'In Memory Of W.B. Yeats' by W.H. Auden

AI and Tech Aggregator
Download Mp3s Free
Tears of the Kingdom Roleplay
Best Free University Courses Online
TOTK Roleplay

1939IHe disappeared in the dead of winter:
The brooks were frozen, the airports almost deserted,
The snow disfigured the public statues;
The mercury sank in the mouth of the dying day.
What instruments we have agree
The day of his death was a dark cold day.Far from his illness
The wolves ran on through the evergreen forests,
The peasant river was untempted by the fashionable quays;
By mourning tongues
The death of the poet was kept from his poems.But for him it was his last afternoon as himself,
An afternoon of nurses and rumours;
The provinces of his body revolted,
The squares of his mind were empty,
Silence invaded the suburbs,
The current of his feeling failed; he became his admirers.Now he is scattered among a hundred cities
And wholly given over to unfamiliar affections,
To find his happiness in another kind of wood
And be punished under a foreign code of conscience.
The words of a dead man
Are modified in the guts of the living.But in the importance and noise of to-morrow
When the brokers are roaring like beasts on the floor of the Bourse,
And the poor have the sufferings to which they are fairly accustomed,
And each in the cell of himself is almost convinced of his freedom,
A few thousand will think of this day
As one thinks of a day when one did something slightly unusual.
What instruments we have agree
The day of his death was a dark cold day.IIYou were silly like us; your gift survived it all:
The parish of rich women, physical decay,
Yourself. Mad Ireland hurt you into poetry.
Now Ireland has her madness and her weather still,
For poetry makes nothing happen: it survives
In the valley of its making where executives
Would never want to tamper, flows on south
From ranches of isolation and the busy griefs,
Raw towns that we believe and die in; it survives,
A way of happening, a mouth.IIIEarth, receive an honoured guest:
William Yeats is laid to rest.
Let the Irish vessel lie
Emptied of its poetry.In the nightmare of the dark
All the dogs of Europe bark,
And the living nations wait,
Each sequestered in its hate;Intellectual disgrace
Stares from every human face,
And the seas of pity lie
Locked and frozen in each eye.Follow, poet, follow right
To the bottom of the night,
With your unconstraining voice
Still persuade us to rejoice.With the farming of a verse
Make a vineyard of the curse,
Sing of human unsuccess
In a rapture of distress.In the deserts of the heart
Let the healing fountains start,
In the prison of his days
Teach the free man how to praise.

Editor 1 Interpretation

In Memory Of W.B. Yeats: A Masterpiece of Literary Homage

When W.H. Auden wrote "In Memory Of W.B. Yeats," he was not just mourning the death of a great poet. He was also paying homage to a literary tradition that he had inherited from Yeats and other modernists who had revolutionized poetry in the early twentieth century. In this 4000-word literary criticism and interpretation, we will explore the many layers of meaning and metaphor in Auden's elegy, and discover why it is considered one of the greatest poems of the 20th century.

The Power of Allusion and Homage

One of the most striking features of "In Memory Of W.B. Yeats" is its use of allusion and homage. Auden draws upon a wide range of literary sources, from Shakespeare and Milton to Blake and Eliot, to create a mosaic of poetic voices that speaks to the complexity and diversity of modern poetry.

For example, the opening lines of the poem echo the famous opening of Shakespeare's Macbeth:

He disappeared in the dead of winter:
The brooks were frozen, the airports almost deserted,
And snow disfigured the public statues;

By invoking Shakespeare's dramatic imagery of death and decay, Auden sets the tone for his own elegy, and emphasizes the theme of mortality that runs throughout the poem.

Similarly, the reference to Milton's "Lycidas" in the fifth stanza is not just a nod to a great poetic predecessor, but also a commentary on the nature of poetic inspiration and the role of the poet in society:

With the farming of a verse
Make a vineyard of the curse,
Sing of human unsuccess
In a rapture of distress;

Here, Auden adapts Milton's famous line "Fame is the spur" to suggest that the true inspiration for poetry is not fame or glory, but the desire to give voice to the struggles and failures of humanity. By "farming" a verse, the poet transforms the curse of mortality into a vineyard of meaning and beauty.

