This essay examines various symbols in poetry and the poems by William B. Yeats. William Butler Yeats was one of the greatest poets of the 20th century. He was a protestant and part of the Anglo-Irish community. This community controlled most aspects of the economic, political, social, and cultural life of Ireland since the 17th century. Even in his adult life, the poems by W. B. Yeats still maintained his cultural roots. The poems featured Irish heroes and other legends. However, people accused him of elitism. There are different aspects of modernism and romanticism in poems of the 20th century. Yeats embraced modernism in the sense of choosing to make lonely choices in ways that reflected his experience.
symbols in poetry and poems by William B. Yeats
SYMBOLS IN POETRY AND TRANSITION FROM ROMANTICISM TO MODERNISM
There are many symbols in poetry from the 20th century, especially the poems by William B. Yeats. Some even refer to him as “the chief representative” of the Symbolist Movement in English literature. The symbols in his poems represented different things, like Irish folklore and mythology, magic, philosophy, metaphysical, and paintings. Additionally, these symbols had different meanings in the contexts of modernism and romanticism. Thus, Yeats argued that symbols are possible expressions of some invisible essence. His symbols were denotative, connotative, and evocative. The symbols mainly represented traditions and personal values. Lastly, Yeats’ main symbol in poetry was the ‘Rose,’ which represented the two aspects of his life.
symbols in poetry and transition from romanticism to modernism
VARIOUS POETS ON MODERNISM AND ROMANTICISM
This section provides information on various poets on modernism and romanticism. In particular, we will look at poets like John Keat (romantic), Henrik Johan Ibsen (modernist), and William Butler Yeats (romantic modernist). We will consider Keat’s poem- Ode on a Grecian Urn, Ibsen’s play- When We Dead Awaken, and Yeats’ poem- Sailing to Byzantium. These poets were fond of symbols in poetry. Keats represented many Romantic traits in his poetry, such as emotion, imagination, and nature. Ibsen’s play When We Dead Awaken exhibits some features of romanticism as well. Most of the poems by William B. Yeats, including Sailing to Byzantium, represented the transition from Romanticism to Modernism. Although these three poets lived in different ages, their poems have several similarities that constitute their basic principles.
various poets on modernism and romanticism
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