The poem The Lake Isle of Innisfree by William Butler Yeats
Introduction
The poem The Lake Isle of Innisfree by William Butler Yeats talks about a person longing to go back to the island called Innisfree. He wants the solitary life in a cabin on the island and finds the peace that comes with being alone. At the end of the poem, one realizes that Innisfree is a place within one’s heart, where he longs to find peace and acceptance. Yeats longs to be in a better place than he is currently, and he has the firm resolve to return to this peaceful place. The Tale of the Reed by Rumi talks about the separation of a lover from her beloved. The lover, personified as the reed, gets separated from the beloved, who is also personified as the reedbed. The song of the reed in the poem references the reed’s desire to be reunited with her beloved. The theme of separation and reunion is shared between the two ballads (Yeats 1; Rumi 7,8). In the Lake Isle of Innisfree, Yeats wishes to return to the island, where he left so that he can be at peace. In ”The Song of the Reed, the reed hopes to be reunited with the reedbed. Therefore, this paper will explore the theme of separation and reunion to show how it is a common theme between the two poems.
Discussion
In the poem The Lake Isle of Innisfree, the author starts by saying that he will rise and go to the island where there are a small cabin and a beehive. He will live there alone amidst the bees.he author’s desire to return to the island, where there are good things like the cabin and honey. The name Innisfree Tis used in this case as a symbolic reference to inner freedom. He seeks to be free from within and he believes that he can attain the freedom alone, without the judgement and influence of other people (Yeats 4,5). he believes that in this place, he will enjoy peace at all times and in all ways. Though he is in the city now, he hears the sweetness of the island calling him. Implicitly, this means that though the author is in a place that he is not happy and peaceful now, he has this strong inclination to go to the island of peace. He wishes to find peace and harmony once again so he can be happier. In The Song of the Reed, Rumi tells the account of a lover who is separated from the beloved. The reed sings a song of ecstasy throughout the poem, as it faces the fateful reality of being separated. The reed is anxious about its new destiny and it cries for the longing to go back to its beloved. The reed longs for the intimacy of its beloved.
Yeats, like the reed, want to go to the island while the reed wants to be reunited with its reedbed. Yeats longs for the comfort and peace that he will get in Innisfree. He ecstasies over this thought that he wishes he could go to the island as soon as possible. In the same way, the reed mourns its separation from the reedbed. It reminisces on the good times they shared together, “Since I was cut from the reed, I have made this crying sound” (Rumi 3,4). Both speakers are not happy in their current situation even though they pretend to be happy and not show their desire. Yeats says that while he stands in the roadway or on the gray pavements, his heart is in Innisfree. Similarly, the reed says that he is present at gatherings and mingles with friends, but his sorrow of being separated lie deep within and many would not know. In the end, the reader is not told whether the two characters reunite. It is not known if the reed is finally reunited with the reedbed or that Yeats finally goes to Innisfree. Sometimes, some things are impossible to achieve and they remain just that, desires.
Conclusion
The theme of separation and reunion cuts across the two poems. Both Yeats and the Reed wish to be reunited with Innisfree island and the reedbed respectively. They express their desires vividly and give reasons for them; to continue to enjoy the peace and intimacy they did. Therefore, it becomes evident that the reedbed and Innisfree island are places in the heart of an individual. This is where they find love, peace, and understanding. Life’s situations may dissociate people from these feelings, but it is the desire of many to live in an environment that offers both peace and love.
Works Cited
Yeats, William Butler. The Lake Isle of Innisfree. Available at https://poets.org/poem/lake-isle-innisfree. Accessed 19/4/2020
Rumi. The Reed Flute’s Song. Available at https://onbeing.org/poetry/song-of-the-reed/, 2012.