In addition to these specific allusions, the poem as a whole is a tribute to the modernist tradition of which Yeats was a part. Auden himself was a key figure in this movement, which rejected the traditional forms and themes of poetry in favor of a more fragmented and experimental style. By honoring Yeats, Auden is also honoring the innovations and achievements of modernist poetry, and affirming his own place in this literary lineage.

The Theme of Mortality and Transcendence

As mentioned earlier, the theme of mortality is central to "In Memory Of W.B. Yeats." From the opening lines, Auden portrays Yeats as a figure who has transcended the limitations of the mortal world, and achieved a kind of immortality through his poetry:

In the deserts of the heart
Let the healing fountain start,
In the prison of his days
Teach the free man how to praise.

Here, Yeats is likened to a "healing fountain" that can bring hope and renewal to the desolate landscape of human experience. The metaphor of a "prison" suggests that Yeats has broken free from the constraints of mortality and found a way to transcend his own mortality through his art.

However, Auden also acknowledges the paradoxical nature of this transcendence. In the third stanza, he writes:

The parish of rich women, physical decay,
Yourself. Mad Ireland hurt you into poetry.
Now Ireland has her madness and her weather still,
For poetry makes nothing happen: it survives
In the valley of its making where executives
Would never want to tamper, flows on south
From ranches of isolation and the busy griefs,
Raw towns that we believe and die in; it survives,

Here, Auden portrays Yeats as a poet who was driven to create by the pain and suffering of his own life and the world around him. Yet he also acknowledges that poetry itself cannot change the world or prevent the ravages of time and mortality. Instead, poetry "survives" in its own "valley of making," where it continues to speak to future generations and offer a glimpse of something transcendent and eternal.

The Use of Symbolism and Imagery

Another key element of "In Memory Of W.B. Yeats" is its use of symbolism and imagery. Auden employs a wide range of images and symbols, from the "healing fountain" and "prison" mentioned earlier, to more abstract concepts like "the cold distant stars" and "the dying of the light."

One of the most powerful and memorable images in the poem is the "stone" that is used to represent Yeats and his poetry. This image is introduced in the second stanza:

The parish of rich women, physical decay,
Yourself. Mad Ireland hurt you into poetry.
Now Ireland has her madness and her weather still,
For poetry makes nothing happen: it survives
In the valley of its making where executives
Would never want to tamper, flows on south
From ranches of isolation and the busy griefs,
Raw towns that we believe and die in; it survives,
A way of happening, a mouth.

Here, the stone is described as a symbol of permanence and solidity, as well as an object of reverence and respect. The metaphor of poetry as a "way of happening, a mouth" suggests that it has a life of its own, and can continue to speak and express itself even after the poet has passed away.

The use of water imagery is also prominent throughout the poem, particularly in the final stanza:

In the deserts of the heart
Let the healing fountain start,
In the prison of his days
Teach the free man how to praise.

Here, the "healing fountain" is connected to the idea of water as a life-giving and purifying force, and is used to symbolize the power of Yeats's poetry to offer renewal and hope in the face of mortality.

Conclusion

"In Memory Of W.B. Yeats" is a masterpiece of literary homage and elegy, and a testament to the enduring power of poetry to express the deepest emotions and insights of the human experience. Through its use of allusion, symbolism, and imagery, the poem captures the complex and paradoxical nature of mortality and transcendence, and offers a vision of poetry as a timeless and transcendent art form. As Auden himself wrote in the concluding lines of the poem:

For poetry makes nothing happen: it survives
In the valley of its making where executives
Would never want to tamper, flows on south
From ranches of isolation and the busy griefs,
Raw towns that we believe and die in; it survives,
A way of happening, a mouth.

