“The Wild Swans at Coole” by William Butler Yeats
This essay analyzes W.B. Yeats’ The Wild Swans at Coole as a dramatic lyric poem expressing themes of discouragement and the passage of time. Through its structured rhyme scheme, iambic cadence, and vivid seasonal imagery, the poem juxtaposes the stillness of autumn with the enduring vitality of the swans. Yeats reflects on his aging, unfulfilled dreams, and the constancy of nature, creating a melancholic tone that resonates with readers confronting change, loss, and the desire for lasting fulfillment.
References
Yeats, William Butler. “The Wild Swans at Coole.” The Longman Anthology of World Literature: Vol. F, The Twentieth Century. (2nd Ed.). New York: Pearson Longman, 2008: 309.
Reference
StudyCorgi. (2025, August 14). “The Wild Swans at Coole” by William Butler Yeats. https://studycorgi.video/the-wild-swans-at-coole-by-william-butler-yeats/