A Prayer for My Daughter: A Critical Analysis
Original poem
Once more the storm is howling, and half hid
Under this cradle-hood and coverlid
My child sleeps on. There is no obstacle
But Gregory's wood and one bare hill
Whereby the haystack- and roof-levelling wind,
Bred on the Atlantic, can be stayed;
And for an hour I have walked and prayed
Because of the great gloom that is in my mind.
I have walked and prayed for this young child an hour
And heard the sea-wind scream upon the tower,
And under the arches of the bridge, and scream
In the elms above the flooded stream;
Imagining in excited reverie
That the future years had come,
Dancing to a frenzied drum,
Out of the murderous innocence of the sea.
May she be granted beauty and yet not
Beauty to make a stranger's eye distraught,
Or hers before a looking-glass, for such,
Being made beautiful overmuch,
Consider beauty a sufficient end,
Lose natural kindness and maybe
The heart-revealing intimacy
That chooses right, and never find a friend.
Helen being chosen found life flat and dull
And later had much trouble from a fool,
While that great Queen, that rose out of the spray,
Being fatherless could have her way
Yet chose a bandy-leggèd smith for man.
It's certain that fine women eat
A crazy salad with their meat
Whereby the Horn of Plenty is undone.
In courtesy I'd have her chiefly learned;
Hearts are not had as a gift but hearts are earned
By those that are not entirely beautiful;
Yet many, that have played the fool
For beauty's very self, has charm made wise,
And many a poor man that has roved,
Loved and thought himself beloved,
From a glad kindness cannot take his eyes.
May she become a flourishing hidden tree
That all her thoughts may like the linnet be,
And have no business but dispensing round
Their magnanimities of sound,
Nor but in merriment begin a chase,
Nor but in merriment a quarrel.
O may she live like some green laurel
Rooted in one dear perpetual place.
My mind, because the minds that I have loved,
The sort of beauty that I have approved,
Prosper but little, has dried up of late,
Yet knows that to be choked with hate
May well be of all evil chances chief.
If there's no hatred in a mind
Assault and battery of the wind
Can never tear the linnet from the leaf.
An intellectual hatred is the worst,
So let her think opinions are accursed.
Have I not seen the loveliest woman born
Out of the mouth of Plenty's horn,
Because of her opinionated mind
Barter that horn and every good
By quiet natures understood
For an old bellows full of angry wind?
Considering that, all hatred driven hence,
The soul recovers radical innocence
And learns at last that it is self-delighting,
Self-appeasing, self-affrighting,
And that its own sweet will is Heaven's will;
She can, though every face should scowl
And every windy quarter howl
Or every bellows burst, be happy still.
And may her bridegroom bring her to a house
Where all's accustomed, ceremonious;
For arrogance and hatred are the wares
Peddled in the thoroughfares.
How but in custom and in ceremony
Are innocence and beauty born?
Ceremony's a name for the rich horn,
And custom for the spreading laurel tree.
W. B. Yeats, one of the most celebrated poets of the 20th century, wrote A Prayer for My Daughter in 1919, following the turmoil of World War I and the Irish War of Independence. The poem is deeply personal, reflecting the poet’s anxieties about the chaotic state of the world and his hopes for his newborn daughter, Anne.
Once more the storm is howling, and half hid
Under this cradle-hood and coverlid
My child sleeps on. There is no obstacle
But Gregory's wood and one bare hill
Whereby the haystack- and roof-levelling wind,
Bred on the Atlantic, can be stayed;
And for an hour I have walked and prayed
Because of the great gloom that is in my mind.
I have walked and prayed for this young child an hour
And heard the sea-wind scream upon the tower,
And under the arches of the bridge, and scream
In the elms above the flooded stream;
Imagining in excited reverie
That the future years had come,
Dancing to a frenzied drum,
Out of the murderous innocence of the sea.
May she be granted beauty and yet not
Beauty to make a stranger's eye distraught,
Or hers before a looking-glass, for such,
Being made beautiful overmuch,
Consider beauty a sufficient end,
Lose natural kindness and maybe
The heart-revealing intimacy
That chooses right, and never find a friend.
