The Lake Isle of Innisfree

[rmullen]

Hello to all!

I have a question about Yeats's poem "The Lake Isle of Innisfree". Does anyone have information about reasons Yeats might have chosen NINE ? I'm referrring to the line about "nine bean rows will I have there". I've been unable to find an explanation. Why nine? Does the number have some special significance in its usage here?

Thanks for your help.....................

[johnnybloom]

Hi. I saw your question last week and gave it some thought. Im not an avid poetry fan, but I know someone who is. I put that question to her.( She is a professor of English and Irish literature). She specializes in Yeats works. She told me that it is significant ,in so far as Yeats generally wrote about 'concrete' things, in other words, things that he would have experienced first hand. It is quite likely that he came across '9 bean rows' at some stage and used it in the poem. Apart from that, it has no great significance, but thats only her interpretation. I hope this ,in some small way helps with your query.
Regards,John��