The Lake Isle of InnisfreeThe Lake Isle of Innisfree

By William Butler YeatsBy William Butler Yeats

I will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree, I will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree, And a small cabin build there, of clay and And a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made: wattles made: Nine bean-rows will I have there, a hive for Nine bean-rows will I have there, a hive for the honey-bee, the honey-bee, And live alone in the bee-loud glade. And live alone in the bee-loud glade.

And I shall have some peace there, for peacAnd I shall have some peace there, for peace comes dropping slow, e comes dropping slow, Dropping from the veils of the morning to Dropping from the veils of the morning to where the cricket sings; where the cricket sings; There midnight's all a glimmer, and noon a There midnight's all a glimmer, and noon a purple glow, purple glow, And evening full of the linnet's wings. And evening full of the linnet's wings.

I will arise and go now, for always night aI will arise and go now, for always night and day nd day I hear lake water lapping with low soundI hear lake water lapping with low sounds by the shore;s by the shore;While I stand on the roadway, or on the While I stand on the roadway, or on the pavements grey, pavements grey, I hear it in the deep heart's core. I hear it in the deep heart's core.

How to set about reading a poem?How to set about reading a poem?

• To begin with, To begin with, read the poem once straight thrread the poem once straight throughough, with no particular expectations; , with no particular expectations; read opread open-mindedlyen-mindedly..

• Let yourself Let yourself experienceexperience whatever you find, wit whatever you find, without worrying about the large general and imphout worrying about the large general and important ideas the poem contains (if indeed it coortant ideas the poem contains (if indeed it contains any). ntains any).

• On the second reading, On the second reading, read for the exacread for the exact sense of all the wordst sense of all the words; if there are diffic; if there are difficult words, look them up in a dictionary. ult words, look them up in a dictionary. Dwell on any difficult parts as long as yoDwell on any difficult parts as long as you need to.u need to.

Vocabulary studyVocabulary study

• isle: islandisle: island• wattles: poles interwoven with sticks or brancwattles: poles interwoven with sticks or branc

hes, formerly used in building as frameworks thes, formerly used in building as frameworks to support walls or roofso support walls or roofs

• gladeglade: an open space in woods: an open space in woods 树篱树篱• cricketcricket: a small brown jumping insect that ma: a small brown jumping insect that ma

kes a shrill sound by rubbing its front wings tokes a shrill sound by rubbing its front wings together gether 蟋蟀蟋蟀

• glimmerglimmer: weak faint unsteady light: weak faint unsteady light 微光微光

• linnet: a creature with wings---a songbirlinnet: a creature with wings---a songbird of finch family d of finch family 红雀红雀

Use context clues to derive the mUse context clues to derive the meaning of other words.eaning of other words.• I will I will arisearise and go now, and go to Innisfr and go now, and go to Innisfr

ee,ee, • Nine bean rows will I have there, a Nine bean rows will I have there, a hivehive f f

or the honey bee,or the honey bee,

• I hear lake water I hear lake water lappinglapping with low sound with low sounds by the shore;s by the shore;

• While I stand on the roadway, or on the While I stand on the roadway, or on the pavementspavements grey grey,,

• I hear it in the deep heartI hear it in the deep heart’’s s core.core.

Grammar studyGrammar study

• Nine bean rows will I have there, Nine bean rows will I have there, • → → I will have nine bean rows there. I will have nine bean rows there.

• And a small cabin build there, of clay anAnd a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made;d wattles made;

• → → And build a small cabin made of clay And build a small cabin made of clay and wattles there.and wattles there.

• While I stand on the roadway, or on the While I stand on the roadway, or on the pavements grey,pavements grey,

• →→While I stand on the roadway, or on thWhile I stand on the roadway, or on the grey pavements. (It rhymes withe grey pavements. (It rhymes with day day a and makes extra emphasis that the city is nd makes extra emphasis that the city is dull and depressing.)dull and depressing.)

Hear the wordsHear the words

• If you read the poem silently to yourself, If you read the poem silently to yourself, sound its words in your mind. Better still,sound its words in your mind. Better still, read the poem aloud, or hear someone read the poem aloud, or hear someone else read itelse read it. You may discover meanings . You may discover meanings you didnyou didn’’t perceive in it before.t perceive in it before.

Paraphrase the poemParaphrase the poem

• Try to Try to paraphrase the poem as a wholeparaphrase the poem as a whole, , or perhaps just the more difficult lines. Ior perhaps just the more difficult lines. In paraphrasing, we put into our own won paraphrasing, we put into our own words what we understand the poem to sards what we understand the poem to say, restating ideas that seem essential, coy, restating ideas that seem essential, coming out and stating what the poem maming out and stating what the poem may only suggest.y only suggest.

paraphraseparaphrase

I wish I could go to Innisfree now. Innisfree is mI wish I could go to Innisfree now. Innisfree is my dreamland. If I go there, Iy dreamland. If I go there, I’’d like to build a smd like to build a small cabin, grow some beans and have a hive for all cabin, grow some beans and have a hive for bees. There I could enjoy peace by myself and bees. There I could enjoy peace by myself and admire the various scenes from morning till niadmire the various scenes from morning till night. In the morning, I could see the daybreak; ght. In the morning, I could see the daybreak; at night, I could hear the crickets singing; at miat night, I could hear the crickets singing; at midnight, I could watch the star twinkling in the sdnight, I could watch the star twinkling in the sky. At noon, I could feel the sun shining brightlky. At noon, I could feel the sun shining brightly, and in the evening, I could watch a great nuy, and in the evening, I could watch a great number of linnets flying to nest.mber of linnets flying to nest.

