What are the romantic elements in William Butler Yeats' poetry?
There are many romantic elements in the poetry of W.B. Yeats - many of this poet's most beautiful and lyrical poems were written early on in his career. a good one to look at is "The Lake Isle Of Inisfree.' This poem has the lyrical rhythm - almost like a...
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melody, the stresses and de-stresses almost like the wavelets lapping on the shore that he talks about:
"I will arise and go now, and go to Inisfree"
The poem also celebrates the wonder and beauty of Nature, emphasisng for instance an evening full of the linnet's wings. Silence is given great praise. There is little of the later cynical and bitter realism of modernism here. It has peaceful images too "Nine bean rows will I have there" and an atmosphere of calm.
What are the romantic elements in Yeats' poetry and in which poems can they be seen?
Many of Yeats' poems were influenced by his romantic feelings for Maud Gonna, with whom he had an unrequited, prolonged love affair. These feelings inform his work, and some of them poems are addressed to her directly (such as "The Two Trees"). The knowledge of Yeats' unfulfilled longings gives these poems a particular air of romanticism.
Yeats also invokes the imagery of Irish folklore and legend to enrich his poetry, especially images of gods, goddesses, fairies and mythical beings. These fantastical images also lend an air of romance to these poems.