William Yeats's "The Wild Swans at Coole"

Text:
The trees are in their autumn beauty,
The woodland paths are dry,
Under the October twilight the water
Mirrors a still sky;
Upon the brimming water among the stones
Are nine-and-fifty Swans.

The nineteenth autumn has come upon me
Since I first made my count;
I saw, before I had well finished,
All suddenly mount
And scatter wheeling in great broken rings
Upon their clamorous wings.

I have looked upon those brilliant creatures,
And now my heart is sore.
All's changed since I, hearing at twilight,
The first time on this shore,
The bell-beat of their wings above my head,
Trod with a lighter tread.

Unwearied still, lover by lover,
They paddle in the cold
Companionable streams or climb the air;
Their hearts have not grown old;
Passion or conquest, wander where they will,
Attend upon them still.

But now they drift on the still water,
Mysterious, beautiful;
Among what rushes will they build,
By what lake's edge or pool
Delight men's eyes when I awake some day
To find they have flown away?


Initial Reaction:
"The Wild Swans at Coole" tells the story of a narrator who returns every year to the same lake, from which he observes a group of swans. The narrator appreciates the beauty and grandeur of the swans and enjoys visiting the creatures. He notices their habits, their pairings, and their flight. He wonders if one day they will fly away and never return.

Paraphrasing:
The beautiful trees in the fall,

The wooded paths are dry,

Under the October dusk the water

Reflects a motionless sky;

Upon the shore

Are fifty-nine swans.

This is the nineteenth autumn

Since I first counted the swans;

Before I finished counting, I saw

Them all mount

And fly away

With their noisy wings.

I have seen these swans,

And now my heart aches.

Things have changed since I, hearing,
For the first time,

The sound of their wings as they fly above me,

Walked with a lighter step.

Tirelessly, in couples,

They swim in the cold

Streams or fly;

They are still young at heart;

Passion or conquest, wherever they go,

Still affect them.

But now they sit upon the calm water,

Mysterious, beautiful;

Where will they build their nests,

By what water's edge

Will others be happy to see them when I realize one day

That they are gone?

SWIFTT:
Syntax/Word Choice:

“The Wild Swans at Coole” consists of five stanzas, each composed of six lines. The structure is formal and poetic, as shown by the numerous appositives. In addition, many lines contain inversion which adds to the formality. As for diction, Yeats uses an abundance of adjectives to add to the imagery and the tone of the poem.

Imagery:

Several of the stanzas utilize imagery. The first stanza produces the image of the lake, which “mirrors a still sky” on that autumn day (4), while the second stanza depicts the great swans in flight. By the fourth stanza, the reader can picture the coupled swans.

Figurative Language:

Yeats uses figurative language throughout "The Wild Swans at Coole" by associating swans with freedom and therefore, happiness.

Tone:

The tone of the poem is admiration, with a hint of despair. Yeats comments on beauty, freedom, and happiness of the swans. He enjoys looking upon them, but at the same time, "[his] heart is sore" (14). He envies their ability to "wander where they will," to "drift on the still water," to fly away and never return (23, 25).

Theme:
The theme of the poem is freedom. Yeats desires to abandon his routine, restricted life and to break free. He wants to experience the happiness embodied by the swans.

Conclusion:

At first, I thought shallowly of "The Wild Swans at Coole." I believe the poem expressed Yeats's simple adoration for the swans, but I now recognize the deeper meaning behind the text. Yeats is, in fact, is reflecting on his habitual, monotonous life while expressing despair that he cannot be as free as the swans, who are able to take flight at their convenience and escape from their usual setting.