writing about war, as poetry does not possess the ability to guide political decisions. This reinforces the idea that poetry’s value lies in its artistic and emotional depth rather than its ability to influence policy.
Furthermore, I.A. Richards’ discussion on figurative language highlights how poetry’s power lies in metaphor and symbolism rather than direct statements. If poetry were to become overtly political, it might risk losing its richness by becoming mere propaganda. Yeats’ approach allows poetry to maintain its timeless quality, rather than becoming trapped in the transient concerns of politics.
Thus, Yeats’ assertion remains valid: poetry should not be confined to political discourse but should instead transcend political boundaries to explore deeper human emotions and existential concerns.
How does Yeats use imagery to convey a sense of disintegration in 'The Second Coming'?
Introduction
Yeats employs vivid and apocalyptic imagery in The Second Coming to depict a world on the brink of collapse. His use of figurative language, as discussed in I.A. Richards’ framework, helps convey this sense of disintegration.
The Gyre and the Breakdown of Order
"Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;"
The gyre is a crucial symbol in Yeats’ work, representing historical cycles. The widening motion suggests an uncontrollable force unraveling civilization. The falcon, a symbol of reason or authority, losing its connection to the falconer illustrates a loss of control and the collapse of structured order. According to Richards’ theory, this imagery functions metaphorically to evoke a sense of chaos without directly stating it.
Anarchy and Moral Decay
"Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;"
Yeats intensifies the theme of disintegration through violent imagery. “Blood-dimmed tide” suggests widespread destruction, reinforcing the idea of civilization being overwhelmed by chaos. The phrase “ceremony of innocence is drowned” implies that purity and morality are being consumed by violence. Yeats’ imagery portrays a world in crisis, moving toward an uncertain and ominous future.
The Beast as a Symbol of Uncertainty
"And what rough beast, its hour come round at last,
Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?"
This final image encapsulates Yeats’ apocalyptic vision. The “rough beast” is an ambiguous and terrifying force, embodying destruction but also transformation. While previous interpretations see it as a metaphor for political or social upheaval, Richards’ approach to figurative language suggests that its power lies in its uncertainty—Yeats does not define the beast, allowing readers to impose their own meanings.
Conclusion
Through evocative imagery and symbolic language, Yeats conveys a world in turmoil, where traditional structures collapse and something unknown and possibly dangerous emerges. Yeats’ poem is not just about war or politics but about larger historical cycles and human anxieties regarding change. By applying Richards’ framework, we see how Yeats’ figurative language creates a haunting vision of disintegration without directly explaining it, leaving the reader to interpret its implications.
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