William Butler Yeats (1865-1939)

1. William Butler Yeats (1865-1939)

2. William Butler Yeats (1865-1939) • Prominent Irish literary figure • Member of Rhymers Club • Fascinated with myth • Wants to re-make myths and symbols Image borrowed from: http://encarta.msn.com/find/MediaMax.asp?pg=3&ti=029FB000&idx=461535406

3. William Butler Yeats (1865-1939) • Begins to see his poetry linked to Irish culture • Becomes fascinated with Irish lore Image borrowed from: http://encarta.msn.com/find/MediaMax.asp?pg=3&ti=029FB000&idx=461535406

4. William Butler Yeats (1865-1939) • Comes to detest the middle classes • Likes the rich and the peasants

5. William Butler Yeats (1865-1939) • Becomes invested in Irish politics • Becomes Senator of Irish Free State

6. Maud Gonne • Yeats’s long-time obsession Image borrowed from: http://www.yeats-sligo.com/html/wbyeats/influences.html

7. Lady Gregory • Important figure in creating Irish National theatre • Collaborates with Yeats Image borrowed from: http://www.yeats-sligo.com/html/wbyeats/influences.html

8. Irish National Theatre • Important site for Irish literary politics • Dramatists like Yeats and Lady Gregory re-tell Irish history and stories • Plays often included political overtures Image borrowed from: http://www.yeats-sligo.com/html/wbyeats/drama.html

9. Celtic Renaissance • 1885-1939—death of Yeats • Return to Irish history, legend, folklore, and native literary models • Most of the writing was still in English • AE (George Russell), Lady Gregory, John Millington Synge, Sean O’Casey, James Joyce, Samuel Beckett, Edna O’Brien, Eavan Boland

10. “Easter 1916” (1920) • Vital poem to Modern Irish politics • Recalls prominent event in Modern Irish politics—Easter Rebellion • Haunting Imagery

11. “Easter 1916” (1920) • “They lived minute by mine” • “Too long a sacrifice—makes stone of heart”

12. “The Second Coming” (1921) • 2106: “uncontrollable falcon” • Allusion to Mid-Summer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare • Second coming at hand

13. “Leda and the Swan” (1928) • Recalls mythical rape of Leda by Zeus disguised as swan • Sexual encounter becomes assault • Recalls fall of Troy

14. T.S. Eliot (1888-1965) • American born—becomes English • Dominant voice in Modernist Age • Formal poetic experimentation • 1922: Wasteland—may be the most important poem of the 20th century Image borrowed from: http://www.foss.jcu.edu.au/Course_Info/el1005/eliot.htm

15. T.S. Eliot (1888-1965) • Felt poetry must become comprehensive • Sought to revive poetry that had become dead • Has close ties to Romanticism • Really wants to revive classic aesthetic Image borrowed from: http://www.poets.org/poets/poets.cfm?prmID=18&CFID=5917387&CFTOKEN=13671866

16. T.S. Eliot (1888-1965) • Many allusions and literary references • Early poetry concerned with wasteland imagery Image borrowed from: http://www.empirezine.com/deadpoets/thomas-sterns-eliot.htm

17. T.S. Eliot (1888-1965) • Late poetry and drama concerned with religious matters • Later poems have much calmer poetic • “Tradition and Individual Talent” Image borrowed from: http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Acropolis/5616/bio.html

18. “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” (1917) • “sky like etherized patient” • Women coming and going http://www.salon.com/audio/2000/10/05/eliot/index.html

19. “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” (1917) • 2365: “Time for indecisions” • Time to wonder, “Do I dare?” • 2366: “Should I force the moment?” • Reference to John the Baptist myth

20. “Journey of the Magi” (1927) • Dramatic monologue/lyric • 2386: “worst time of year to travel” • Hard journey

21. “Journey of the Magi” (1927) • “Was it for birth or death?” • “This birth was like death for us” • Returned to native land with alien people clutching their gods