Thinking Activity: on yeats poems

" Thinking Activity: on yeats poems"            

Welcome to my blog ,this blog written as a part of a Thinking activity assigned by Dr.dilip barad sir. In this task , discuss on W.B.yeats poems.

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Introduction:

 "The Second Coming" and "On Being Asked for a War Poem"Both poems were written by Irish poet W.B. Yeats and grapple with complex themes of violence, upheaval, and the search for meaning amidst chaos. 

 "The Second Coming" and "On Being Asked for a War Poem" dance to different tunes. The first envisions a world convulsed, birthing a monstrous age from the ashes of the old. Its dark imagery and ominous tone paint a chilling portrait of upheaval. In contrast, the second poem is a quiet refusal, a melancholic ode to the limitations of art against the backdrop of suffering. While the former wrestles with the apocalyptic potential of violence, the latter rejects the glorification of war, leaving us with a sense of disillusionment.

About W.B.Yeats :

William Butler Yeats was an Irish poet, dramatist, and writer widely regarded as one of the greatest literary figures of the 20th century. He was a towering figure in the Irish Literary Revival, a movement that sought to reclaim and celebrate Irish culture and identity.

Literary Contributions:

Poetry: His poems are known for their rich imagery, musicality, and exploration of themes such as love, loss, beauty, and mortality. Some of his most famous poems include "The Lake Isle of Innisfree," "The Second Coming," and "Sailing to Byzantium."

Plays: Yeats co-founded the Abbey Theatre in Dublin and wrote numerous plays, many of which were based on Irish myths and legends. His plays are known for their poetic language, symbolism, and exploration of Irish identity.

Prose: Yeats also wrote essays, memoirs, and other prose works. His prose is insightful and engaging, offering valuable insights into his life, work, and philosophy.

* Poems:

 1."On being asked for a war poem" (1915) by William Butler Yeats:

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,

Or an old man upon a winter’s night.

2. "The Second Coming" (1920) by William Butler Yeats :

Turning and turning in the widening gyre   

The falcon cannot hear the falconer;

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;

The best lack all conviction, while the worst   

Are full of passionate intensity.

Surely some revelation is at hand;

Surely the Second Coming is at hand.   

The Second Coming! Hardly are those words out   

When a vast image out of Spiritus Mundi

Troubles my sight: somewhere in sands of the desert   

A shape with lion body and the head of a man,   

A gaze blank and pitiless as the sun,   

Is moving its slow thighs, while all about it   

Reel shadows of the indignant desert birds.   

The darkness drops again; but now I know   

That twenty centuries of stony sleep

Were vexed to nightmare by a rocking cradle,   

And what rough beast, its hour come round at last,   

Slouches towards Bethlehe

m to be born?

Now analysis of the both poem .

The second coming:

About this poem:

"The Second Coming" by W.B. Yeats paints a dark and unsettling vision of the world on the brink of a cataclysmic change. Written in the wake of World War I, the poem evokes apocalyptic imagery to express a sense of societal breakdown and spiritual crisis. Its central metaphor is the return of a messianic figure, but not the benevolent Christ. Instead, a monstrous beast emerges from the desert, embodying the violence and chaos Yeats saw brewing in the world. The poem ends with a chilling question: "What rough beast, its hour come round at last, slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?" This ambiguity leaves readers to ponder whether this figure represents a destructive force or a painful rebirth necessary for renewal.

Archetype in this poem :

W.B. Yeats's "The Second Coming" is rich in archetypal imagery, drawing on a variety of universal symbols and figures to convey its message of impending chaos and potential transformation. Here are some of the key archetypes present in the poem:

• The gyre: This image, repeated throughout the poem, represents a cyclical pattern of history. The widening gyre symbolizes a period of increasing disorder and instability, leading to a potential point of crisis and renewal.

• The falcon and falconer: These figures represent the relationship between humanity and its guiding principles or institutions. The falcon, lost and out of control, suggests a loss of faith or direction in the modern world.

• The Second Coming: This Christian archetype refers to the anticipated return of Jesus Christ. In the poem, however, it takes on a more ambiguous and potentially ominous meaning, suggesting the arrival of a powerful but potentially destructive force.

• The Sphinx: The creature described in the poem's final lines, with a lion's body and a human head, evokes the ancient Egyptian Sphinx, a symbol of mystery and unknowable wisdom. Its "pitiless gaze" and slow approach suggest a force of immense power beyond human comprehension.

