'The Double Vision Of Michael Robartes' by William Butler Yeats
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I
ON the grey rock of Cashel the mind's eye
Has called up the cold spirits that are born
When the old moon is vanished from the sky
And the new still hides her horn.
Under blank eyes and fingers never still
The particular is pounded till it is man.
When had I my own will?
O not since life began.
Constrained, arraigned, baffled, bent and unbent
By these wire-jointed jaws and limbs of wood,
Themselves obedient,
Knowing not evil and good;
Obedient to some hidden magical breath.
They do not even feel, so abstract are they.
So dead beyond our death,
Triumph that we obey.
On the grey rock of Cashel I suddenly saw
A Sphinx with woman breast and lion paw.
A Buddha, hand at rest,
Hand lifted up that blest;
And right between these two a girl at play
That, it may be, had danced her life away,
For now being dead it seemed
That she of dancing dreamed.
Although I saw it all in the mind's eye
There can be nothing solider till I die;
I saw by the moon's light
Now at its fifteenth night.
One lashed her tail; her eyes lit by the moon
Gazed upon all things known, all things unknown,
In triumph of intellect
With motionless head erect.
That other's moonlit eyeballs never moved,
Being fixed on all things loved, all things unloved.
Yet little peace he had,
For those that love are sad.
Little did they care who danced between,
And little she by whom her dance was seen
So she had outdanced thought.
Body perfection brought,
For what but eye and ear silence the mind
With the minute particulars of mankind?
Mind moved yet seemed to stop
As 'twere a spinning-top.
In contemplation had those three so wrought
Upon a moment, and so stretched it out
That they, time overthrown,
Were dead yet flesh and bone.
I knew that I had seen, had seen at last
That girl my unremembering nights hold fast
Or else my dreams that fly
If I should rub an eye,
And yet in flying fling into my meat
A crazy juice that makes the pulses beat
As though I had been undone
By Homer's Paragon
Who never gave the burning town a thought;
To such a pitch of folly I am brought,
Being caught between the pull
Of the dark moon and the full,
The commonness of thought and images
That have the frenzy of our western seas.
Thereon I made my moan,
And after kissed a stone,
And after that arranged it in a song
Seeing that I, ignorant for So long,
Had been rewarded thus
In Cormac's ruined house.
MICHAEL ROBARTES AND THE DANCER
i{He.} Opinion is not worth a rush;
In this altar-piece the knight,
Who grips his long spear so to push
That dragon through the fading light,
Loved the lady; and it's plain
The half-dead dragon was her thought,
That every morning rose again
And dug its claws and shrieked and fought.
Could the impossible come to pass
She would have time to turn her eyes,
Her lover thought, upon the glass
And on the instant would grow wise.
i{She.} You mean they argued.
i{He.} Put it so;
But bear in mind your lover's wage
Is what your looking-glass can show,
And that he will turn green with rage
At all that is not pictured there.
i{She.} May I not put myself to college?
i{He.} Go pluck Athene by the hair;
For what mere book can grant a knowledge
With an impassioned gravity
Appropriate to that beating breast,
That vigorous thigh, that dreaming eye?
And may the Devil take the rest.
i{She.} And must no beautiful woman be
Learned like a man?
i{He.} Paul Veronese
And all his sacred company
Imagined bodies all their days
By the lagoon you love so much,
For proud, soft, ceremonious proof
That all must come to sight and touch;
While Michael Angelo's Sistine roof,
His "Morning' and his "Night' disclose
How sinew that has been pulled tight,
Or it may be loosened in repose,
Can rule by supernatural right
Yet be but sinew.
i{She.} I have heard said
There is great danger in the body.
i{He.} Did God in portioning wine and bread
Give man His thought or His mere body?
i{She.} My wretched dragon is perplexed.
i{Hec.} I have principles to prove me right.
It follows from this Latin text
That blest souls are not composite,
And that all beautiful women may
Live in uncomposite blessedness,
And lead us to the like -- if they
Will banish every thought, unless
The lineaments that please their view
When the long looking-glass is full,
Even from the foot-sole think it too.
i{She.} They say such different things at school.
Editor 1 Interpretation
The Double Vision Of Michael Robartes: A Literary Criticism And Interpretation
If there's one thing that can be said about William Butler Yeats, it's that he knew how to capture the soul of Ireland in his poetry. His works are like a window into a world that has long since passed, but continues to live on through his words. And one such poem that perfectly captures this essence is "The Double Vision Of Michael Robartes".
This poem was first published in 1920, and is a part of Yeats' collection "Michael Robartes and the Dancer". It is a complex and multi-layered work that explores themes of mysticism, mythology, and the human psyche. At its core, it is a meditation on the duality of the human experience, as seen through the eyes of the protagonist, Michael Robartes.
The Poem
The poem is divided into four distinct sections, each with its own unique imagery and tone. The first section sets the stage for the rest of the poem, as it introduces us to Michael Robartes and his double vision.
Through time awakening into night As though some river spoke within The very walls, or through the sieve And ripple of sublunar shells Mingled its secret with their shapes; And from that flowing, and re-flowing, As of a shore remote, withdrawn, Murmurs a little out of sleep, Murmurs above the oratories Where the exaltation of our race, As in a central crystal mirrored, Burst from your visionary brows.
Here, Yeats introduces us to the idea of Michael Robartes' "double vision", which is a metaphor for his ability to see both the physical world and the spiritual world simultaneously. He describes this ability as a "river" that flows through Michael, and as a "shore remote, withdrawn" that murmurs a little out of sleep.
The second section of the poem takes us deeper into Michael's psyche, as he begins to explore the relationship between the physical and spiritual worlds.
And all men kill the thing they love, By all let this be heard, Some do it with a bitter look, Some with a flattering word, The coward does it with a kiss, The brave man with a sword!
