Friday, January 10, 2025

W.B. Yeats - Poems

 This blog task assigned by Dr.Dilip Barad sir. Here is the link to the professor's blog for background reading: Click here.


1. Compare the treatment of war in On Being Asked for a War Poem with other war poems by Wilfred Owen or Siegfried Sassoon.

W.B. Yeats’s poem On Being Asked for a War Poem takes a very different approach to war compared to the poems of Wilfred Owen and Siegfried Sassoon. Yeats chooses not to directly write about war or its horrors, while Owen and Sassoon focus on showing how terrible and devastating war really is.

In Yeats’s poem, he explains that poetry is not meant to deal with political events or things like war. He writes, “A poet’s mouth be silent,” which means he thinks poets should not speak out about war because it’s not their role to solve problems or give advice to leaders. Yeats believed poetry should focus on things that last forever, like beauty and truth, instead of focusing on events that are temporary, like war.

On the other hand, both Owen and Sassoon believed poetry should tell the truth about war and make people understand its terrible consequences. For example, in Owen’s Dulce et Decorum Est, he describes a gas attack in graphic detail, showing how soldiers suffered and died. He writes about how one man was “guttering, choking, drowning” after being caught in the gas, making the reader feel the horror of war. Owen wanted to challenge the idea that it’s glorious to die for one’s country, calling it “the old Lie.”

Sassoon also focuses on the harsh realities of war. In his poem Attack, he describes soldiers getting ready to go into battle. The scene is full of fear and chaos, with lines like “the barrage roars and lifts” showing how noisy and terrifying the battlefield is. Sassoon’s poems often criticize the leaders who send soldiers to fight in wars that seem pointless.

The tone of these poets also differs. Yeats is calm and reflective, choosing not to engage with the emotions of war. He doesn’t describe the suffering or try to provoke a strong reaction. In contrast, Owen’s tone is sorrowful and angry, and Sassoon’s tone is bitter and frustrated. Both Owen and Sassoon use their poems to make readers feel the pain, fear, and hopelessness of war.

Yeats, Owen, and Sassoon saw poetry differently. Yeats thought poetry should stay away from war and focus on bigger, timeless ideas. Owen and Sassoon believed poetry could make a difference by showing people the truth about war and making them question why it happens.

In the end, Yeats’s poem is quiet and distant, while Owen and Sassoon’s poems are powerful and emotional, directly confronting the horrors of war. Each poet’s approach reflects what they believed poetry should do in times of conflict.


2. Write a modernist-inspired poem reflecting on a contemporary global crisis, drawing on Yeats’s themes and techniques. [Generate with the help of Gen AIlike ChatGPT or Google Gemini or Meta WhatsApp or Microsoft Co-pilot]



                         Echoes of the Burning Horizon

The poet’s mouth, though weighted with ash,
Breathes no answers, for the winds are blind.
Cities tumble as steel and fire clash,
And yet the heart resists a map to find.

A clock counts seconds in fractured tones,
Each tick a fragment, each tock a scream,
While leaders carve futures on brittle stones,
Chasing shadows through a fevered dream.

What use are words when glaciers weep,
And oceans rise to claim their due?
Shall I sing of hope, or promises steep
In a brew of doubt no light breaks through?

No. Let my pen, sharp but silent, stay,
And trace the arc of a comet’s fall.
The world spins on, though skies turn gray,
And poets listen for the faintest call.

Not to rouse or rage, but to mark the flow
Of flames that bloom, then disappear.
For in these days, where does the poet go?
To stand apart, or draw the dying near?

The center wavers, cannot hold,
As screens flicker, bloodied and bright.
Still, from ruins, a story unfolds—
Not of salvation, but enduring night.



Explanation: 
The poem reflects on the fragility and chaos of the modern world in the face of global crises like climate change, conflict, and societal instability. Inspired by Yeats’s modernist themes, it explores the poet’s role during such turmoil—whether to speak out, remain silent, or merely observe. It conveys a sense of despair and inevitability, symbolized by melting glaciers, rising oceans, and the relentless passage of time. The imagery of fire, ash, and comets highlights destruction, while the poet’s silence suggests the limits of art in solving complex crises.

3. Do you agree with Yeats’s assertion in 'On Being Asked for a War Poem' that poetry should remain apolitical? Why or why not?

