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Poetry Analysis

Introduction

The content of any given literary work is usually comprised of various aspects that contribute differently to the entire piece. Writers lay great emphasis on striking a balance between these components in order to enhance harmony and at the same time be able to achieve their ultimate goal of relaying critical information to the audience. One of the most important aspects of the poetry content pertains to themes. In most of his works, Yeats explores the themes of revolution and transformation. These are imperative not only for the development of the respective plots but also in the presentation of important information to the audience. This paper provides a review of the themes of revolution and transformation in Yeats Easter 1916, Leda and the Swan and The Second Coming.

In Easter 1916, Yeats emphasizes the fact that the revolution was an important and beneficial experience through the repetition of the phrase “A terrible beauty is born”. In this respect, it is certain that the independence of Irish from England was a great achievement and bore beneficial effects on the former. The conditions of the uprising according to the author had diverse implications on the personalities of different individuals. This in some instances resulted in the straining of relationships between the author and other individuals. Yet regardless of this, all efforts were geared towards achieving independence. In his review, Fletcher argues that the revolution in this regard succeeded in instilling virtues and heroic values in individuals who were overly egocentric (Fletcher 58). Although the society had initially perceived them to be worthless, the revolution transformed them to worthy individuals. This is an exemplification of the beneficial effects of the revolution. The author contends that this change is important for a country to realize any progressive transformation development wise. The inherent unity and the urge to work towards attaining a particular goal are apparently beneficial fruits of the revolution.

The theme of transformation has also been given a central position in the poem Leda and the Swan. From a historical and religious point of view, interaction between humans and the deity was not popular. Hence by interacting sexually with the swan, which represented the deity, the girl in this regard underwent some transformation. The result of this had diverse revolutionary impacts on the then society. In particular, Donoghues indicates that it culminated in the Neolithic revolution that saw the women assume dominant roles in the society (Donoghues 35). In this respect, women transformed from being reserved to taking up important leadership positions in the society. In addition, this sexual experience implied that both sexes need to complement each other in order for them to attain optimal performance. As much as a woman needs a man to support her in different ways, a man also requires a woman in order to attain any form of transformation. The importance of this mutual benefit has been the center of concern for Yeats in Leda and the Swan.

Likewise, the themes of transformation and revolution are also explored at length in The Second Coming. In this, Yeats employs his gyre to symbolize the intrinsic dynamism in activities that occur on a global scale. The rotation implies a cyclic nature of different events that occur in the world as well as their varying nature. In this respect, Gioia posits that this is the author’s imagination of the revolution of the earth that culminates in a cyclic effect (Gioia 57). The revolution is comprised of different seasons that occur at varied times of the year and which have diverse implications on human and animal survival. In essence, the changes lead to a state of anarchy or confusion. Typically, this is characterized by different activities that trigger changes with respect to the conditions that support human existence.

In this poem, Yeats also envisions a spiritual transformation that differs considerably from the perceptions that had been assumed by the then Christians. At the time of its setting, it is certain that the experiences and changes that the then society had undergone prompted them to devise different meanings in an attempt to explain the origin and nature of experiences. The poet presumes that the society would undergo a transformation that is likely to take a significant period of time. According to him, the characteristic changes would take a considerable “twenty centuries of stony sleep”. Notably, this sleep would not be peaceful; rather it would be characterized by different changes.

Conclusion

Poetry is an important medium through which writers explore their skills and styles. Of great importance however are the themes that the authors seek to present to the audience. These are ingrained in the content and contain vital information about societal ideals as well as events. In his poems, Yeats succeeds in explicitly exploring the intricate themes of transformation and revolution. In addition, he underscores the implication of the characteristic events to the different facets of human life.

Works Cited

Donoghues, Denis. William Butler Yeats. USA: The Ecco Press, 1988.

Fletcher, Ian. WB Yeats and his Contemporaries. USA: St. Martins Press, 1987.

Gioia, Dana. An Introduction to Poetry. USA: Longman, 1998.