Some kill their love when they are young, And some when they are old; Some strangle with the hands of Lust, Some with the hands of Gold: The kindest use a knife, because The dead so soon grow cold.
Here, Yeats explores the idea of love and its destructive nature. He notes that all men "kill the thing they love", and that this can be done in many ways - with a bitter look, a flattering word, a kiss, a sword, or even a knife. He suggests that the "kindest" way to kill love is with a knife, because the dead "so soon grow cold".
The third section of the poem shifts gears once again, as Michael begins to explore the idea of myth and the role it plays in our lives.
Mythologies, come tumbling down, Mythologies, ancient and profound, Turning to the whispering grove, Where the Druids vanished in the snow The land of Faery, where nobody goes, The land of loneliness and mystery, Where stands the vanished castle of Romance, And a hundred thousand tales. Come, let us hurry with the crowd, And see the triumph of the shroud.
Here, Yeats takes us on a journey through the mythologies of Ireland, as Michael reflects on the ancient stories of the Druids, the land of Faery, and the castle of Romance. He notes that these mythologies are "tumbling down", and that they are being replaced by a new era of modernity. He suggests that this change is inevitable, but that there is still a place for these stories in our lives.
The final section of the poem brings us back to Michael's double vision, as he reflects on the nature of reality and the human experience.
Those masterful images because complete Grew in pure mind but out of what began? A mound of refuse or the sweepings of a street, Old kettles, old bottles, and a broken can, Old iron, old bones, old rags, that raving slut Who keeps the till. Now that my ladder's gone, I must lie down where all the ladders start In the foul rag-and-bone shop of the heart.
Here, Yeats suggests that the images we see in our minds are born out of the refuse of the physical world. He notes that our perceptions of reality are shaped by our experiences and our emotions, and that we must confront the "foul rag-and-bone shop of the heart" if we are to truly understand the human experience.
Interpretation
So what does "The Double Vision Of Michael Robartes" really mean? At its core, it is a meditation on the duality of the human experience - the physical world versus the spiritual world, love versus hate, modernity versus tradition, and reality versus perception.
Through Michael Robartes' double vision, Yeats suggests that we all have the ability to see beyond the physical world and into the spiritual realm. He notes that this is a gift, but also a burden, as it forces us to confront the truth of our existence.
Yeats also explores the destructive nature of love, suggesting that it is a force that both creates and destroys. He notes that all men "kill the thing they love", but that there is a kind way to do it - with a knife, because the dead "so soon grow cold".
Through Michael's exploration of myth, Yeats suggests that these ancient stories still have a place in our lives, even as we move forward into a new era of modernity. He notes that these stories are a part of our cultural heritage, and that they help us to understand the world around us.
Finally, Yeats reflects on the nature of reality and the human experience, suggesting that our perceptions of reality are shaped by our experiences and our emotions. He notes that we must confront the "foul rag-and-bone shop of the heart" if we are to truly understand the human experience.
Conclusion
In conclusion, "The Double Vision Of Michael Robartes" is a complex and multi-layered poem that explores the duality of the human experience. Through Michael Robartes' double vision, Yeats suggests that we all have the ability to see beyond the physical world and into the spiritual realm. He notes that love is a force that both creates and destroys, and that ancient mythologies still have a place in our lives, even as we move forward into a new era of modernity. Finally, Yeats reflects on the nature of reality and the human experience, suggesting that our perceptions of reality are shaped by our experiences and our emotions.
Overall, "The Double Vision Of Michael Robartes" is a powerful and thought-provoking work of poetry that continues to resonate with readers today.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
The Double Vision of Michael Robartes: A Masterpiece of Symbolism and Mysticism
William Butler Yeats is one of the most celebrated poets of the 20th century, known for his mastery of symbolism and mysticism. His poem, The Double Vision of Michael Robartes, is a prime example of his poetic genius, exploring the themes of duality, transformation, and spiritual awakening.
The poem is divided into two parts, each consisting of six stanzas. The first part is written in the voice of Michael Robartes, a fictional character created by Yeats, who is struggling with his own identity and seeking enlightenment. The second part is written in the voice of the poet himself, who reflects on the nature of reality and the role of the artist in shaping it.
The poem begins with Robartes describing his vision of a world divided into two opposing forces, the "bright" and the "dark." He sees himself as caught between these two forces, torn between his desire for spiritual enlightenment and his earthly desires. He longs to transcend his physical body and become one with the divine, but he is also drawn to the pleasures of the flesh.
Robartes' struggle is mirrored in the imagery of the poem, which is filled with symbols of duality and transformation. The moon and the sun, the eagle and the serpent, the lion and the lamb – all of these images represent opposing forces that must be reconciled in order for Robartes to achieve his spiritual awakening.
In the second part of the poem, Yeats reflects on the nature of reality and the role of the artist in shaping it. He argues that the artist has the power to transform the world through his or her imagination, creating a new reality that is more beautiful and meaningful than the one that exists.
Yeats also explores the idea of the "double vision," which he sees as a necessary component of the artistic process. The artist must be able to see the world from two different perspectives – the mundane and the spiritual – in order to create something truly transformative.
The poem ends with a powerful image of Robartes achieving his spiritual awakening, transcending his physical body and becoming one with the divine. This transformation is symbolized by the image of the phoenix, a mythical bird that is reborn from its own ashes.
Overall, The Double Vision of Michael Robartes is a masterpiece of symbolism and mysticism, exploring the themes of duality, transformation, and spiritual awakening. Yeats' use of imagery and language is masterful, creating a rich and complex world that invites the reader to explore its depths. The poem is a testament to the power of the artist to transform the world through his or her imagination, and a reminder of the importance of seeking spiritual enlightenment in a world that is often divided and conflicted.
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