If a poet interprets a poem of his own he limits its suggestibility.
William Butler YeatsRead
That beautiful mild woman for whose sake There's many a one shall find out all heartache On finding that her voice is sweet and low Replied, 'To be born a woman is to know- Although they do not talk of it at school - That we must labor to be beautiful.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects the struggles women face in society regarding beauty standards and the expectations placed upon them.
In this quote, William Butler Yeats conveys the idea that women are often defined by their beauty and the labor required to achieve societal standards of attractiveness. The speaker acknowledges that this understanding is not typically addressed in educational settings, emphasizing the inherent challenges and heartaches that come from trying to meet such expectations.
Themes
BeautyWomanExpectationsLaborSociety
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about gender roles during a lecture on women's issues.
More from William Butler Yeats
All quotes →It was my first meeting with a philosophy that confirmed my vague speculations and seemed at once logical and boundless.
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But I, being poor, have only my dreams; I have spread my dreams under your feet; Tread softly because you tread on my dreams.
William Butler YeatsRead
How far away the stars seem, and how far is our first kiss, and ah, how old my heart.
William Butler YeatsRead
For he would be thinking of love Till the stars had run away And the shadows eaten the moon.
William Butler YeatsRead
Love is created and preserved by intellectual analysis, for we love only that which is unique, and it belongs to contemplation, not to action, for we would not change that which we love.
William Butler YeatsRead
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