In the poem "No Second Troy," W.B. Yeats laments the loss of Maud Gonne, a woman with whom he was deeply infatuated. Gonne was a political activist and beauty who inspired Yeats's poetry, and the speaker in the poem reflects on how she has moved on and married another man.
The speaker begins by stating that Maud Gonne has "gone" and that there is "no second Troy" for him to lay siege to. This suggests that the speaker saw Gonne as a sort of prize or goal, and that now that she is no longer available to him, there is no other woman who could possibly compare. The speaker then goes on to describe how Maud Gonne has "fled to the arms of a vulgar man," implying that the man she has married is not worthy of her.
The speaker goes on to criticize Maud Gonne for her choices, saying that she has "left the plays at the playhouse" and "left the ranks of the royal Irish" in order to marry this man. The speaker implies that Gonne has given up her political activism and her sense of duty to her country in order to pursue a personal relationship.
Despite the speaker's anger and disappointment, the poem ends on a note of resignation and acceptance. The speaker admits that he cannot change the past and that Maud Gonne has made her choice. He concludes by stating that he will "grieve and live as best I may," suggesting that he will move on and try to find happiness in other ways.
Overall, "No Second Troy" is a poignant reflection on the loss of love and the pain of unrequited affection. It is a powerful expression of the speaker's deep feelings for Maud Gonne and his struggle to come to terms with her absence.
Maud Gonne
Yeats begins the poem very subtly freeing Maud Gonne from the charge of ruining his life and of inciting the Irish masses to violence. Being what she is, she just could not have behaved in any other way. No Second Troy is a typical poem. The war starts when Agamemnon and his brother Menelaus send their troops to bring her …show more content… Yeats met Gonne in 1889 and since then he was obsessed with her and her beauty. Archived from PDF on 14 July 2014.
He writes on the themes of love, sex, confusion, religious life, politics, morality, aging, morbidity. Besides that, Maud Gonne had a significant role in the Irish fight for independence. He also …show more content… He wrote hundreds of poems for her, one of which was No Second Troy. Poets should never marry. He was a driving force behind the Irish Literary Revival, and along with Lady Gregory and Edward Martyn founded the Abbey Theatre, serving as its chief during its early years. Responsibilities and Other Poems.
Biography, University of Hawai'i Press. . Why, what could she "to bum"—In ancient times, it is said, Troy was destroyed because of Helen. Moreover, the poem as a whole, is one sustained movement very well supported by the passionate syntax. She was an Irish revolutionary and a founder of Irish Nationalist group. This paternal relationship is core to the value of family, a likewise bond of faith and trust. Another recurring theme in the poems was his turbulent relationship with, and his In 1889, he met Maud Gonne, who he would propose to four times in the span of the next ten years.
36. No Second Troy. Yeats, W. B. 1916. Responsibilities and Other Poems
At the same time, the framing and posing of rhetorical questions are handled with great dexterity and skill. Retrieved 1 August 2022. New York: Oxford UP. The Importance Of Heroic Code In The Iliad 1570 Words 7 Pages In the epic poem, the Iliad written by Homer, several characters taking part in the warfare between the Achaeans and the Trojans are portrayed as embodying the heroic code of courage, physical strength, leadership, arete of value of honour, and the acceptance of fate. Retrieved 20 May 2018.
Retrieved 11 January 2017. And on the other, the poet shows us the chaotic side to Gonne, an Irish revolutionary, and her methods in defeating the British rulers. Glenmurray from the dictates of my reason, not my weakness or his persuasion. He studied poetry in his youth, and from an early age was fascinated by both Irish legends and the occult. Although this ending was mostly unexpected, it does make a lot of sense.
The poet says that blaming her for all this is useless because things just could not have been otherwise. Following the Civil War, blacks gained many advantages such as: Working with their families, good working conditions, worked for wages, and some even owned some land for themselves. He proposed to her several times, but she persistently rejected him. He also says that he should not blame her for teaching the ignorant Irish masses the methods of violent revolution to get Ireland its freedom, and is scornful of her for using the Irish people to fight against the power of Britain. The heroic code is illustrated by the actions of the Trojan prince, Hector and the Achaeans strongest warrior, Achilles. If he is being critical of her using them for her own gain, that would make sense.
Why, what could she have done, being what she is? The world should thank me for not marrying you. The Norton Anthology of English Literature. However, the years of the Reconstruction were extremely hectic as both blacks and whites fought for more power. Yeats expresses his scorn towards Maud Gonne for teaching the ignorant Irish masses the means of violent revolution, and for using the Irish people to fight against the power of England in an effort to gain Ireland its freedom. Rosewater, took me very much by surprise. There is no more of him left for her to burn. Thus, I believe that Yeats makes his criticism out of caution, and perhaps out of fear.
Promised Land By Elizabeth Bethel 560 Words 3 Pages In the article "Promised Land" Elizabeth Bethel examines the response of both blacks and whites to the new constitution and social reforms which led to vast changes in how the country was run from a political and economic standpoint. All this oratory, this zeal and its inciting were things which just could not have been helped with the kind of gifts she possessed. It certainly teeters the line. The implication of these lines is that although Maud Gonne was another Helen, she could not, in the changed circumstances, cause another Ti-ojan war. Yeats is certainly coping with her rejection, but I do believe that his criticisms can be valid and justifiable nonetheless.
I believe that it is the work of a man who was torn between two worlds, two nations, and was working to reconcile his allegiances. Elizabeth Bethel shows us the obstacles slaves faced and the rapid change of the government as blacks gained rights in the years known as the Reconstruction. The speaker realizes that human beings are all subject, in some varying degree, to the historical epoch they emerge on the scene of and will ply their character, will, desire, and passion using the tools available to one of their dispensation and station in life. Retrieved 10 January 2017. Theme Of Violence In The Iliad 822 Words 4 Pages So, this book is about two guys fighting over who gets Briseis and then this leads into one big war and in the end no one really gets her. The cloud itself cannot have definite dimensions, as it exists to only hide the moon, casting the speaker of the poem, his love and the cloud itself in a continuous darkness. The Nightingale Feminist Analysis 1342 Words 6 Pages The novel by Kristin Hannah, The Nightingale, was truly a remarkable and unbeatable story depicting two women who have taken extremely opposite stands in regards to Nazis occupation in France.
