Introduction of W. B. Yeats poems .pptx

W.B. Yeats's Poems
1. On Being Asked For A War Poem
2. The Second coming

1. W. B. YEATS’S POEMS PRESENTED BY:- HIRAL VAITHA RIYA BHATT HARDI VHORA

2. Points To Ponder 01 Introduction of W. B. Yeats 02 On Being Asked For A War Poem 03 The Second Coming 04 Conclusion

3. 01 Introduction Of W. B. Yeats William Butler Yeats Born : June 13, 1865 Irish poet, dramatist, and prose writer, one of the greatest English-language poets of the 20th century. Nobel Prize for Literature in 1923. (“William Butler Yeats | Irish Poet, Nobel Laureate & Dramatist”)

4. Genre, Themes, Symbolism, Famous Works W.B.Yeats Genre: Irish Literary Revival Symbolism Romanticism Modernism Symbolism In His Poetry: The Mask The Cloths of Heaven The Lake Isle of Innisfree T hemes: Irish Nationalism Aging and Time Political and Social Commentary Famous Work: On Being Asked For A War Poem The Second Coming

5. 02 On Being Asked For A War Poetry

6. I Think it better that in times like these A poet's mouth be silent, for in truth We have no gift to set a statesman right; He has had enough of medding who can please A young girl in the indolence of her youth, Or an old man upon a winter's night.

7. Written on February 6, 1915 in response to a request by Henry James that Yeats compose a political poem about World War I. It’s one of Yeats’s shortest well-known poems, comprising just six lines, and sets out why Yeats chooses not to write a ‘war poem’ for publication. Yeats changed the poem's title from "To a friend who has asked me to sign his manifesto to the neutral nations" to "A Reason for Keeping Silent” Before sending it in a letter to James, which Yeats wrote at Coole Park on August 20, 1915. The poem was prefaced with a note stating: "It is the only thing I have written of the war or will write, so I hope it may not seem unfitting." The poem was first published in Edith Wharton's The Book of the Homeless in 1916 as "A Reason for Keeping Silent".[1] When it was later reprinted in The Wild Swans at Coole, the title was changed to "On being asked for a War Poem". # INTRODUCTION OF THE POEM:-

8. # ANALYSIS OF THE POEM:- Yeats, in "On being asked for a War Poem," expresses the belief that during turbulent times, poets should refrain from political commentary as their skills are better suited for personal and timeless themes. The poem suggests that statesmen have their own complexities, and poets might lack the ability to guide them. Instead, Yeats highlights the poet's potential to bring solace or joy to individuals, whether young or old, in moments of leisure or contemplation. The emphasis lies on the poet's role in addressing universal human experiences rather than engaging in the political discourse of the time.

9. # THEMES:- Silence of the poet during troubled times Lack of poetic influence on statesmanship Emphasis on statesmen's experience over poetic intervention Reference to pleasing a young girl in her youth Symbolism of comforting an old man on a winter's night

10. 03 The Second Coming

11. # INTRODUCTION OF THE POEM:- "The Second Coming" is a poem written by Irish poet W. B. Yeats in 1919. First printed in The Dial in November 1920, and afterwards included in his 1921 collection of verses Michael Robartes and the Dancer. The poem uses Christian imagery regarding the Apocalypse and Second Coming to allegorically describe the atmosphere of post-war Europe. It is considered a major work of modernist poetry and has been reprinted in several collections, including The Norton Anthology of Modern Poetry.( Donoghue )

12. # HISTORICAL CONTEXT:- The poem was written in 1919 in the aftermath of the First World War and the beginning of the Irish War of Independence that followed the Easter Rising. The poem is also connected to the 1918–1919 flu pandemic: In the weeks preceding Yeats's writing of the poem, his pregnant wife Georgie Hyde-Lees caught the virus and was very close to death.( Donoghue )

13. Poem stanza 1: Turning and turning in the widening gyre The falcon cannot hear the falconer; Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold; Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world, The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere The ceremony of innocence is drowned; The best lack all conviction, while the worst Are full of passionate intensity. ( Yeats, second coming )

14. Poem stanza 2. Surely some revelation is at hand; Surely the Second Coming is at hand. The Second Coming! Hardly are those words out When a vast image out of Spiritus Mundi Troubles my sight: somewhere in sands of the desert A shape with lion body and the head of a man, A gaze blank and pitiless as the sun, Is moving its slow thighs, while all about it Reel shadows of the indignant desert birds. The darkness drops again; but now I know That twenty centuries of stony sleep Were vexed to nightmare by a rocking cradle, And what rough beast, its hour come round at last, Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born? (Yeats, second coming )

15. Stanz a 1 Atmosphere: Foreboding, unsettling, marked by images of decay and disorder. Key Points: "Turning and turning in the widening gyre": References Yeats's cyclical theory of history, suggesting society's collapse and potential rebirth. "Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold": Eerie symbol of a crumbling societal order and loss of control. "Mere anarchy loosed upon the world": Foreshadows utter chaos and loss of morality. "Best lack all conviction, while the worst are full of passionate intensity": Highlights the erosion of values and rise of fanaticism.

16. Stanz a 2 Atmosphere: Apocalyptic, filled with chilling imagery and a sense of dread. Key Points: "Surely some revelation is at hand": Reinforces the feeling of an imminent upheaval. "The Second Coming!": Creates ambiguity – is it Jesus's return or Certainly, I can help you craft a conclusion that includes references to W. B. Yeats' poems "On Being Asked for a War Poem" and "The Second Coming."

17. # THEMES:- Civilization, Chaos, and Control Morality and Christianity

18. # Conclusion - In conclusion, W.B. Yeats' poems, "On Being Asked for a War Poem" and "The Second Coming," resonate with timeless themes of societal upheaval and the cyclical nature of history. Through vivid imagery and symbolic language, Yeats explores the chaos and uncertainties of his era, inviting readers to reflect on the broader human condition. "On Being Asked for a War Poem" conveys the poet's reluctance to romanticize war, while "The Second Coming" delves into the idea of a world spiraling into disorder. Together, these poems serve as poignant reflections on the complexities of the human experience, leaving readers to ponder the enduring relevance of Yeats' insights in our ever-changing world.

19. Quote: The painter’s brush consumes his dreams .

20. References Donoghue, Denis. “The Second Coming.” Encyclopedia.com , https://www.encyclopedia.com/arts/educational-magazines/second-coming. Accessed 14 January 2024. “William Butler Yeats | Irish Poet, Nobel Laureate & Dramatist.” Britannica , 1 January 2024, https://www.britannica.com/biography/William-Butler-Yeats. Accessed 14 January 2024. Yeats, William Butler. “On being asked for a War Poem by William Butler….” Poetry Foundation , https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/57313/on-being-asked-for-a-war-poem. Accessed 14 January 2024. Yeats, William Butler, and WB Yeats. “The Second Coming by William Butler Yeats.” Poetry Foundation , https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/43290/the-second-coming. Accessed 14 January 2024.

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