'The Circus Animal Desertion' by William Butler Yeats
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I SOUGHT a theme and sought for it in vain,
I sought it daily for six weeks or so.
Maybe at last, being but a broken man,
I must be satisfied with my heart, although
Winter and summer till old age began
My circus animals were all on show,
Those stilted boys, that burnished chariot,
Lion and woman and the Lord knows what.
II
What can I but enumerate old themes?
First that sea-rider Oisin led by the nose
Through three enchanted islands, allegorical dreams,
Vain gaiety, vain battle, vain repose,
Themes of the embittered heart, or so it seems,
That might adorn old songs or courtly shows;
But what cared I that set him on to ride,
I, starved for the bosom of his faery bride?
And then a counter-truth filled out its play,
i{The Countess Cathleen} was the name I gave it;
She, pity-crazed, had given her soul away,
But masterful Heaven had intetvened to save it.
I thought my dear must her own soul destroy,
So did fanaticism and hate enslave it,
And this brought forth a dream and soon enough
This dream itself had all my thought and love.
And when the Fool and Blind Man stole the bread
Cuchulain fought the ungovernable sea;
Heart-mysteries there, and yet when all is said
It was the dream itself enchanted me:
Character isolated by a deed
To engross the present and dominate memory.
players and painted stage took all my love,
And not those things that they were emblems of.
III
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.
Editor 1 Interpretation
The Circus Animal's Desertion: A Profound Search for Identity
William Butler Yeats is a poet whose works continue to fascinate generations of poetry enthusiasts, and his poem, "The Circus Animal's Desertion," is no exception. Written at the end of his life, this poem marks a significant shift in Yeats' literary style, as he confronts his own mortality and searches for a deeper understanding of his identity as a poet.
At first glance, "The Circus Animal's Desertion" appears to be a simple narrative about a poet who is searching for inspiration. However, upon closer examination, the poem reveals a complex and deeply layered exploration of Yeats' personal and artistic struggles.
The Poet's Quest for Identity
The poem begins with the speaker reflecting on his past, specifically his experiences as a young man when he was "young and foolish" and "sought among imagery for lost powers." The imagery he describes is that of a circus, a place where "acrobat, bareback rider" and other performers are able to escape their everyday lives and become something more.
However, as the speaker grows older, he begins to realize that the circus is not enough, and he must find something deeper and more meaningful to inspire his work. He turns to mythology and the supernatural, but these too prove to be fleeting sources of inspiration. Finally, in the last stanza, the speaker realizes that he must turn inward and confront his own personal demons if he is to find the inspiration he is seeking.
The Poet's Struggle with Aging
Another important theme in "The Circus Animal's Desertion" is the poet's struggle with aging. Throughout the poem, the speaker reflects on his own mortality and the passing of time. He describes himself as "a foolish, passionate man," who has grown old and tired. He is no longer able to find inspiration in the same things that once inspired him, and he is forced to confront the reality that his creativity may have reached its limit.
This theme is particularly evident in the second stanza of the poem, where the speaker reflects on his youth and the things that once inspired him. He describes himself as a "brute blood of the air," full of "passionate intensity." However, as he grows older, he becomes more aware of his own limitations and begins to realize that he can no longer rely on his youthful exuberance to fuel his creativity.
The Poet's Relationship with Ireland
In addition to his personal struggles, Yeats also uses "The Circus Animal's Desertion" to explore his relationship with Ireland and its literary traditions. Throughout his career, Yeats was deeply committed to Irish nationalism and sought to use poetry as a means of promoting Irish culture and identity.
In "The Circus Animal's Desertion," Yeats reflects on his own relationship with Ireland and its literary traditions. He describes himself as a "troubled, midnight" figure, haunted by the ghosts of Ireland's past. He also references a number of Irish myths and legends, including the story of Cuchulain and the image of the "great queen" who haunts his dreams.
