If a poet interprets a poem of his own he limits its suggestibility.
William Butler YeatsRead
Whence had they come The hand and lash that beat down frigid Rome? What sacred drama through her body heaved When world-transforming Charlemagne was conceived?
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects on the historical and transformative forces that shape societies and individuals.
In this quote, Yeats contemplates the origins of power and influence that have molded civilization, specifically referencing the tumultuous history of Rome and the significant figure of Charlemagne. It suggests an awe for the powerful events and figures that have defined human history and the dramatic narratives that lie behind them.
Themes
HistoryTransformationPowerCivilizationDrama
In practice
Example use cases
In a lecture about the impact of historical figures on modern society, one might remark, 'As Yeats pondered, we ask ourselves, what forces have shaped our world today?'
More from William Butler Yeats
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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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