'To A Wealthy Man Who Promised A Second Subscription To The Dublin Municipal Gallery If It Were Proved The People Wanted Pictures' by William Butler Yeats
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You gave, but will not give again
Until enough of paudeen's pence
By Biddy's halfpennies have lain
To be 'some sort of evidence',
Before you'll put your guineas down,
That things it were a pride to give
Are what the blind and ignorant town
Imagines best to make it thrive.
What cared Duke Ercole, that bid
His mummers to the market-place,
What th' onion-sellers thought or did
So that his plautus set the pace
For the Italian comedies?
And Guidobaldo, when he made
That grammar school of courtesies
Where wit and beauty learned their trade
Upon Urbino's windy hill,
Had sent no runners to and fro
That he might learn the shepherds' will
And when they drove out Cosimo,
Indifferent how the rancour ran,
He gave the hours they had set free
To Michelozzo's latest plan
For the San Marco Library,
Whence turbulent Italy should draw
Delight in Art whoSe end is peace,
In logic and in natural law
By sucking at the dugs of Greece.
Your open hand but shows our loss,
For he knew better how to live.
Let paudeens play at pitch and toss,
Look up in the sun's eye and give
What the exultant heart calls good
That some new day may breed the best
Because you gave, not what they would,
But the right twigs for an eagle's nest!
Editor 1 Interpretation
To A Wealthy Man Who Promised A Second Subscription To The Dublin Municipal Gallery If It Were Proved The People Wanted Pictures by William Butler Yeats
Have you ever read a poem that just makes you feel like you're being personally called out? Like the poet is directly addressing you, your actions, and your beliefs? That's how I felt when I first read William Butler Yeats' poem, "To A Wealthy Man Who Promised A Second Subscription To The Dublin Municipal Gallery If It Were Proved The People Wanted Pictures."
This poem, written in 1903, is a scathing criticism of the wealthy elite who believe that art is only valuable if it is profitable. Yeats wrote this poem in response to a wealthy man who promised to donate more money to the Dublin Municipal Gallery if it could be proven that the people wanted pictures.
Let's dive into this poem and explore its themes, literary devices, and overall message.
Themes
The main themes of this poem are art, money, and class. Yeats is critiquing the idea that art should only be valued if it is profitable, and that the wealthy have the final say in what is considered valuable art. He argues that art should be accessible to all people, regardless of class, and that its value should not be determined by its profitability.
The poem also touches on the idea of cultural imperialism, where the wealthy elite impose their own cultural values and beliefs onto the rest of society. Yeats argues that art should be a reflection of the people, and that the people should have a say in what art is deemed valuable.
Literary Devices
Yeats employs several literary devices in this poem to convey his message. One of the most striking is his use of repetition. He repeats the phrase "the people" throughout the poem, emphasizing that art should be for the people, not just for the wealthy elite. He also repeats the phrase "pictures to please a child" to convey the idea that art should be accessible and enjoyable to everyone, even children.
Yeats also uses metaphor to convey his message. He compares the wealthy man to "a great gull" who swoops down to pick and choose what art is valuable, while ignoring the needs and desires of the people. He also compares the Dublin Municipal Gallery to a "nest shaken by a little bothered bird," implying that the wealthy man's promise of more money is causing chaos and disruption within the gallery.
Interpretation
At its core, this poem is a criticism of capitalism and the idea that art should only be valued if it is profitable. Yeats argues that art should be a reflection of the people and their culture, and that its value should not be determined by the whims of the wealthy elite.
He also critiques the idea of cultural imperialism, where the wealthy impose their own cultural values onto the rest of society. He argues that the people should have a say in what art is deemed valuable, and that it should be accessible to all people, regardless of class.
Overall, this poem is a powerful critique of the capitalist system and the way in which it values art. Yeats is calling for a more democratic approach to art, where the people have a say and it is valued for its cultural significance, rather than its profitability.
Conclusion
"To A Wealthy Man Who Promised A Second Subscription To The Dublin Municipal Gallery If It Were Proved The People Wanted Pictures" is a powerful poem that critiques the capitalist system and the way in which it values art. Yeats argues that art should be accessible to all people, regardless of class, and that its value should not be determined by its profitability.
Through his use of repetition and metaphor, Yeats conveys his message that art should be a reflection of the people and their culture, and that the people should have a say in what art is deemed valuable. This poem is a reminder that art is not just for the wealthy elite, but for everyone to enjoy and appreciate.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
To A Wealthy Man Who Promised A Second Subscription To The Dublin Municipal Gallery If It Were Proved The People Wanted Pictures: A Poem Analysis
William Butler Yeats, one of the most celebrated poets of the 20th century, wrote a poem titled "To A Wealthy Man Who Promised A Second Subscription To The Dublin Municipal Gallery If It Were Proved The People Wanted Pictures." The poem was written in 1928 and was published in his collection "The Tower" in 1929.
