If a poet interprets a poem of his own he limits its suggestibility.
William Butler YeatsRead
How can we know the dancer from the dance?
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote suggests that a person's identity and actions are inseparable and should be viewed as a whole.
William Butler Yeats's quote emphasizes the interconnectedness of an individual's actions and their essence. It implies that judgements about a person should not be made without considering the context of their actions, as the dancer and the dance are reflections of each other, showcasing the harmony between identity and behavior.
Themes
IdentityActionPhilosophyDanceJudgement
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a discussion about the importance of understanding people's motivations.
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.
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How far away the stars seem, and how far is our first kiss, and ah, how old my heart.
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For he would be thinking of love Till the stars had run away And the shadows eaten the moon.
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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.
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