War poetry

 WAR POETRY BY W.B.YEATS 

Hello everyone.....

This blog based on thinking activity on war poetry. In which I'm going to discuss about few topics like what is war poetry? What are the themes in war poetry? And w.b.yeats poems. 

• What is War Poetry ?

War poetry is poetry on the topic of war. While the term is applied especially to works of the First World War, the term can be applied to poetry about any war, including Homer's Iliad, from around the 8th century BC as well as poetry of the American Civil War, the Spanish Civil War, the Crimean War and other wars.

• What are the themes in War Poetry ? 

War poetry is not necessarily 'anti-war'. It is, however, about the very large questions of life: identity, innocence, guilt, loyalty, courage, compassion, humanity, duty, desire, death.

• W. B. Yeats :- 

William Butler Yeats (born June 13, 1865, Sandymount, Dublin, Ireland—died January 28, 1939, Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, France) Irish poet, dramatist, and prose writer, one of the greatest English-language poets of the 20th century. He received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1923.

William Butler Yeats

Yeats’s father, John Butler Yeats, was a barrister who eventually became a portrait painter. His mother, formerly Susan Pollexfen, was the daughter of a prosperous merchant in Sligo, in western Ireland. Through both parents Yeats (pronounced “Yates”) claimed kinship with various Anglo-Irish Protestant families who are mentioned in his work. Normally, Yeats would have been expected to identify with his Protestant tradition—which represented a powerful minority among Ireland’s predominantly Roman Catholic population—but he did not. Indeed, he was separated from both historical traditions available to him in Ireland—from the Roman Catholics, because he could not share their faith, and from the Protestants, because he felt repelled by their concern for material success. Yeats’s best hope, he felt, was to cultivate a tradition more profound than either the Catholic or the Protestant—the tradition of a hidden Ireland that existed largely in the anthropological evidence of its surviving customs, beliefs, and holy places, more pagan than Christian.

∆ His famous works :- 

His plays usually treat Irish legends; they also reflect his fascination with mysticism and spiritualism. The Countess Cathleen (1892), The Land of Heart's Desire (1894), Cathleen ni Houlihan (1902), The King's Threshold (1904), and Deirdre (1907) are among the best known.

His famous poems are : The Second Coming, The lake Isle of Innisfree , The Stolen Child , A Prayer for My Daughter , Ester 1916 , The Tower and so on.

• The Second Coming by W. B. Yeats :- 

The poem opens with a sense of chaos and upheaval in the world. Nature is out of balance, society is fracturing, and spiritual faith is waning.Yeats uses vivid and disturbing imagery to convey this sense of apocalypse. He describes "gyring" winds that tear the world apart, falconers whose center cannot hold, and a rough beast slouching towards Bethlehem. The poem explores themes of loss of faith, violence, anarchy, and the potential for a transformative, even terrifying, rebirth.

This poem, written in 1919 after World War I, talks about a world in chaos. It uses Christian ideas about the end of the world to show how things are falling apart. The poem starts by saying everything is messed up: nature is crazy, society is breaking down, and people are losing their faith.

The poet, Yeats, uses strong and scary images to show this idea of the end times. He talks about winds destroying everything, falcons losing control, and a dangerous beast heading towards Bethlehem.

People have different ideas about what the poem means. Some think it's about the specific events happening at that time, like the aftermath of the war and conflicts in Ireland. Others see it as a more general message about how history repeats itself and how big changes can happen, even if they're scary.

The poem has two parts, or stanzas, and each adds to the feeling of worry and waiting. Yeats was into mystical and mysterious stuff, and that shows in the symbols and ideas in the poem.

"The Second Coming" is a really big deal in Yeats's poetry. People still study it a lot and talk about what it means. It's got layers of meaning and keeps sparking discussions among scholars and regular readers.

• Critical evaluation:- 

Yeats's poem is renowned for its rich symbolism and prophetic tone, and the imagery you mentioned, such as the "tumbling dark" and the "rough beast," plays a crucial role in conveying the poem's apocalyptic atmosphere. The "gyring falcon" and the "slouching sphinx" add to this sense of foreboding, evoking images of ancient mysteries and imminent collapse.

