Yeats, Folklore And Occultism: Contexts Of The Early Work And Thought (routledge Library Editions: W. B. Yeats)

This lively introduction to the poems of W. B. Yeats, first published in 1988, provides a series of intriguing new readings of his work in relation to his profound involvement with occultism and folklore. During Yeats's formative years as an artist, two compelling movements were emerging: the revivals of interest in Irish folklore and in the magical tradition. Yeats later named folklore and occultism as the chief intellectual influences on his youth, and Yeats, Folklore and Occultism sets out to test this claim. This is an important critical book for Yeats scholars and all those concerned with understanding of twentieth-century poetry. Cover 1 Half Title 2 Title 4 Copyright 5 Original Title 6 Original Copyright 7 Dedication 10 Contents 12 Preface 14 Acknowledgements 20 Abbreviations 22 1 Sincerity and the Early Thought and Work 26 2 The Moon upon the Tide: Yeats and the Philosophy of Irish Fairylore 66 3 This Monotony of Happiness: "The Wanderings of Oisin" 110 4 Words of Power, Language of Art 151 5 Natural Ideals: Yeats and the Walled Garden 196 6 Aftermaths 242 Appendix 258 Selected Bibliography 262 Index 274 This set reissues 6 books, originally published between 1951 and 1990, on William Butler Yeats, a foremost figure of twentieth-century literature and one of the driving forces behind the Irish Literary Revival. The volumes examine Yeats's work, his poetic development, and his social and private life, and will be of interest to students of literature.