“The Wild Swan at Coole” Comparision

The poem “The Wild Swan at Coole” by William Yeats is similar to his other poems due to its literal content concerning two of his common subjects of interest: nature and time. It uses a slightly unorganized structure as well as a symbol that stands not only for itself but also for its timeless quality. “The Song of the Happy Shepherd” and “Isle of Innisfree” share similar literal content while “To a Child Dancing in the Wind” uses the same unorganized structure, and “Sailing to Byzantium” shares a similar symbol.These characteristics were most likely shaped by Yeats’s own life experiences. His Romantic desire to return to nature was probably caused by the results of the Industrial Revolution, while his use of slightly unorganized structure may have been shaped by his personal dislike of structure. Also, his use of timeless symbols may be due to a desire for immortality brought on by his old age or desire to be with the youthful daughter of Maud Gonne. 

Yeats uses vivid imagery to describe the beautiful swans and their surroundings. He portrays a dry autumn day in which both the sky and water are still. He describes the swans that occupy the scene as “brilliant,” “mysterious,” and “beautiful.”  ”This Romantic view of tranquil, untamed nature is a recurring theme throughout much of Yeats’ poetry. In “The Song of the Happy Shepherd, Yeats describes it as a “humming sea” and “sleepy ground”, while in “The Lake Isles of Isle of Innisfree,” Yeats describes a peaceful oasis that essentially frees him of life’s worries. This reminiscent view towards untamed nature may be a reaction to the results of the industrial revolution, in which much of nature was polluted or destroyed.

  Yeats also uses a slightly unorganized structure and rhyme scheme for the poem. The poem is not written in a commonly used structure, such as that of a sonnet.Yet it is not completely unorganized and written free verse. The rhyme scheme of ABCABDD stays consistent throughout the poem as do the number of lines in each stanza. The length of the lines in the stanza also alternate between long and short, helping to create contrast.This contrast is used to emphasize the difference between the youthful nature of the swans and Yeats’s own age. This unorganized structure is also used in “To a Child Dancing in the Wind,” ,a poem which shares the same unusual rhyme scheme, to create contrast. Here it is also used to emphasize Yeats’s own age but not in relation to a youthful girl not youthful swans.

Yeats also illustrates the swans in such a way that makes them appear timeless. They have been at the lake for 19 years, which is almost 3 times the average lifespan for a wild swan. However, Yeats says that  ”their hearts have not grown old”. The sky is “still” and the water “mirrors” the still sky. This makes the setting appear to stand still around the presence of these forever youthful swans. Furthermore, Yeats neglects to describe any other kind of features in the surroundings such as the moon, clouds, or even a ripple in the water, implying that everything is at a stand still. Instead, he uses diction to create a sense of impending action when he writes, “Upon the brimming water among the stones…” This use of symbols that stand for a timeless quantity is also used in “Sailing to Byzantium,” in which the narrator’s trip to Byzantium not only represents his actual physical trip to the city of Byzantium, but also his journey towards immortality through everlasting art. While the narrator knows that he cannot live forever, he wishes for his heart and soul to live forever through art.

The literal content about nature, the slightly unorganized structure and rhyme scheme, as well as the use of symbols that stand not only for themselves but also for timeless qualities, are common characteristics of Yeats’ style of poetry. These characteristics were most likely shaped by Yeats’s own life experiences.