OK, here's the question, what is this "lonely impulse of delight" that drove him to the skies, and his inevitable death?
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OK, here's the question, what is this "lonely impulse of delight" that drove him to the skies, and his inevitable death?
This poem seems to be a bit more pessimistic than the ones we have previous read, though following much the same themes as the previous poems. Though I am not sure if this one is so much about the idea of growing in years, but rather it seems like a complete resignation to death.
He does not express any love, nor care for anything. He does not care about his fellow man or his country, nor honor and glory, but rather he seems to be completely apathetic and the only reason he has gone to fight, is perhaps to quicken is death.Quote:
Those that I fight I do not hate
Those that I guard I do not love;
My country is Kiltartan Cross, 5
My countrymen Kiltartan’s poor,
No likely end could bring them loss
Or leave them happier than before.
Nor law, nor duty bade me fight,
Nor public man, nor cheering crowds, 10
A lonely impulse of delight
These lines seem to suggest that life in itself is a waste because he knows he is going to die, so there really is no point to living at all.Quote:
The years to come seemed waste of breath,
A waste of breath the years behind
It could, though he states that he he was not made to fight, but choose to do so of his own accord.Quote:
Originally Posted by Antiquarian
After reading this poem over a few times, and considering some of the past poems we have looked at, I do not think that this poem was meant to be partrotic or political in anyway. But it seems to be about a man whom has simply given up and accepted that death is inescapable so he might as well just give himself over to it.
please help me ihave to submit an assignment tommorow for the following line plz help me itz urgent
i have looked upon those brilliant creatures,
and now my heart is sore.
and this line also plz help me fast itz urgent
their hearts have not grown old;
thank u i got it
Searching for something original to say of these Yeats poems, I find that they all, almost speak clearly for themselves and require no interpretation or analysis. Its all been done, with a few notable exceptions. Yeats is now being brought into (has been brought) the digital age. Digressing from this thread's purpose a little... http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/20/ar...s&oref=slogin# --- http://video.on.nytimes.com/?fr_stor...87c6574ce321a8 ---
Ok poetry fans, Here are some tentative choices to give new life to the Poetry Bookclub: Billy Collins: The Trouble with Poetry (collection, 2005) Sylvia Plath: Crossing the Water (collection, 1971) Theodore Roethke: Sequence, Sometimes Metaphysical Poems (collection, 1963) Langston Hughes: The Panther & The Lash (collection, 1992) and Marianne Moore: Illusion is More Precise than Precision (collection, 1992) Anyone of these would be perfect for a discussion of the value (if any) of poetry to youl. q1