Class 9, Poem 4: The Lake Isle of Innisfree

Poem 4: The Lake Isle of Innisfree**

By William Butler Yeats

**Thinking about the Poem**

**I.**

1. **What kind of place is Innisfree? Think about:**

    * **(i) the three things the poet wants to do when he goes back there (stanza I).**

        * **Answer:** The three things the poet wants to do when he goes back to Innisfree are:

            1. Build a small cabin of clay and wattles.

            2. Have nine bean-rows.

            3. Have a hive for the honeybee.

    * **(ii) what he hears and sees there and its effect on him (stanza II).**

        * **Answer:** He hears the bee-loud glade (the buzzing of bees). He sees peace dropping from the veils of the morning to where the cricket sings. He sees midnight all a glimmer, noon a purple glow, and evening full of the linnet's wings. These sights and sounds bring him a feeling of deep peace.

    * **(iii) what he hears in his “heart’s core” even when he is far away from Innisfree (stanza III).**

        * **Answer:** Even when he is far away from Innisfree, standing on the roadway or on the pavements grey, he hears the low sound of lake water lapping by the shore in his "heart's core."

2. **By now you may have concluded that Innisfree is a simple, natural place, full of beauty and peace. How does the poet contrast it with where he now stands? (Read stanza III).**

    * **Answer:** The poet contrasts the simple, natural, beautiful, and peaceful place of Innisfree with where he now stands – "on the roadway, or on the pavements grey." The "roadway" and "pavements grey" represent the dull, noisy, and artificial environment of the city, which is the opposite of the tranquility and natural beauty of Innisfree.

3. **Do you think Innisfree is only a place, or a state of mind? Does the poet actually miss the place of his boyhood days?**

    * **Answer:** Innisfree is likely both a real place from the poet's boyhood and a state of mind representing peace, simplicity, and a connection with nature. The vivid, specific details (cabin, bean-rows, lapping water) suggest it's a real place he remembers.

        Yes, the poet actually misses the place of his boyhood days. His deep yearning to "arise and go now" and the fact that he hears the lake water lapping "always" in his "heart's core" clearly indicate that he misses Innisfree and longs for the peace and simplicity it represents.

**II.**

1. **Look at the words the poet uses to describe what he sees and hears at Innisfree.**

    * **(i) Bee-loud glade**

    * **(ii) Evenings full of the linnet’s wings**

    * **(iii) Lake water lapping with low sounds**

    **What pictures do these words create in your mind?**

    * **Answer:**

        * **(i) Bee-loud glade:** This creates a picture of a sunny, open space in a forest or among trees, filled with the constant, gentle buzzing sound of many bees, perhaps flying among wildflowers. It evokes a sense of natural, vibrant life.

        * **(ii) Evenings full of the linnet’s wings:** This paints a picture of dusk in Innisfree, where small linnet birds are fluttering around, perhaps returning to their nests. The image suggests movement, gentle sounds of wings, and the tranquil beauty of twilight.

        * **(iii) Lake water lapping with low sounds:** This creates an image of the calm lake waters gently hitting the shore, producing a soft, repetitive, and soothing sound. It evokes a sense of peace, stillness, and the natural rhythm of water.

2. **Look at these words:**

    * **...peace comes dropping slow**

    * **Dropping from the veils of the morning to where the cricket sings.**

    **What do these words mean to you? What do you think “comes dropping slow” from “the veils of the morning”? What does “to where the cricket sings” mean?**

    * **Answer:**

        * **"...peace comes dropping slow"**: This means that peace descends very gently, gradually, and quietly in Innisfree. It's not a sudden arrival but a slow, seeping feeling of tranquility.

        * **"Dropping from the veils of the morning"**: This imagery suggests that peace comes with the morning mist or dew, which looks like a delicate veil over the landscape. As the mist clears or the dew settles, peace reveals itself. It signifies a fresh, natural, and almost magical way peace arrives with the dawn.

        * **"to where the cricket sings"**: This refers to the peaceful, natural environment where the sounds of nature, like the cricket's song, can be heard. It implies that peace pervades the entire natural setting, reaching even the small creatures and their habitats. It means peace extends throughout the day into the time when crickets are active.