Helen being chosen found life flat and dull
And later had much trouble from a fool,
While that great Queen, that rose out of the spray,
Being fatherless could have her way
Yet chose a bandy-leggèd smith for man.
It's certain that fine women eat
A crazy salad with their meat
Whereby the Horn of Plenty is undone.
In courtesy I'd have her chiefly learned;
Hearts are not had as a gift but hearts are earned
By those that are not entirely beautiful;
Yet many, that have played the fool
For beauty's very self, has charm made wise,
And many a poor man that has roved,
Loved and thought himself beloved,
From a glad kindness cannot take his eyes.
May she become a flourishing hidden tree
That all her thoughts may like the linnet be,
And have no business but dispensing round
Their magnanimities of sound,
Nor but in merriment begin a chase,
Nor but in merriment a quarrel.
O may she live like some green laurel
Rooted in one dear perpetual place.
My mind, because the minds that I have loved,
The sort of beauty that I have approved,
Prosper but little, has dried up of late,
Yet knows that to be choked with hate
May well be of all evil chances chief.
If there's no hatred in a mind
Assault and battery of the wind
Can never tear the linnet from the leaf.
An intellectual hatred is the worst,
So let her think opinions are accursed.
Have I not seen the loveliest woman born
Out of the mouth of Plenty's horn,
Because of her opinionated mind
Barter that horn and every good
By quiet natures understood
For an old bellows full of angry wind?
Considering that, all hatred driven hence,
The soul recovers radical innocence
And learns at last that it is self-delighting,
Self-appeasing, self-affrighting,
And that its own sweet will is Heaven's will;
She can, though every face should scowl
And every windy quarter howl
Or every bellows burst, be happy still.
And may her bridegroom bring her to a house
Where all's accustomed, ceremonious;
For arrogance and hatred are the wares
Peddled in the thoroughfares.
How but in custom and in ceremony
Are innocence and beauty born?
Ceremony's a name for the rich horn,
And custom for the spreading laurel tree.
W. B. Yeats, one of the most celebrated poets of the 20th century, wrote A Prayer for My Daughter in 1919, following the turmoil of World War I and the Irish War of Independence. The poem is deeply personal, reflecting the poet’s anxieties about the chaotic state of the world and his hopes for his newborn daughter, Anne.
Context and Background
Yeats wrote this poem shortly after the birth of his daughter, Anne Butler Yeats, in 1919. At the time, Ireland was experiencing political unrest, and the world was still reeling from the devastation of World War I. These concerns, along with Yeats’s personal disappointments and reflections on the role of women in society, shaped the themes of the poem.
Yeats wrote this poem shortly after the birth of his daughter, Anne Butler Yeats, in 1919. At the time, Ireland was experiencing political unrest, and the world was still reeling from the devastation of World War I. These concerns, along with Yeats’s personal disappointments and reflections on the role of women in society, shaped the themes of the poem.
Structure and Form
The poem consists of ten stanzas, each containing eight lines written in iambic pentameter. The rhyme scheme follows ABABABCC, which gives the poem a harmonious and lyrical quality. This structured form contrasts with the turbulent emotions and concerns expressed within the poem, perhaps mirroring Yeats’s desire for order and stability in a chaotic world.
The poem consists of ten stanzas, each containing eight lines written in iambic pentameter. The rhyme scheme follows ABABABCC, which gives the poem a harmonious and lyrical quality. This structured form contrasts with the turbulent emotions and concerns expressed within the poem, perhaps mirroring Yeats’s desire for order and stability in a chaotic world.
Summary and Themes
1. The Storm and Symbolism
The poem begins with an intense depiction of a raging storm outside the poet’s house, symbolizing the dangers and uncertainties of the world. The storm reflects Yeats’s concerns about the chaotic future his daughter will face.
The poem begins with an intense depiction of a raging storm outside the poet’s house, symbolizing the dangers and uncertainties of the world. The storm reflects Yeats’s concerns about the chaotic future his daughter will face.
2. Innocence and Beauty
Yeats expresses his wish that his daughter will grow up to be beautiful but not overly conscious of her beauty. He criticizes vanity and believes that excessive self-awareness of physical beauty can lead to arrogance and downfall, drawing examples from history and mythology.
