'The Stolen Child' by William Butler Yeats
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Where dips the rocky highland
Of Sleuth Wood in the lake,
There lies a leafy island
Where flapping herons wake
The drowsy water-rats;
There we've hid our faery vats,
Full of berries
And of reddest stolen cherries.
Come away, O human child!
To the waters and the wild
With a faery, hand in hand,
For the world's more full of weeping than you
can understand.
Where the wave of moonlight glosses
The dim grey sands with light,
Far off by furthest Rosses
We foot it all the night,
Weaving olden dances,
Mingling hands and mingling glances
Till the moon has taken flight;
To and fro we leap
And chase the frothy bubbles,
While the world is full of troubles
And is anxious in its sleep.
Come away, O human child!
To the waters and the wild
With a faery, hand in hand,
For the world's more full of weeping than you
can understand.
Where the wandering water gushes
From the hills above Glen-Car,.
In pools among the rushes
That scarce could bathe a star,
We seek for slumbering trout
And whispering in their ears
Give them unquiet dreams;
Leaning softly out
From ferns that drop their tears
Over the young streams.
Come away, O human child!
To to waters and the wild
With a faery, hand in hand,
For to world's more full of weeping than you
can understand.
Away with us he's going,
The solemn-eyed:
He'll hear no more the lowing
Of the calves on the warm hillside
Or the kettle on the hob
Sing peace into his breast,
Or see the brown mice bob
Round and round the oatmeal-chest.
For be comes, the human child,
To the waters and the wild
With a faery, hand in hand,
from a world more full of weeping than you.
Editor 1 Interpretation
The Stolen Child: A Masterpiece of Enchantment
Have you ever felt a sudden urge to escape the mundane world and venture into the unknown? The desire to leave behind everything that's familiar and immerse oneself in a realm of magic and mystery is something that has fascinated humans since time immemorial. One such work of literature that captures this sense of enchantment in all its glory is William Butler Yeats' "The Stolen Child."
Written in 1886, "The Stolen Child" is a poem that transports the reader to a world of fairies and magic, where the line between reality and fantasy is blurred. At its core, the poem is a call to embrace the childlike wonder that we often lose as we grow older and to embrace the unknown with open arms.
The Poem
Come away, O human child!
To the waters and the wild
With a faery, hand in hand,
For the world's more full of weeping than you can understand.
The opening lines of the poem set the tone for what is to come - an invitation to leave behind the troubles of the world and venture into the realm of the faeries. The use of the exclamation mark adds a sense of urgency, as if the speaker is imploring the reader to make haste and join in on the adventure.
Where the wave of moonlight glosses
The dim grey sands with light,
Far off by furthest Rosses
We foot it all the night,
Weaving olden dances,
Mingling hands and mingling glances
Till the moon has taken flight;
To and fro we leap
And chase the frothy bubbles,
While the world is full of troubles
And anxious in its sleep.
Here, Yeats paints a vivid picture of the world of the faeries. The moonlight, the grey sands, and the mention of "Rosses" - a group of rocky islands off the coast of Ireland - all contribute to the otherworldly atmosphere of the poem. The dance of the faeries is described in vivid detail, with hands and glances intertwined. The reference to chasing bubbles and the mention of the troubles of the world add a bittersweet touch to the poem, as if the speaker is aware that their world of magic is but a temporary escape from the harsh realities of life.
Come away, O human child!
To the waters and the wild
With a faery, hand in hand,
For the world's more full of weeping than you can understand.
Where the wandering water gushes
From the hills above Glen-Car,
In pools among the rushes
That scarce could bathe a star,
We seek for slumbering trout
And whispering in their ears
Give them unquiet dreams;
Leaning softly out
From ferns that drop their tears
Over the young streams.
Once again, the speaker implores the reader to leave behind their troubles and join in on the adventure. The mention of Glen-Car, a region in Ireland known for its natural beauty, adds to the mystique of the poem. The faeries' fascination with the trout and their ability to whisper in their ears is a testament to their magical powers. The use of ferns that "drop their tears" and the mention of "unquiet dreams" adds a touch of eerie beauty to the poem.
Away with us he's going,
The solemn-eyed:
He'll hear no more the lowing
Of the calves on the warm hillside
Or the kettle on the hob
Sing peace into his breast,
Or see the brown mice bob
Round and round the oatmeal chest.
The speaker now sets their sights on a specific human child, who is being lured away from the comforts of home by the faeries. The use of the phrase "solemn-eyed" adds a sense of foreboding to the poem, as if the child is being led down a dangerous path. The mention of the calves, the kettle, and the mice are all sensory details that evoke a sense of warmth and familiarity, making the child's departure all the more poignant.
