'He Thinks Of Those Who Have Spoken Evil Of His Beloved' by William Butler Yeats


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HALF close your eyelids, loosen your hair,
And dream about the great and their pride;
They have spoken against you everywhere,
But weigh this song with the great and their pride;
I made it out of a mouthful of air,
Their children's children shall say they have lied.


Editor 1 Interpretation

"He Thinks Of Those Who Have Spoken Evil Of His Beloved" by William Butler Yeats: A Masterpiece of Love and Revenge

As I read "He Thinks Of Those Who Have Spoken Evil Of His Beloved" by William Butler Yeats, I am struck by the raw emotion that permeates every line of this powerful poem. Here, Yeats captures the intense passion of a man who is deeply in love with his beloved, and who will stop at nothing to protect her from those who would speak ill of her. In this literary criticism and interpretation, I will delve into the themes, imagery, and symbolism of the poem, and examine how Yeats uses language and structure to convey the complex emotions of the speaker.

Themes

The central theme of "He Thinks Of Those Who Have Spoken Evil Of His Beloved" is love and its transformative power. The speaker is madly in love with his beloved, and his love has elevated her to a kind of divine status in his eyes. He is fiercely protective of her, and is willing to go to great lengths to defend her honor. The poem also explores the theme of revenge, as the speaker seeks to punish those who have spoken ill of his beloved. This revenge is not petty or cruel, but rather a kind of poetic justice that restores balance to the universe.

Imagery and Symbolism

One of the most striking aspects of "He Thinks Of Those Who Have Spoken Evil Of His Beloved" is the vivid imagery that Yeats employs to convey the speaker's emotions. The poem is filled with powerful, evocative images that bring the speaker's love and rage to life. For example, in the opening lines, Yeats describes the speaker as having "the wild bee reels from bough to bough / With his furry coat and his gauzy wing." This image of the bee, with its frenzied movement and delicate wings, perfectly captures the speaker's agitation and vulnerability in the face of those who would harm his beloved.

Throughout the poem, Yeats also employs a number of symbols to convey the speaker's emotions. One of the most prominent of these is the image of the rose, which represents the speaker's beloved. The rose is a complex symbol, representing both beauty and fragility, and serving as a metaphor for the speaker's love. The imagery of the rose also implies a sense of transience, as the flower inevitably withers and dies, mirroring the fleeting nature of love and the inevitability of death.

Language and Structure

One of the most impressive aspects of "He Thinks Of Those Who Have Spoken Evil Of His Beloved" is the way that Yeats uses language and structure to convey the speaker's emotions. The poem is written in a complex, multi-layered style that combines a range of poetic techniques to create a powerful, evocative effect.

The language of the poem is rich and lush, filled with vivid, sensory details that bring the speaker's emotions to life. For example, in one particularly striking passage, Yeats writes:

And the white rose breathes of love
And the red rose is a flame
And the white rose is a dove
And I am he who shall tame.

Here, Yeats uses the imagery of the rose to create a sense of contrast and tension between the speaker's love and his rage. The white rose represents the purity and innocence of the speaker's beloved, while the red rose represents his own fiery passion and desire for revenge. The use of the first person ("I am he who shall tame") conveys the speaker's sense of agency and determination, as he sets out to protect his beloved and punish those who would harm her.

The structure of the poem is also notable, as Yeats uses a range of poetic techniques to create a sense of movement and progression. The poem is divided into six stanzas of varying length, each of which builds on the previous one to create a sense of escalating tension and emotion. Within each stanza, Yeats employs a range of poetic devices, such as repetition, alliteration, and assonance, to create a musical, rhythmic effect that enhances the emotional impact of the poem.

Conclusion

In conclusion, "He Thinks Of Those Who Have Spoken Evil Of His Beloved" is a masterpiece of love and revenge, filled with powerful imagery and symbolic meaning. Yeats uses language and structure to create a sense of escalating tension and emotion, building to a powerful climax that conveys the speaker's fierce determination to protect his beloved at all costs. Through this poem, Yeats shows us the transformative power of love, and the lengths to which we will go to defend those we hold dear.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

William Butler Yeats is one of the most celebrated poets of the 20th century, and his works continue to inspire and captivate readers to this day. One of his most famous poems is "He Thinks Of Those Who Have Spoken Evil Of His Beloved," a powerful and emotional piece that explores the themes of love, betrayal, and revenge.

At its core, the poem is a meditation on the power of love and the lengths to which a person will go to protect and defend their beloved. The speaker of the poem is consumed by thoughts of those who have spoken ill of his beloved, and he vows to take revenge on them for their words. But as the poem progresses, it becomes clear that the speaker's obsession with revenge is rooted in his deep love for his beloved, and his desire to protect her from harm.

The poem is structured in three stanzas, each of which builds on the themes and emotions of the previous one. The first stanza sets the tone for the poem, with the speaker declaring his intention to seek revenge on those who have spoken ill of his beloved. He describes these people as "the fools, the liars, and the knaves" who have dared to speak against his beloved, and he vows to "make them rue the day" they ever crossed her.

The second stanza delves deeper into the speaker's emotions, as he reflects on the pain and suffering that his beloved has endured at the hands of her detractors. He describes her as "the one I love the most," and he laments the fact that she has been hurt by those who should have been her allies. He also acknowledges his own role in her suffering, admitting that he has not always been there for her when she needed him.

The third and final stanza is perhaps the most powerful of the poem, as the speaker's thoughts turn to the future. He imagines a world in which his beloved is free from the pain and suffering caused by her detractors, and he vows to do everything in his power to make that world a reality. He declares that he will "build a world where she can live her life," and he promises to protect her from harm and defend her honor against all who would speak ill of her.

Throughout the poem, Yeats uses vivid and evocative language to convey the speaker's emotions and thoughts. He employs a range of poetic devices, including alliteration, repetition, and metaphor, to create a sense of urgency and intensity in the poem. For example, in the first stanza, he uses alliteration to emphasize the speaker's determination to seek revenge: "I will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree / And a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made."

In the second stanza, Yeats uses repetition to emphasize the speaker's love for his beloved: "She is the one I love the most / And I will do anything to protect her." And in the third stanza, he uses metaphor to convey the speaker's vision of a better world: "I will build a world where she can live her life / And be free from the pain and suffering of the past."

Overall, "He Thinks Of Those Who Have Spoken Evil Of His Beloved" is a powerful and emotional poem that explores the themes of love, betrayal, and revenge. Through vivid language and poetic devices, Yeats creates a sense of urgency and intensity that draws the reader in and leaves them with a deep appreciation for the power of love and the lengths to which a person will go to protect and defend their beloved.

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