• The Spiritus Mundi: This term, meaning "World Spirit" in Latin, refers to a collective unconscious or reservoir of universal archetypes and myths. The poem suggests that the Sphinx emerges from this realm, signifying the reemergence of primal forces in the midst of societal disintegration

Critical analysis:

Stanza 1: The world spins out of control like a lost falcon, order crumbles ("Things fall apart; the center cannot hold"), and chaos ("Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world") reigns. Innocence drowns in violence ("The ceremony of innocence is drowned"), while the best lack conviction and the worst burn with fervor.

Stanza 2: The speaker senses an impending "Second Coming," but instead of Jesus, a monstrous vision emerges: a sphinx-like creature with a lion's body and a blank, sun-like gaze. This beast, born not in a manger but in the desert sands, marches towards Bethlehem, perverting the holy site. Twenty centuries of Christian history stir uneasily in the face of this nightmare.

Stanza 3: The imagery intensifies. The world spirals again, the once-solid center disintegrates, and a dark tide of upheaval rises. Ravens, symbols of death, clog the air, casting a pall over the scene.

Stanza 4: The poem's final stanza grapples with the beast's identity. Is it a monstrous rebirth of Christ, a dark reflection of the Second Coming? It lumbers towards Bethlehem, not with grace, but with a chilling inevitability. The poem ends with a chilling question hanging in the air: "What rough beast, its hour come round at last,/Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?"

Overall,The Second Coming" depicts a world in decline, marked by chaos, violence, and a loss of faith.The poem utilizes rich imagery and symbolism to evoke a sense of impending doom and uncertainty about the future.The identity of the "rough beast" is left ambiguous, inviting multiple interpretations and leaving the reader with a sense of unease.

2."On being asked for a war poem"

About the poem:"On Being Asked for a War Poem" by W.B. Yeats is a powerful and nuanced poem expressing the poet's reluctance to write a conventional war poem glorifying conflict. He offers alternatives to the heroics and grandeur often associated with war poetry, suggesting that true humanity lies in simpler, intimate moments.

Archetypes in this poem:

The Poet: Yeats presents himself as a reluctant artist, questioning the role of poetry in times of war. This echoes the archetype of the artist as outsider, someone who observes and critiques society but doesn't necessarily conform to its expectations. He contrasts himself with the "statesman" and the "dreamy lads," representing figures of power and youthful naivete respectively.

The Young Girl and the Old Man: These figures represent innocence and resignation. The young girl embodies carefree youth, seeking consolation in art for its own sake, while the old man finds solace in his memories and dreams. These two figures serve as foils to the poet's graver concerns about the realities of war.

The Crowd and the Indolent: Yeats mentions the "rabble of young rhymesters" and the "indolent" who seek entertainment in poetry. These represent a kind of unreflective mass, easily swayed by sentiment and unaware of the complexities of war. The poet distances himself from both, suggesting that true art requires deeper engagement with the world's suffering.

Nature and Memory: The poem evokes natural imagery like "sea," "stars," and "winter's night." These elements symbolize a timeless realm beyond the immediate conflict, hinting at larger questions about human existence and mortality. Memory also plays a role, with the old man's recollections offering a counterpoint to the present moment's violence.

Critical analysis:

W.B. Yeats' "On Being Asked for a War Poem" throws a defiant wrench into the machinery of war poetry. Instead of glorifying conflict, it silences the expected anthem. Yeats rejects the pressure to wield poetry as a political tool, declaring personal stories like "a young girl" or "an old man" more worthy subjects. He doubts poetry's power to fix "statesmen's" mistakes, highlighting the artist's limitations in times of crisis. This ironic self-awareness and focus on private experience make the poem's stance complex. While seen as an anti-war statement, "On Being Asked" might also defend artistic autonomy or take a nuanced view of conflict. Its true power lies in its refusal to conform, leaving readers to navigate the tension between aesthetics and politics, individual and collective, and beauty in the face of brutal realities.

Conclusion:

In conclusion ,"The Second Coming" poem suggests a sense of anticipation for a significant event or transformation. In this poem "On being asked for war poem" the poet grapples with the limitations of language in capturing the complexities and horrors of war, emphasizing the ineffable nature of the experience.

Thank you...