For he comes, the human child,
To the waters and the wild
With a faery, hand in hand,
For the world's more full of weeping than he can understand.
The repetition of the opening lines serves to reinforce the central theme of the poem - the need to escape from the harsh realities of the world and embrace the unknown. The use of the phrase "more full of weeping than he can understand" adds a touch of melancholy to the poem, as if the speaker is trying to shield the child from the harsh realities of the world.
Interpretation
At its core, "The Stolen Child" is a poem about the need to embrace the childlike wonder that we often lose as we grow older. The faeries in the poem represent this sense of wonder, as they are able to see the magic in the world around them and embrace it fully. The invitation to join them on their adventures is a call to embrace this sense of wonder and leave behind the troubles of the world.
However, the poem is not without its darker undertones. The mention of the "solemn-eyed" child being led away from the comforts of home is a reminder that embracing the unknown can be a dangerous and frightening thing. The use of sensory details to evoke a sense of warmth and familiarity adds a touch of melancholy to the poem, as if the child is leaving behind something precious and irreplaceable.
Overall, "The Stolen Child" is a masterpiece of enchantment that transports the reader to a world of magic and wonder. The use of vivid imagery and sensory details serves to create a rich and immersive world that is both alluring and dangerous. The repetition of the central theme throughout the poem serves to reinforce the importance of embracing the unknown and leaving behind the troubles of the world.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
The Stolen Child: A Poem of Enchantment and Escape
William Butler Yeats, one of the greatest poets of the 20th century, was known for his mystical and symbolic poetry. His works often dealt with themes of Irish mythology, folklore, and the supernatural. One of his most famous poems, The Stolen Child, is a perfect example of his style and themes.
The Stolen Child is a poem about a group of fairies who lure a human child away from his home and family. The poem is written in the form of a ballad, with a simple and repetitive structure that adds to its enchanting and hypnotic quality. The poem is divided into three stanzas, each with eight lines, and follows a strict ABAB rhyme scheme.
The first stanza sets the scene and introduces the fairies. The opening lines, "Where dips the rocky highland / Of Sleuth Wood in the lake, / There lies a leafy island / Where flapping herons wake / The drowsy water-rats; / There we've hid our faery vats, / Full of berrys / And of reddest stolen cherries," create a vivid image of a secluded and magical place. The use of alliteration and assonance in these lines adds to the musicality of the poem and creates a sense of rhythm and harmony.
The second stanza is where the fairies make their offer to the child. They promise him a life of joy and freedom, away from the constraints of human society. The lines, "Come away, O human child! / To the waters and the wild / With a faery, hand in hand, / For the world's more full of weeping than you can understand," are some of the most famous in the poem. They capture the essence of the fairies' offer and the child's longing for escape. The repetition of "Come away" and "with a faery, hand in hand" creates a sense of urgency and temptation.
The third stanza is where the fairies describe the wonders of their world and the joys that await the child. The lines, "And we'll shade him from the heat / Till he can scarcely bear to keep / His eyelids from the drowsy death; / And he shall have / The fish's white belly and the fisher's hat, / And the little shirt of sapphire mail / That the king's son once wore; / He shall dance and be merry, / And yet no one will ever know," paint a picture of a world of endless pleasure and enchantment. The use of sensory imagery, such as "the fish's white belly" and "the little shirt of sapphire mail," creates a vivid and magical atmosphere.
The Stolen Child is a poem that can be interpreted in many ways. On one level, it can be seen as a simple tale of a child being lured away by fairies. On another level, it can be seen as a metaphor for the human desire for escape and freedom. The fairies represent the allure of the unknown and the promise of a better life, while the child represents the human longing for something more than the mundane and the ordinary.
The poem can also be seen as a commentary on the state of Irish society at the time it was written. Yeats was a nationalist and a believer in the Irish cultural revival. The poem can be seen as a critique of the British colonial rule of Ireland and the stifling effect it had on Irish culture and identity. The fairies, with their promise of freedom and joy, can be seen as a symbol of the Irish spirit and the desire for independence.
The Stolen Child is a poem that has inspired many artists and musicians over the years. The Irish band The Waterboys recorded a song based on the poem in 1988, which became a hit in the UK and Ireland. The song captures the enchanting and hypnotic quality of the poem and adds a musical dimension to its themes.
In conclusion, The Stolen Child is a poem of enchantment and escape that captures the essence of Yeats' mystical and symbolic style. Its simple structure and repetitive rhyme scheme create a hypnotic and musical quality that adds to its charm. The poem can be interpreted in many ways, but at its core, it is a tale of the human desire for something more than the mundane and the ordinary. It is a poem that has stood the test of time and continues to inspire and enchant readers and listeners alike.
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