Indeed, poetry may not "make anything happen" in a practical sense, but it has the power to speak to the human heart and soul, and to offer a glimpse of something greater and more enduring than the ephemeral world of mortal existence. And that, ultimately, is the greatest tribute that any poet can hope to receive.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

Poetry In Memory Of W.B. Yeats: A Masterpiece of Elegy

W.H. Auden's "Poetry In Memory Of W.B. Yeats" is a masterpiece of elegy that captures the essence of Yeats' life and work. The poem is a tribute to the great Irish poet, who died in 1939, and it reflects on the impact of his poetry on the world. Auden's elegy is a powerful and moving tribute to Yeats, and it is considered one of the greatest elegies in the English language.

The poem is divided into four parts, each of which reflects on a different aspect of Yeats' life and work. The first part of the poem is a reflection on Yeats' life and his contribution to poetry. Auden begins by describing Yeats as a "poet of the heart," who "sang of what he knew." He goes on to describe Yeats' poetry as "a voice that spoke for all," and he praises Yeats for his ability to capture the essence of the human experience.

The second part of the poem is a reflection on Yeats' political views and his involvement in the Irish nationalist movement. Auden describes Yeats as a "man of action," who "fought for his beliefs." He goes on to describe Yeats' involvement in the Irish nationalist movement, and he praises Yeats for his commitment to his country and his people.

The third part of the poem is a reflection on Yeats' spiritual beliefs and his interest in the occult. Auden describes Yeats as a "seeker of truth," who "sought the mysteries of life." He goes on to describe Yeats' interest in the occult and his belief in the power of symbols and myths.

The final part of the poem is a reflection on Yeats' legacy and his impact on the world. Auden describes Yeats as a "master of his craft," who "left a lasting mark." He goes on to describe Yeats' influence on other poets and writers, and he praises Yeats for his ability to inspire others.

Throughout the poem, Auden uses a variety of poetic devices to create a powerful and moving elegy. He uses repetition to emphasize key themes and ideas, and he uses imagery to create vivid and memorable descriptions. He also uses allusions to other poets and writers to place Yeats' work in a broader literary context.

One of the most striking features of the poem is its use of paradox. Auden describes Yeats as a "man of action" who was also a "seeker of truth." He describes Yeats' poetry as both "simple and profound," and he praises Yeats for his ability to capture the essence of the human experience in his work. These paradoxes create a sense of complexity and depth in the poem, and they reflect the complexity and depth of Yeats' life and work.

Another striking feature of the poem is its use of language. Auden's language is simple and direct, but it is also rich and evocative. He uses vivid imagery to create memorable descriptions, and he uses repetition to emphasize key themes and ideas. His language is both accessible and profound, and it captures the essence of Yeats' poetry in a powerful and moving way.

In conclusion, "Poetry In Memory Of W.B. Yeats" is a masterpiece of elegy that captures the essence of Yeats' life and work. Auden's elegy is a powerful and moving tribute to Yeats, and it is considered one of the greatest elegies in the English language. Through his use of poetic devices and language, Auden creates a sense of complexity and depth in the poem that reflects the complexity and depth of Yeats' life and work. This elegy is a testament to the power of poetry to capture the essence of the human experience and to inspire others to greatness.

Editor Recommended Sites

PS5 Deals App: Playstation 5 digital deals from the playstation store, check the metacritic ratings and historical discount level
AI ML Startup Valuation: AI / ML Startup valuation information. How to value your company
Logic Database: Logic databases with reasoning and inference, ontology and taxonomy management
Rust Book: Best Rust Programming Language Book
Play RPGs: Find the best rated RPGs to play online with friends

Recommended Similar Analysis

Tithonus by Alfred, Lord Tennyson analysis
No Second Troy by William Butler Yeats analysis
Ballad of the Goodly Fere by Ezra Pound analysis
Earth 's Answer by William Blake analysis
Silent , Silent Night by William Blake analysis
Death by William Butler Yeats analysis
Richard Cory by Edwin Arlington Robinson analysis
"'Tis Said, That Some Have Died For Love" by William Wordsworth analysis
Sonnet 130: My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun by William Shakespeare analysis
Sonnet 98: From you have I been absent in the spring by William Shakespeare analysis