How I wish I could go to Innisfree right nHow I wish I could go to Innisfree right now. I think of it every day and night. Somow. I think of it every day and night. Sometimes, when I stand on the roadway, or etimes, when I stand on the roadway, or on the grey pavement, I can hear the lakon the grey pavement, I can hear the lake water lapping softly by the shore in the e water lapping softly by the shore in the depth of my heart. depth of my heart.

• Making a paraphrase can help you see thMaking a paraphrase can help you see the e central thought of the poemcentral thought of the poem, its , its themetheme..

• Themes can be stated variously, dependThemes can be stated variously, depending on what you believe most matters in ing on what you believe most matters in the poem.the poem.

• Theme 1: I yearn for an ideal place wherTheme 1: I yearn for an ideal place where I can find perfect peace and happiness.e I can find perfect peace and happiness.

• Theme 2: This city is getting me down---I Theme 2: This city is getting me down---I want to go back to nature.want to go back to nature.

• Theme 3: I want to quit the city for my hTheme 3: I want to quit the city for my heaven on earth.eaven on earth.

• Theme 4: I am longing to go back to my Theme 4: I am longing to go back to my hometown.hometown.

Establish a Establish a personal connection personal connection with the poem by asking the followith the poem by asking the following questions:wing questions:• Is there any place you are longing to go?Is there any place you are longing to go?• What do you yearn for in life? Freedom?What do you yearn for in life? Freedom?

Peace? Love? Friendship? Knowledge? Peace? Love? Friendship? Knowledge? Successful career? Family?Successful career? Family?

• How do you like the city life? How does How do you like the city life? How does the country life appeal to you? Are you the country life appeal to you? Are you homesick?homesick?

A close study of pA close study of poetic devicoetic deviceses• Form: it is a Form: it is a lyricallyrical （抒情的）（抒情的） poem writpoem writ

ten mostly in ten mostly in hexameterhexameter(( 六音步）六音步） , with , with six stresses in each line, in a loosely six stresses in each line, in a loosely iamiambicbic （抑扬）（抑扬） pattern. The last line of eacpattern. The last line of each four-line stanza shortens the line to h four-line stanza shortens the line to tettetrameterrameter （四音步）（四音步） , with only four stres, with only four stresses. Each of the three stanzas has the sases. Each of the three stanzas has the same ABAB me ABAB rhyme schemerhyme scheme. .

ImageImage

• Visual ImagesVisual Images: lake, a small cabin, nine b: lake, a small cabin, nine bean rows, a hive, the various scenes froean rows, a hive, the various scenes from morning till night: glimmer, glow m morning till night: glimmer, glow

• Sound ImagesSound Images: bee, cricket, linnet, water : bee, cricket, linnet, water lapping. lapping.

Metaphor and PersonificationMetaphor and Personification

• Metaphor: the veils of morningMetaphor: the veils of morning• Personification: peace comes dropping sPersonification: peace comes dropping s

low, where the cricket singslow, where the cricket sings

Alliteration(Alliteration( 头韵）头韵）

• gg: gg: ggo now, and o now, and ggo to Innisfree; glimmer,o to Innisfree; glimmer, glow; glow;

• cc: cabin, clay;cc: cabin, clay;• hh: have, hive, honeyhh: have, hive, honey• ll: live, alone, loud, glade; lake, lapping, lll: live, alone, loud, glade; lake, lapping, l

owow• sccs: some, peace, peace, slowsccs: some, peace, peace, slow

End rhyme and internal rhymeEnd rhyme and internal rhyme

End rhymeEnd rhyme （尾韵）（尾韵） : Innisfree, bee; mad: Innisfree, bee; made, e, gladeglade  

slow, glow; sings, wings slow, glow; sings, wings day, day, gray; gray; shore, , coreshore, , core Internal rhymeInternal rhyme(( 行内韵）行内韵） : Dropp: Droppinging from from

the veils of the mornthe veils of the morninging to where the c to where the cricket sricket sings; s;

AssonanceAssonance （半谐音）（半谐音）

• I will I will arisearise and go now, for always and go now, for always night night and dayand day  

• While I stand on the While I stand on the roadroadwayway, or on the , or on the pavepavements ments graygray, ,

Background InformationBackground Information• Yeats commented on Yeats commented on ““The Lake Isle of InnisfreeThe Lake Isle of Innisfree”” in a in a passage in his autobiography about his London days:passage in his autobiography about his London days:  

• I had still the ambition, formed in Sligo in my teens, of I had still the ambition, formed in Sligo in my teens, of living in imitation of Thoreau on Innisfree, a little island living in imitation of Thoreau on Innisfree, a little island in Lough Gill, and when walking through Fleet Street veryin Lough Gill, and when walking through Fleet Street very homesick I heard a little tinkle of water and saw a homesick I heard a little tinkle of water and saw a fountain in a shop-window which balanced a little ballfountain in a shop-window which balanced a little ball upon its jet, and began to remember lake water. Fromupon its jet, and began to remember lake water. From the sudden remembrance came my poem "Innisfree," mthe sudden remembrance came my poem "Innisfree," m

yy first lyric with anything in its rhythm of my own music. first lyric with anything in its rhythm of my own music.