The poem is a response to a wealthy man who promised to donate money to the Dublin Municipal Gallery if it could be proven that the people of Dublin wanted pictures. Yeats, in his poem, argues that the people of Dublin do indeed want pictures and that the wealthy man should fulfill his promise.
The Poem
Before delving into the analysis of the poem, let us first read it in its entirety:
You gave, but will not give again
Until enough of paudeen's pence
By Biddy's halfpennies have lain
To be 'some sort of evidence,'
Before you'll put your guineas down,
That things it were more profit to keep
Vacuum-packed, or let alone
Than send to dirty peasants to eat.
Well, and what harm is that to you?
You gave them those same paudeen's pence:
And Biddy gave her halfpennies too:
Give what you please, and leave them thence
To eat their pot of stirabout.
And when the meal is over, dance
Upon the ash and scatter all
The grey-winged peace and all the white-winged hope
That we have loved, for they are gone.
Nor bow nor shake; for, useless things,
They have, with dreams as fair as any
In Elysium, given three pence
To pot and pocket, and to please
The pack-riders upon the roads.
But since you'll have the vulgar vote
Because the vulgar have a right
To gratify a restless throat,
The young in heart have always some
Fantasy to tangle their wits,
And give the discipline of school
Into the playground: birds or strings,
Or they'll imagine they are ghosts
Dressed up in sheets, their childish wings
Clinging to their backs. The aunts
Beguile the scratching of the pens
On the greasy blotting-paper,
And the old men, who have seen
Through all the rumours of the world,
All that the year has held, and know
That the intrigues of battalions
Are nothing but the chessmen's move,
Rule, but have not understood,
With their sad and merry wisdom,
The thing that made them old.
What is it but nightfall?
No, no, not night but death;
Was it needless death after all?
For England may keep faith
For all that is done and said.
We know their dream; enough
To know they dreamed and are dead;
And what if excess of love
Bewildered them till they died?
I write it out in a verse -
MacDonagh and MacBride
And Connolly and Pearse
Now and in time to be,
Wherever green is worn,
Are changed, changed utterly:
A terrible beauty is born.
Analysis
The poem is divided into three stanzas, each with its own distinct theme and message.
First Stanza
The first stanza is a direct address to the wealthy man who promised to donate money to the Dublin Municipal Gallery. Yeats begins by acknowledging that the man had given money before but is now unwilling to give again until there is "some sort of evidence" that the people of Dublin want pictures. Yeats uses the metaphor of "paudeen's pence" and "Biddy's halfpennies" to represent the small contributions of the common people. He argues that these small contributions should be enough evidence that the people of Dublin want pictures.
Yeats then criticizes the wealthy man for valuing profit over art. He suggests that the man would rather keep things "vacuum-packed, or let alone" than send them to the "dirty peasants to eat." This line is a powerful critique of the class divide in Ireland at the time, where the wealthy elite saw themselves as superior to the common people.
Second Stanza
The second stanza is a reflection on the value of art and the role it plays in society. Yeats argues that art is not just for the wealthy elite but for everyone, including the "dirty peasants." He suggests that the wealthy man should give what he pleases and leave the common people to enjoy their "pot of stirabout."
Yeats then uses the metaphor of dancing on the ash to represent the destruction of hope and peace. He suggests that the wealthy man's refusal to donate money to the Dublin Municipal Gallery is a rejection of hope and peace for the common people.
Third Stanza
The third stanza is a reflection on the Easter Rising of 1916 and the sacrifice of the Irish rebels. Yeats suggests that the sacrifice of the rebels was not in vain, as a "terrible beauty" was born from their actions. He references the rebels by name, including MacDonagh, MacBride, Connolly, and Pearse, and suggests that their sacrifice was a catalyst for change in Ireland.
Yeats ends the poem with the powerful line, "Wherever green is worn, / Are changed, changed utterly: / A terrible beauty is born." This line suggests that the sacrifice of the rebels has had a lasting impact on Ireland and that their actions have created a new beauty in the country.
Conclusion
"To A Wealthy Man Who Promised A Second Subscription To The Dublin Municipal Gallery If It Were Proved The People Wanted Pictures" is a powerful critique of the class divide in Ireland and a reflection on the value of art in society. Yeats argues that art is not just for the wealthy elite but for everyone, including the "dirty peasants." He suggests that the wealthy man's refusal to donate money to the Dublin Municipal Gallery is a rejection of hope and peace for the common people.
The poem also reflects on the sacrifice of the Irish rebels during the Easter Rising of 1916. Yeats suggests that their sacrifice was not in vain and that a "terrible beauty" was born from their actions.
Overall, "To A Wealthy Man Who Promised A Second Subscription To The Dublin Municipal Gallery If It Were Proved The People Wanted Pictures" is a powerful and thought-provoking poem that continues to resonate with readers today.
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