Trinh 1
Khoi Trinh
Deborah Hoffmann
English 100 008
31 January 2022
In Pursuit of Peace through Nature
In 1888, after returning to London, William Butler Yeats described experiencing a
“sudden” recollection of his childhood about a tiny island in Lough Gill, a tinkle of water and a
flowing fountain, which inspired him to write “The Lake Isle of Innisfree” (“The Lake Isle of
Innisfree”). Impelled by the rat race, the poet expresses a burning desire to escape the boredom
and chaos of urban life, as well as his endearment towards nature on Innisfree – an uninhabited
island in Yeats’s home county of Sligo, Ireland.
The poet demonstrates his love for nature through a dreamy and mystical lens,
providing a picturesque view of Innisfree. Yeats imagines “a small cabin build there” by using
inversion; the word “build” helps sketch out a somewhat mystifying cabin alone in the woods as
if it is there waiting for him (W. B. Yeats 2). Moreover, abundant is “clay” on the island, together
with “wattles,” have somehow found their way to help frame his imaginary home (2). To the words
of Vincent Van Gough, “if you truly love nature, you will find beauty everywhere,” he finds beauty
in what nature has to offer; in other words, Yeats is a humble and modest man (“If You Truly Love
Nature…”). Furthermore, being born into an Irish family, he knows extremely well that cultivating
“nine bean-rows” is all that he “will” need, making what should be a tough grind sounds rather
effortless as the poet finds joy in doing so (3). Next to the garden will be a hive full of bees, a
symbol of wealth and prosperity as flowers bloom, and the sounds will be “euphonic” to his ears
(Hoffmann). Yeats further conveys his affection for nature by describing crickets as singing rather
than finding it frustrating like many others would, also signaling a new day has begun for all
Trinh 2
creatures on Innisfree. Heather Island wears many colors throughout the day, glows up at noon
with its “purple glow” as the sunlight aluminates the heather flowers and flickers with stars the
whole night, and at dusk, linnets flutter their wings across the sky, returning to its nest (7).
Significantly, the bond and personal connection between the speaker and the island is evident as it
reaches out to his soul “night and day” even when he is standing on “the roadway” or “the
pavements” while being surrounded by the noisy and dull reality (9,11). Finally, deep in his heart,
the poet could hear the sound of the lake through the use of an onomatopoetic word “lapping,”
bringing him to the island by the shore as if he were there (10).
On the other hand, Yeats is fascinated with finding peach and tranquility, which he
could only find in the natural world. The opening phrase “[i] will arise and go” appears in the King
James Version of the Bible; this allusion establishes a dreamy and spiritual atmosphere as the poet
“elevated” to heaven that is Innisfree (W. B. Yeats 1, Hoffmann). Furthermore, on the island, Yeats
found himself not needing much, only a “small cabin,” “nine bean-rows,” as well as a “hive for
the honey-bee,” demonstrating that less is more and that he doesn’t need extravagances to be happy
(2,3). Moreover, Yeats is “alone” there “in the bee-loud glade,” he understands that peace will not
come in an instant; it “comes dropping slow” as he learns to live in harmony with the island, slowly
achieving the ultimate goal (4,5). Notably, “the veils” metaphorize the hazy and foggy weather in
the early morning, creating a spiritual ambiance (6). Similarly, the “purple glow” at noon and the
“glimmer” at midnight also establishes a heavenly sense of truth, unity, and clarity accommodated
with the sound of linnets flapping in the evening; truly a serene place (7).
Consequently, Yeats is devoted to escaping reality to achieve his spiritual goals.
When depicting the life on Innisfree, Yeats uses the word “there” for the duration of the poem to
emphasize the fact that peace cannot be found here in the present within the busy and fast-paced
Trinh 3
life; only when one travel far away from advanced societies and become one with nature then
solidarity and tranquility will be awakened (2,3,5,7). In the last stanza, once again, he “will arise
and go now,” expressing a keen desire and determination to leave the modern life behind, an
obstacle halting him from pursuing his ambition (9). Therefore, in the penultimate line, even
though the poet stands there, on “the roadway” and “the pavement grey,” he could still hear the
sound of splashing water distinctly from “the deep heart’s core” as if nature itself is calling out to
him (11,12). Additionally, by inverting the word “grey” and “pavement,” Yeats further emphasize
that the mundane and grim city life is the eminent barrier separating him from the spiritual life
(11). Especially, having written as a lyric poem, Yeats harmoniously delivers his inner feeling;
also, using the ABAB rhyme scheme, the poem is “connected,” showing that he is definite with
his wishes (Hoffmann).
In conclusion, “The Lake Isle of Innisfree” acts like a letter written with Yeats’s
aspirations and goals, wanting to fulfill his spiritual beliefs away from actuality. As well as
bringing his childhood memories of Innisfree to life, appreciating its beauty and values. And this
letter, who does he send it to? Instead, it’s a gift for those who are seeking inner peace and trying
their best to escape from the grasp of the rat race.
Trinh 4
Work Cited
“The Lake Isle of Innisfree.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 25 January 2022,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lake_Isle_of_Innisfree
Yeats, W. B. “The Lake Isle of Innisfree.” Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry,
Drama, and Writing, edited by X. J. Kennedy and Dana Gioia, 8th ed., Pearson, 2010, p.
454.
Hoffmann, Deborah. “The Lake Isle of Innisfree.” ENGL 100-008, 10 January 2022,
University of Regina, Regina. Lecture.
“If You Truly Love Nature.” Empress Of Dirt, Melissa J. Will, October 18 2021,
https://empressofdirt.net/love-nature/