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Topic : The Lake Isle of Innisfree

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The Lake Isle of Innisfree is a notable literary work by William Butler Yeats. A complete discussion of this literary work is given, which will help you enhance your literary skills and prepare for the exam. Read the Main texts, Key info, Summary, Themes, Characters, Literary devices, Quotations, Notes, to various questions of The Lake Isle of Innisfree.

Main text

I will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree, And a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made; Nine bean-rows will I have there, a hive for the honey-bee, And live alone in the bee-loud glade. And I shall have some peace there, for peace comes dropping slow, Dropping from the veils of the morning to where the cricket sings; There midnight’s all a glimmer, and noon a purple glow, And evening full of the linnet’s wings. I will arise and go now, for always night and day I hear lake water lapping with low sounds by [...]

Key info

"The Lake Isle of Innisfree" is a famous Poem by William Butler Yeats. Look at the key facts of the poem to get a quick conception.

  • Writer: William Butler Yeats
  • Title of the Author:  Irish poet, dramatist, writer, and politician 
  • Full Title: The Lake Isle of Innisfree
  • Original Title: The Lake Isle of Innisfree

Summary

"The Lake Isle of Innisfree" is a poem by William Butler Yeats (1865 - 1939), published in 1890. It is considered one of Yeats's most famous works. The poem describes the speaker's desire to return from the city to the peace and solitude of Innisfree, a small, uninhabited island in Lough Gill, County Sligo, Ireland. The speaker expresses Innisfree's natural beauty, isolation, and the relationship between people and the world. There are 12 lines in three stanzas.

In the first stanza, the speaker depicts his desire to leave the city and go to Innisfree, where he can build a small cabin and live a simple life in harmony with nature. 

In the second stanza, the speaker exhibits the sights and sounds of Innisfree, including the sounds of bees and the "peace" of the island. 

Themes

The theme is an essential part of the Literary work. "The Lake Isle of Innisfree" by W.B. Yeats surveys several themes which are the most important for clearing conception. Look at the main themes of the poem to get a quick conception.

Nature and Escape: The poem glorifies the beauty of nature and the idea of finding solace in the natural world. The speaker dreams of escaping the noise and busyness of city life and seeks a peaceful, secret place on the Lake Isle of Innisfree where he can connect with nature.

Solitude and Tranquility: The poem desires for solitude and tranquillity. The speaker prefers to live alone in a small cabin covered by the isle's natural beauty. This theme remembers a longing for simplicity and inner peace.

Literary devices

"The Lake Isle of Innisfree" is one of the famous poems of W.B. Yeats. It is a classic example of Irish poetry and utilizes several literary devices to convey the speaker's longing for a simple and idyllic life on the remote island of Innisfree. Here are some literary devices used in the poem:

Imagery: Yeats employs vivid and sensory language to create a clear mental picture of the place. The lines "I will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree, / And a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made" provide a clear image of the cabin on the island.

Repetition: The repetition of the phrase "I will arise and go now" at the beginning of the first and third stanzas highlights the speaker's strong desire to leave his current life and find comfort in Innisfree.

Quotations

"The Lake Isle of Innisfree" is a famous poem by the Irish poet William Butler Yeats. It was first published in 1892 and is one of Yeats' most beloved and well-known works. Here are some famous quotations from the poem, along with explanations:

I will arise and go now.

Explanation: The opening line of "The Lake Isle of Innisfree" by W.B. Yeats is a resolute declaration that signifies a profound decision-making moment. It suggests that the speaker has been contemplating reflecting on a significant choice and has now firmly resolved to take action. The urgency in these words suggests a vital inner compulsion to change their current circumstances. In the poem's context, the speaker conveys a deep longing to leave their current urban life and flee to the peaceful and idyllic setting of Innisfree, an isolated island in Ireland, adding a layer of pastoral and mystical allure to their declaration.

Notes

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  • Discuss the personal elements of Yeats’s poetry.Discuss the personal elements of Yeats's poetry. Literature is the mirror of society. Every poet writes their literary works from personal experience and a far-reaching perspective. W. B. Yeats (1865 – 1939) had a long [...]