Yeats and Swans

I enjoyed The Wild Swans at Coole because of the imagery and because I found it easy to relate to. Yeats describes the surroundings beautifully, which makes the poem relaxing and calming. Phrases such as “trees are in their autumn beauty”, “woodland paths are dry”, “under the October twilight the water mirrors a still sky”, and “scatter wheeling in great broken rings upon their clamorous wings” make it easy for the reader to visualize each and every line of the poem. As I was reading, I felt as if I was actually at the autumn scene by the lake. Yeats does a nice job describing the swans as well. I could picture their beauty, youthfulness, and mysteriousness. Although the poem has a tranquil vibe, it is sad as well. The speaker is experiencing heart ache because they realize many things in their life have changed since the October day nineteen years ago when they first saw the swans. The speaker has changed and the world has too. Although I feel blessed to have such a wonderful life, I sometimes feel sad thinking about how things in my life have changed. I miss the things I used to do when I was younger, the loved ones I have lost, and the friends I have grown apart from. Change can be hard to accept, even when both the past and present are good. The speaker also mentions how as they grow older, the swans “hearts have not grown old”. The speaker is fascinated by how each and every move made by the swans is graceful and youthful. Growing old is painful for the speaker, just as it is for many people. Although the speaker may envy the swans and their unchanging nature, I think the swans represent happiness and hope. They show how life continues on. Even after the speaker in the poem dies, there will still be more swans bringing happiness to others. Yeats’ other poem about a swan, Leda and the Swan, contrasts The Wild Swans at Coole. Whereas the swans  in the first poem discussed are admired and loved, the second poem involves a violent swan that rapes a young girl. It is weird reading the two poems back to back because the swans in the first poem are graceful and gentle. They bring happiness to others. The swan in the second poem however brings pain.  I noticed how the diction Yeats chose when writing about Leda differs from the diction he used to describe the swan. When describing the swan he uses harsh words such as: dark, blow, great, glory, strange, broken, and brute. Leda is portrayed as helpless with words such as: staggering, caught, terrified, and broken. The contrasts helped me grasp the differences between the two characters and better picture the struggle. The poem is strange, but the mythology behind it is interesting.  I enjoyed reading it and comparing it to the very different first poem.

The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock

Based on the title I figured this poem would be lighthearted and filled with positive imagery. I guess after reading The River-Merchant’s Wife: A Letter I should have known better than to assume that just because a poem is called a love song or love letter doesn’t mean it will be happy. As soon as I began reading, I instantly realized this poem was going to be depressing. Eliot begins with a simile comparing the night sky to a patient under anesthesia stretched out on an operating table. I found this comparison very odd and disturbing. When I think of love, I don’t think of hospitals or death. After reading through the entire work, I decided this simile was a good way of setting the tone for the entire poem. Just like the lifeless patient, J. Alfred Prufrock himself is lifeless, empty, and lonely. He discusses his inadequacy and shortcomings during the majority of the poem. It is upsetting how Prufrock felt embarrassed by almost every aspect of his life. He mentions his dissatisfaction with his aging body and balding head. In addition to his appearance he is dissatisfied with who he is as a person. He lacks the admiration, creativity, and respect of Hamlet and Michelangelo.


I like how the poem has many repetitions, for they help portray J. Alfred Prufrock’s dull life and his indecisiveness.  Day after day he feels secluded and endures mockery. Prufrock feels that people are just like the days of his life in the fact that they are all the same. If all women are the same, he feels there is no point in even asking out this woman he loves. He knows what it is like to not be loved in return, so he decides it is best to go through that pain again. After reading this part of the poem, I was conflicted about whether or not to pity Prufrock. I agree that it would be frustrating to live a life with little change especially when the days are unpleasant and filled with mockery. However, by assuming that everyone is the same, he misses out on many experiences. His loneliness is partly his fault.

Although the subject matter is sad, the poem is very enjoyable. From the beginning, Eliot pulls the reader in with detailed descriptions. I could easily picture the yellow fog, hotels, and half-deserted streets. I especially enjoyed the rhyming and Eliot's extensive use of imagery. There were several places in the poem in which I felt like I should have felt sad, but the rhyming and word choice made me laugh instead.