Yeats expresses his wish that his daughter will grow up to be beautiful but not overly conscious of her beauty. He criticizes vanity and believes that excessive self-awareness of physical beauty can lead to arrogance and downfall, drawing examples from history and mythology.
3. Virtue and Character
Rather than superficial beauty, Yeats hopes his daughter will possess inner qualities like kindness, courtesy, and humility. He believes that true happiness lies in innocence and the ability to remain unaffected by the world’s corruption.
Rather than superficial beauty, Yeats hopes his daughter will possess inner qualities like kindness, courtesy, and humility. He believes that true happiness lies in innocence and the ability to remain unaffected by the world’s corruption.
4. The Influence of Women in Society
Yeats reflects on the role of women in history, particularly the dangers of excessive pride and intellectual arrogance. He seems to criticize the modern feminist movement and desires a more traditional role for his daughter, where love and loyalty hold importance.
Yeats reflects on the role of women in history, particularly the dangers of excessive pride and intellectual arrogance. He seems to criticize the modern feminist movement and desires a more traditional role for his daughter, where love and loyalty hold importance.
5. The Ideal of Custom and Tradition
Yeats contrasts modern ideals with traditional values, hoping that his daughter will be rooted in culture and custom. He emphasizes that tradition offers stability, wisdom, and moral grounding, shielding individuals from the uncertainty of modernity.
Yeats contrasts modern ideals with traditional values, hoping that his daughter will be rooted in culture and custom. He emphasizes that tradition offers stability, wisdom, and moral grounding, shielding individuals from the uncertainty of modernity.
6. A Secure and Happy Future
The final stanzas convey Yeats’s ultimate wish: that his daughter will grow up in a world of peace, protected from hatred and strife. He envisions a home where innocence and faith in tradition preserve happiness, shielding her from the destructive forces of the world.
The final stanzas convey Yeats’s ultimate wish: that his daughter will grow up in a world of peace, protected from hatred and strife. He envisions a home where innocence and faith in tradition preserve happiness, shielding her from the destructive forces of the world.
Symbolism in the Poem
The Storm: Represents the turmoil of the external world and Yeats’s anxieties for his daughter’s future.
The Tower: A symbol of security and wisdom, reflecting Yeats’s belief in the importance of cultural heritage and stability.
Beauty and Vanity: Beauty is depicted as both a gift and a curse, depending on how it is perceived and used.
The Horn of Plenty: A reference to Greek mythology, representing abundance, but also suggesting the dangers of excess and pride.
The Storm: Represents the turmoil of the external world and Yeats’s anxieties for his daughter’s future.
The Tower: A symbol of security and wisdom, reflecting Yeats’s belief in the importance of cultural heritage and stability.
Beauty and Vanity: Beauty is depicted as both a gift and a curse, depending on how it is perceived and used.
The Horn of Plenty: A reference to Greek mythology, representing abundance, but also suggesting the dangers of excess and pride.
Yeats’s Personal and Political Concerns
Yeats’s views in the poem reflect his conservative stance, particularly regarding women’s roles in society and his disillusionment with modernity. His preoccupation with Irish identity, tradition, and aristocratic values is evident throughout.
Yeats’s views in the poem reflect his conservative stance, particularly regarding women’s roles in society and his disillusionment with modernity. His preoccupation with Irish identity, tradition, and aristocratic values is evident throughout.
Conclusion
A Prayer for My Daughter is a deeply reflective and philosophical poem that intertwines personal hopes with broader cultural concerns. Through a blend of personal emotion, political anxieties, and mythological references, Yeats crafts a timeless piece that speaks to the universal fears and aspirations of parents for their children. The poem remains a powerful meditation on tradition, virtue, and the pursuit of a meaningful life in an ever-changing world.
A Prayer for My Daughter is a deeply reflective and philosophical poem that intertwines personal hopes with broader cultural concerns. Through a blend of personal emotion, political anxieties, and mythological references, Yeats crafts a timeless piece that speaks to the universal fears and aspirations of parents for their children. The poem remains a powerful meditation on tradition, virtue, and the pursuit of a meaningful life in an ever-changing world.
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