If a poet interprets a poem of his own he limits its suggestibility.
William Butler YeatsRead
We had fed the heart on fantasies, The heart's grown brutal from the fare, More substance in our enmities Than in our love
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects on the idea that indulging in imaginary notions of love can lead to emotional numbness and an emphasis on conflict over genuine affection.
In this quote, Yeats explores the consequences of nourishing our hearts with unrealistic fantasies rather than authentic love. The heart, in turn, becomes hardened and desensitized, finding more value in enmity and conflicts than in the tenderness of genuine connections. This speaks to the dangers of idealizing love and neglecting the nurturing of true, meaningful relationships, which can lead to a prevalent culture of discord over compassion.
Themes
LoveFantasyRelationshipsEmotionsEnmity
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a discussion about the nature of modern relationships in a psychology class.
More from William Butler Yeats
All quotes βIt was my first meeting with a philosophy that confirmed my vague speculations and seemed at once logical and boundless.
William Butler YeatsRead
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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