'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
AI and Tech Aggregator
Download Mp3s Free
Tears of the Kingdom Roleplay
Best Free University Courses Online
TOTK Roleplay
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!
December
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: A Literary Analysis
William Butler Yeats is one of the most celebrated poets of the 20th century. His works have inspired countless readers and have been analyzed and interpreted in various ways. In this essay, we will delve into one of his lesser-known poems, "To A Wealthy Man Who Promised A Second Subscription To The Dublin Municipal Gallery If It Were Proved The People Wanted Pictures". Through a close reading of the poem, we will analyze its themes, literary devices, and significance.
Overview of the Poem
"To A Wealthy Man Who Promised A Second Subscription To The Dublin Municipal Gallery If It Were Proved The People Wanted Pictures" was written in 1903, during Yeats' early period of poetic experimentation. The poem is addressed to an unnamed wealthy man who has promised a second subscription to the Dublin Municipal Gallery, only if it is proven that the people of Dublin want pictures. Through the poem, Yeats argues that art is not just a luxury for the wealthy but a necessity for the development of the human soul.
Themes
The poem deals with several themes that are central to Yeats' poetry. One of the main themes is the role of art in society. Yeats argues that art is not just a means of entertainment but a crucial factor in the development of human civilization. He believes that art has the power to transform people's lives and to bring about social change.
Another important theme is the tension between the rich and the poor. Yeats is critical of the wealthy man who is willing to fund the Dublin Municipal Gallery only if it is proven that the people want pictures. He views this attitude as a form of elitism that denies the importance of art to the wider community.
Finally, the poem deals with the idea of cultural identity. Yeats is concerned that the people of Dublin are losing touch with their cultural heritage. He believes that art has the power to reconnect people to their roots and to preserve their cultural identity.
Literary Devices
Yeats employs several literary devices in the poem to convey his message. One of the most striking devices is the use of irony. The wealthy man's promise of a second subscription to the Dublin Municipal Gallery is an act of generosity on the surface, but Yeats exposes the underlying elitism of the offer. He highlights the fact that the subscription is conditional on the people's desire for pictures, implying that the wealthy man believes that the people are not capable of appreciating art for its own sake.
Another important device is the use of imagery. Yeats uses vivid imagery to convey the power and significance of art. For example, he compares art to a "great fire" that illuminates the darkness and brings warmth to the soul. He also uses the image of a "golden bough" to symbolize the connection between art and the human spirit.
The poem also employs a variety of rhetorical devices such as repetition, alliteration, and rhetorical questions. These devices serve to reinforce the poem's central message and to create a sense of urgency and passion in the reader.
Significance
"To A Wealthy Man Who Promised A Second Subscription To The Dublin Municipal Gallery If It Were Proved The People Wanted Pictures" is a significant poem in Yeats' oeuvre. It highlights his belief in the transformative power of art and his concern for the cultural identity of his country. The poem is also significant in its critique of elitism and its call for a more inclusive approach to art.
The poem is also significant in its exploration of the tension between the rich and the poor. Yeats is critical of the wealthy man who is willing to fund the Dublin Municipal Gallery only on the condition that the people want pictures. He views this attitude as a form of elitism that denies the importance of art to the wider community. Yeats argues that art should be accessible to all, regardless of their social status.
Finally, the poem is significant in its use of language and imagery. Yeats employs a range of literary devices to convey his message and to create a sense of urgency and passion in the reader. The poem's powerful imagery and rhetorical devices serve to reinforce its central message and to make a lasting impact on the reader.
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 highlights the importance of art to human civilization. Through its use of irony, imagery, and rhetoric, the poem exposes the underlying elitism of the wealthy man's offer and calls for a more inclusive approach to art. The poem is a significant work in Yeats' oeuvre and continues to resonate with readers today.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Poetry To A Wealthy Man Who Promised A Second Subscription To The Dublin Municipal Gallery If It Were Proved The People Wanted Pictures
William Butler Yeats, one of the most celebrated poets of the 20th century, wrote a poem titled "Poetry To A Wealthy Man Who Promised A Second Subscription To The Dublin Municipal Gallery If It Were Proved The People Wanted Pictures." This poem is a powerful commentary on the role of art in society and the importance of supporting the arts.
The poem was written in 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, who was a strong advocate for the arts, saw this as an opportunity to express his views on the importance of art in society.
The poem begins with the speaker addressing the wealthy man directly, saying "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'." The speaker is referring to the fact that the wealthy man has promised to donate money to the gallery, but only if it can be proven that the people of Dublin want pictures. The speaker is suggesting that the wealthy man is being stingy and is not willing to support the arts unless he is convinced that it is what the people want.
The poem then goes on to describe the importance of art in society. The speaker says, "You must not think that when the crowd / Can seize and stretch and stare and applaud / That the great bird will pause and preen / Though standstill sky and frozen wood / Murmur and swoon with the same din / That stirs the world's voluptuous brood." The speaker is saying that art is not just something that is enjoyed by the masses, but it is also something that has a profound impact on the world. The "great bird" is a metaphor for art, and the speaker is saying that even if the masses are not paying attention to it, it still has a powerful effect on the world.
The poem then goes on to describe the importance of supporting the arts. The speaker says, "You think it horrible that lust / And rage should dance attention upon / The sandy bottom of my thought: / Provoking incestuous thoughts / Of beauty that has raped the world." The speaker is saying that art can be provocative and can challenge people's beliefs and values. The wealthy man may not like this, but it is important to support the arts because it is through art that society can grow and evolve.
The poem ends with the speaker challenging the wealthy man to support the arts. The speaker says, "You say that art is not an end in itself / But only a means to something else. / You say that the First Cause no doubt / Created art for a useful doubt." The speaker is saying that the wealthy man may not see the value in art, but it is important to support it anyway. The speaker is challenging the wealthy man to be a patron of the arts and to support the gallery, even if he does not fully understand the value of art.
In conclusion, "Poetry 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 commentary on the role of art in society and the importance of supporting the arts. Yeats was a strong advocate for the arts, and this poem is a testament to his belief that art is not just something that is enjoyed by the masses, but it is also something that has a profound impact on the world. The poem challenges the wealthy man to support the arts, even if he does not fully understand the value of art. It is a powerful reminder that art is not just a luxury, but it is an essential part of society.
Editor Recommended Sites
Kanban Project App: Online kanban project management AppDeveloper Painpoints: Common issues when using a particular cloud tool, programming language or framework
NFT Marketplace: Crypto marketplaces for digital collectables
Learn Rust: Learn the rust programming language, course by an Ex-Google engineer
LLM Prompt Book: Large Language model prompting guide, prompt engineering tooling
Recommended Similar Analysis
Sonnet 8: Music to hear, why hear'st thou music sadly? by William Shakespeare analysisI started Early-Took my Dog by Emily Dickinson analysis
Love's Usury by John Donne analysis
Stars by Sarah Teasdale analysis
Remembrance by Emily Brontë analysis
Lamb , The by William Blake analysis
They Were Welcome To Their Belief by Robert Frost analysis
To Please His Wife by Thomas Hardy analysis
Let It Enfold You by Charles Bukowski analysis
We never know how high we are by Emily Dickinson analysis