The Lake Isle of Innisfree
is a poem by W.B. Yeats. The poem depicts the longing of the poet to escape his
life in the city and find peace and solace in the lap of nature. The poet wants
to go to Innisfree which is an uninhibited island in Ireland where the poet
spent his childhood. He wants to build a small cabin for himself in the island
and grow beans and raise honeybees. He wants a quiet and tranquil life which is
contrary to the busy life of the cities. The poem is set in the countryside. The
poet makes use of imagery to express his feelings and emotions. The images in
the poem are both visual and auditory.
In the first stanza,
the poet states his resolution that he would go to Innisfree and lead a
solitary life in the island. He would make a small cabin for himself and plant
beans and raise honeybees. He wants an escape from the busy life in the city. In
the second stanza, the poet describes the natural beauty of Innisfree. He describes
the morning mist or fog to be a veil where peace would come dropping like dew
drops. The veil of the morning also presents an image of the unspoiled beauty
of a bride. The poet describes the midnights of Innisfree as glimmering, which
implies a golden glowing starlit sky. The noon is described by the poet to have
a purple glow. These images present a contrast of colours which aptly describe
the unspoiled natural beauty of Innisfree. In the third stanza the poet repeats
his resolution to go to Innisfree. He seems to have woken up from a daydream
and suddenly realizes the reality of his surroundings. The poet says that he
can hear the sounds of the lapping waters of the lake against the shore of Innisfree
even while standing on the grey pavements of the city. The memories of the free
life that he lived in Ireland are deeply ingrained in his heart. Therefore the
poet desires to leave behind the restrictive life of the city and go back to Innisfree
and life his life in peace.
The themes that we come
across in the poem include a longing for an ideal pastoral island, escape from
city life, trying to go back to the past and the idea of individuality and
independence. The rhyme scheme of the poem is abab. The poet also makes use of
alliteration and assonance in the poem. The tone of the poem is serene,
thoughtful and reflective. The poem depicts the balance and harmony of nature.
