Sonnets by the Irish Poet William Butler Yeats

Short poems in the English Language

What you'll learn
Familiarity with the life and writing of William Butler Yeats
Knowledge of Irish culture and history
Understanding of poetic form and sonnet structure
Advanced use of English language
Requirements
This course is open to all
Description
William Butler Yeats is a major English language Irish poet. Among his hundreds of poem, a number are produced in the classical sonnet form. In these short poems, Yeats speaks of his love of Maud Gonne, of Ireland, and of literature; he presents images that reflect his understanding of the human condition and of himself. Ultimately, the sonnets are works of art, short, finely crafted and thoughtful. They offer an avenue into Yeats's poetry and into the Ireland and times in which he lived.

This course includes an overview of the life of Yeats, introducing his family, his education, his interests and his writing. There is also an introduction to the sonnet poem. It includes a short account of the background and evolution of the form and then sets out its technical aspects. We are now ready for Yeats’s engagement with the sonnet and his works are divided into Sonnets for Maud Gonne, Sonnets for Ireland, Sonnets on Artistry, Sonnets of Vision and finally, Sonnet Self Portraits. Each sonnet is read and then commented on in relation to its form and significance for Yeats. Sonnets by the Irish Poet William Butler Yeats builds knowledge and understanding of a particular group of poems and also of the Ireland out of which they were emerged.

Who this course is for
This course is of particular interest to lovers of poetry and in particular Irish Literature. It will be of value to undergraduate students of literture and English language.
William Butler Yeats is an internationally celebrated poet and was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature. His poems appear regularly in film and, in particular, his "No Second Coming" is a favourite in dystopian and apocalyptic movies. This course offers a deeper understanding of Yeats as man and poet and of a time and place that produced such an extraordinary writer.
These are love poems, dedicated to Ireland and to the love of William Butler Yeats, Maud Gonne.