W.B. Yeats’s assertion in On Being Asked for a War Poem that poetry should remain apolitical sparks an important debate about the role of art in society. While Yeats believed poetry should transcend political concerns and focus on universal truths, I partly disagree with his stance. Poetry, like all art, reflects human experience, and in times of crisis, it often becomes a powerful tool to provoke thought, evoke emotions, and inspire change. However, there is also value in Yeats’s argument that poetry should not be reduced to propaganda or short-term political commentary.

On the one hand, poetry has historically been a medium for challenging injustice and shedding light on critical social issues. Wilfred Owen and Siegfried Sassoon, for example, used their war poetry to reveal the horrors of World War I and to critique the romanticized view of war promoted by governments and societies. Owen’s Dulce et Decorum Est vividly portrays the suffering of soldiers and dismantles the patriotic myth of dying nobly for one’s country. Such poetry directly engages with political realities, encouraging readers to confront uncomfortable truths. In this sense, poetry becomes an act of moral responsibility, helping to shape public opinion and influence societal change.

Moreover, art that remains entirely detached from its historical and political context risks becoming irrelevant. Poetry rooted in personal and social struggles can resonate deeply with readers, fostering empathy and understanding. Contemporary poets often address issues such as climate change, racial inequality, or war, highlighting their relevance and importance in today’s world.

However, Yeats’s perspective also carries weight. He believed poetry should focus on universal themes, such as beauty, love, and mortality, rather than transient political events. This approach allows poetry to remain timeless, unbound by the fleeting nature of politics. Additionally, when poetry becomes overtly political, it can risk oversimplifying complex issues or being dismissed as propaganda. Yeats’s insistence on maintaining poetry’s independence underscores the idea that art should not merely serve political agendas but also explore deeper truths.

In conclusion, poetry need not remain apolitical, as it has a unique power to engage with societal and political issues in profound ways. Yet, it should also avoid becoming narrowly propagandistic, balancing timeless reflection with an engagement with contemporary realities. Ultimately, poetry’s role is as varied as the poets who create it, allowing for both political and universal expressions.

4.  How does Yeats use imagery to convey a sense of disintegration in 'The Second Coming'?

In The Second Coming, W.B. Yeats masterfully uses vivid and unsettling imagery to convey a sense of disintegration and chaos, reflecting his vision of a world on the brink of collapse. Written in the aftermath of World War I and during a time of political and social upheaval, the poem captures a fractured reality where traditional structures and values are breaking down.

The Falcon and the Falconer

Yeats begins with the haunting image of a falcon spiraling out of control:
"Turning and turning in the widening gyre / The falcon cannot hear the falconer."
This image symbolizes the loss of order and control. The falcon, representing humanity or civilization, is drifting further away from its guiding force, the falconer. The widening gyre—a recurring symbol in Yeats’s work—suggests an expanding spiral of chaos, where stability disintegrates into disorder. The image evokes a world where bonds are severed, and coherence is lost.

Blood-Dimmed Tide and Innocence Drowned

The imagery of destruction deepens as Yeats describes the encroaching violence:
"The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere / The ceremony of innocence is drowned."
The “blood-dimmed tide” symbolizes the overwhelming force of violence and destruction, suggesting a flood of bloodshed overtaking the world. This apocalyptic vision conveys not just physical destruction but also the moral decay of humanity. The drowning of innocence reflects the loss of purity and virtue, with chaos overtaking the civilizing forces of culture and tradition.

The Sphinx and the Rough Beast

As the poem progresses, Yeats introduces the image of the "rough beast," a nightmarish creature emerging from the sands:
"A shape with lion body and the head of a man, / A gaze blank and pitiless as the sun."
This sphinx-like figure represents the birth of a new, terrifying era. The description of its “blank and pitiless” gaze underscores its inhumanity and indifference, suggesting a force of destruction and tyranny. The imagery evokes dread, as this monstrous figure heralds the collapse of the old world and the rise of something unknown and menacing.

Conclusion

Through these unsettling images, Yeats vividly conveys a world unraveling under the weight of its own contradictions and violence. The falcon’s separation, the blood-dimmed tide, and the emergence of the rough beast together paint a picture of disintegration and foretell the coming of a dark, chaotic age. Yeats’s powerful imagery transforms abstract ideas into a visceral experience of disorder and impending doom.

Additional Resource: 

1.  W.B. Yeats's Poems: The Second Coming - & - On Being Asked for a War Poem


 Reference:


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