The "rough beast" in Yeats's poem is often interpreted as a symbol of chaos and destruction, representing the breakdown of societal order and the onset of anarchy. However, its exact nature remains elusive, leaving room for multiple interpretations. Some see it as a manifestation of evil or malevolent forces, while others view it as a necessary agent of change, ushering in a new era or paradigm shift.

The poem's relevance to different readers is also notable in the context of Yeats's broader themes and concerns. Written in the aftermath of World War I and during a period of political upheaval and social change, "The Second Coming" reflects Yeats's anxieties about the state of the world and his uncertainty about the future. Its themes of chaos, disillusionment, and the search for meaning resonate with readers across time and culture, offering a lens through which to interpret and critique the turbulent events of the 20th century and beyond.

• Historical context :- 

"The Second Coming" was written by Yeats after World War I and the Irish Easter Rising, which had a big effect on him. It reflects his feelings about these events and how he saw the world at that time.The poem is kind of mysterious, which can be both good and bad. Some people might think that the "rough beast" and the message of the poem are too unclear or hard to understand. Also, the poem talks a lot about Yeats' own spiritual beliefs.

• Being asked for war poem:- 

Written in 1915, during the early stages of World War I. Yeats was initially supportive of the war, but quickly became disillusioned by its brutality and senselessness. The poem is a response to a request from Henry James for a patriotic poem about the war.

The poem is only six lines long, but it packs a powerful punch. Yeats argues that it is not the job of poets to glorify war, but to provide solace and beauty in times of darkness. He compares the act of writing a war poem to "meddling" in the affairs of statesmen, who are ultimately responsible for the conflict. Instead, he suggests that poets should focus on offering comfort and joy to individuals, such as a young girl or an old man.

The poem is notable for its simple yet powerful language.Yeats' use of imagery, such as the "indolence of her youth" and the "winter's night," creates a sense of peace and tranquility that is in stark contrast to the horrors of war. The poem is also ironic, as Yeats suggests that the best way to respond to war is not to fight it, but to ignore it and focus on the things that truly matter.

• Critical evaluation :- 

W.B. Yeats wrote the poem "For Being Asked for a War Poem" during World War I. He didn't want to write a patriotic war poem, like many people expected. Instead, he talked about how poets shouldn't glorify war or get involved in politics. Yeats believed that poets should focus on bringing comfort and beauty to people during dark times. He used simple words and pictures to show how peaceful moments can contrast with the chaos of war. The poem is clever because it criticizes the idea of glorifying war while suggesting that poets should focus on the little moments of joy and peace in life. Even though Yeats wrote it a long time ago, the poem still makes us think about the role of art in difficult times.

• Comparison of two poems :- 

W.B. Yeats, renowned for his profound exploration of existential themes, presents two distinct yet interconnected perspectives on the tumultuous backdrop of his era through "The Second Coming" and "For Being Asked for a War Poem." "The Second Coming," penned during the aftermath of World War I and the Irish Easter Rising, reflects Yeats's profound disillusionment and anxiety about the state of the world. The poem portrays a bleak vision of chaos and impending collapse, with powerful imagery such as the "tumbling dark" and the enigmatic "rough beast" embodying the disintegration of societal order.

Yeats's use of symbolism, drawing from mystical and apocalyptic imagery, invites interpretations ranging from the inevitability of destruction to the cyclical nature of history. In contrast, "For Being Asked for a War Poem" offers a more introspective and critical perspective on the role of poetry in times of conflict. Yeats rejects the expectation for poets to glorify war, instead advocating for their duty to provide solace and beauty amidst darkness. The poem's irony lies in its subtle critique of war glorification while championing the significance of individual moments of peace and joy. Through these poems, Yeats navigates the complexities of his era, from the chaos of war to the ethical responsibilities of artists, inviting readers to contemplate the nature of humanity, the inevitability of change, and the enduring power of art to offer solace in the face of turmoil.

• Conclusion:- 

In conclusion we can say that ,the poems "The Second Coming" and "For Being Asked for a War Poem" by W.B. Yeats show different ideas about the difficult times when they were written. "The Second Coming" talks about a scary future where society falls apart, while "For Being Asked for a War Poem" makes fun of how people sometimes praise war. These poems use different styles to talk about big ideas like what it means to be human and how poetry can help us understand the world. They show that Yeats was a clever poet who could think deeply about important things like history, society, and what it means to be alive.

Thank you so much for reading.

Have a great time. 

Greetings.