• I had begun to loosen rhythm as an escape from rhetoric and froI had begun to loosen rhythm as an escape from rhetoric and from m

that emotion of the crowd that rhetoric brings, but I onlythat emotion of the crowd that rhetoric brings, but I only understood vaguely and occasionally that I must for my specialunderstood vaguely and occasionally that I must for my special purpose use nothing but the common syntax. A couple of years purpose use nothing but the common syntax. A couple of years later I could not have written that first line with its conventional later I could not have written that first line with its conventional archaism -- "Arise and go" -- nor the inversion of the last stanza.archaism -- "Arise and go" -- nor the inversion of the last stanza.  

About William Butler Yeats(1865-About William Butler Yeats(1865-1939)1939)• Poet and playwright, an Irishman of EnglPoet and playwright, an Irishman of Engl

ish ancestry, Yeats was born in Dublin, Irish ancestry, Yeats was born in Dublin, Ireland, the son of a painter, John Butler eland, the son of a painter, John Butler Yeats. Yeats.

• He spent his childhood in County Sligo, He spent his childhood in County Sligo, where his parents were raised, and in Lowhere his parents were raised, and in London. One of his earlier poems written indon. One of his earlier poems written in 1892, The Lake Isle of Innisfree, was oun 1892, The Lake Isle of Innisfree, was out of his homesickness for this region whet of his homesickness for this region where he spent many summers as a boy.re he spent many summers as a boy.

• Early in life Yeats sought to transform IriEarly in life Yeats sought to transform Irish folklore and legend into poems. sh folklore and legend into poems.

• He overcame shyness to take an active pHe overcame shyness to take an active part in social events: he became involved art in social events: he became involved in the movement for an Irish nation and in the movement for an Irish nation and in founding the Irish Literary Theatre(18in founding the Irish Literary Theatre(1898) and the Abby Theatre in Dublin.98) and the Abby Theatre in Dublin.

• Also a potent influence on his poetry was the IrAlso a potent influence on his poetry was the Irish revolutionary ish revolutionary Maud GonneMaud Gonne, whom he met i, whom he met in 1889, a woman equally famous for her passin 1889, a woman equally famous for her passionate nationalist politics and her beauty. Thoonate nationalist politics and her beauty. Though she married another man in 1903 and greugh she married another man in 1903 and grew apart from Yeats (and Yeats himself was evew apart from Yeats (and Yeats himself was eventually married to another woman, Georgie Hyntually married to another woman, Georgie Hyde Lees), she remained a powerful figure in his de Lees), she remained a powerful figure in his poetry.poetry.

• Yeats was deeply involved in politics in IrYeats was deeply involved in politics in Ireland, and in the twenties, despite Irish ieland, and in the twenties, despite Irish independence from England, his verse rendependence from England, his verse reflected a pessimism about the political sflected a pessimism about the political situation in his country and the rest of Euituation in his country and the rest of Europe.rope.

• Appointed a senator of the Irish Free StaAppointed a senator of the Irish Free State in 1922, he is remembered as an impote in 1922, he is remembered as an important cultural leader, as a major playwrigrtant cultural leader, as a major playwright and as one of the very greatest poetsht and as one of the very greatest poets——in any languagein any language——of the century. Yeats of the century. Yeats was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1923 anwas awarded the Nobel Prize in 1923 and died in 1939 at the age of 73. (from Poed died in 1939 at the age of 73. (from Poets.org)ts.org)

Four steps in reading poemsFour steps in reading poems

• 1. Enjoy the sound1. Enjoy the sound

• 2. Savor the word2. Savor the word

• 3.Visualize the image3.Visualize the image

• 4.Observe the form4.Observe the form

• 5. reflect on the theme5. reflect on the theme

Reading Aloud and recitingReading Aloud and reciting

• I will arise and go now, and go to I will arise and go now, and go to , ,• And And there, of there, of made; made;• will I have there, a will I have there, a for the for the

, , • And live alone in the And live alone in the ..

• And I shall_____________________, for And I shall_____________________, for peace______________________,peace______________________,

• Dropping from Dropping from to to __ ________;;

• There midnightThere midnight’’s all s all , and noon a , and noon a ,,

• And evening full of And evening full of ..

• I will_________________, for always___I will_________________, for always_____________,__________,

• I hear I hear ________ ________; ; • While______________, or____________While______________, or____________

_____________,_____________,• I hear it_______________________.I hear it_______________________.