Through these references, Yeats suggests that his own search for inspiration is intimately tied to Ireland's cultural and literary traditions. He is not just a poet seeking inspiration, but a part of a larger cultural movement that is seeking to define itself in the face of colonialism and other external pressures.
Conclusion
"The Circus Animal's Desertion" is a complex and deeply layered poem that explores a range of themes related to Yeats' personal and artistic struggles. Through his use of imagery, symbolism, and mythology, Yeats confronts his own mortality, his relationship with Ireland and its literary traditions, and the sometimes-futile search for inspiration that all artists must undertake.
Ultimately, the poem suggests that the search for identity and inspiration is an ongoing process, one that requires constant reflection, introspection, and engagement with the world around us. It is a powerful reminder that even the greatest artists are not immune to the struggles and challenges that we all face, and that it is through confronting these challenges that we are able to find meaning and purpose in our lives.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
The Circus Animal's Desertion: A Masterpiece of Poetry
William Butler Yeats, one of the greatest poets of the 20th century, wrote "The Circus Animal's Desertion" in 1939, just a year before his death. This poem is considered one of his most complex and enigmatic works, and it is a perfect example of his mature style. The poem is a reflection on Yeats's life and his artistic journey, and it is a meditation on the nature of art, memory, and the human condition.
The poem is composed of eight stanzas, each with three lines, and it follows a strict rhyme scheme (ABA). The poem is written in the first person, and it is a confession of the poet's artistic struggles. The poem begins with the line, "I sought a theme and sought for it in vain," which sets the tone for the rest of the poem. The poet is searching for a subject to write about, but he cannot find anything that inspires him.
The second stanza introduces the metaphor of the circus animals, which becomes the central image of the poem. The poet compares himself to a circus animal that has been abandoned by its master. The animals in the circus are trained to perform tricks and entertain the audience, but when they are no longer useful, they are discarded. The poet feels like one of these animals, abandoned by his muse.
The third stanza introduces the idea of memory. The poet remembers the images and symbols that have inspired him in the past, but he realizes that they are no longer relevant to him. He says, "Those masterful images because complete / Grew in pure mind, but out of what began?" The poet is questioning the origin of his inspiration and the nature of creativity.
The fourth stanza introduces the idea of the "foul rag and bone shop of the heart." This phrase has become one of Yeats's most famous lines, and it refers to the poet's innermost thoughts and emotions. The poet is searching for something authentic and meaningful, but he realizes that he has been relying on cliches and worn-out symbols.
The fifth stanza introduces the idea of the "trickster" figure, which is a common motif in Yeats's poetry. The trickster is a figure who disrupts the established order and challenges the status quo. The poet says, "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." The ladder represents the poet's ambition and his desire to climb higher, but now he must start again from the beginning.
The sixth stanza introduces the idea of the "imaginary gardens with real toads in them." This phrase refers to the tension between the imagination and reality. The poet is searching for something that is both authentic and imaginative, but he realizes that he has been living in a world of illusions.
The seventh stanza introduces the idea of the "bee-loud glade," which is a reference to the natural world. The poet is searching for something that is pure and uncorrupted, but he realizes that he has been living in a world of artifice and deception.
The final stanza is a reflection on the poet's life and his artistic journey. The poet says, "Now that my five senses have seen and heard and smelled and tasted, / How can I recapture what was never mine?" The poet is questioning the nature of memory and the limits of the human experience. He realizes that he can never recapture the past, but he can still create something new and meaningful.
In conclusion, "The Circus Animal's Desertion" is a masterpiece of poetry that explores the nature of art, memory, and the human condition. The poem is a reflection on Yeats's life and his artistic journey, and it is a meditation on the nature of creativity and inspiration. The poem is a perfect example of Yeats's mature style, which is characterized by its complexity, ambiguity, and depth. The poem is a testament to the power of poetry to capture the essence of the human experience and to inspire us to create something new and meaningful.
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