Yeats’ S Reflections On Irish National Culture In The Wanderings Of Oisin

William Butler Yeats(1865-1939) is viewed as one of the most significant Englishlanguage poets in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Yeats composed a great number of poems which have earned him international reputation. He gradually dedicated himself to Ireland since his late 20 s and employed symbolism in his poetry. Finally he built up his own creating style in poetry. W. B. Yeats is honored to be the last romantic poet, going through the transition from romanticism to modernism.His narrative poem The Wanderings of Oisin was initially published in 1889. Prior to its publication, W. B. Yeats had already issued some other poems, which were mainly about Greek myths, eastern religions like Hinduism, or occultism. But the publication of Wanderings suggested that Yeats’ s focus was transformed to Irish myths, legends and folklore. This thesis aims at Yeats’ s transition in themes and how he tries to show his idea on Irish national culture in this poem. Chapter One introduces the poet’s life and works, a wide range of researches completed by scholars as well as the structure of this thesis. Chapter Two analyzes the Otherworld and Oisin, both are representatives of Celtic myths. They are also adopted and adapted by Yeats in his poem. Chapter Three Yeats’ s romantic thought, the relationship between Yeats and the Pre-Raphaelites, and the poet’s romantic manifestation in Wanderings. Chapter Four delivers the progress in his religious thought, and the way he shows his disapproving attitude to Catholicism in the poem. The poet grew up under the influence of Skepticism and Positivism partly owing to his father, which caused his ambivalent attitude to Catholicism. He denounces Catholicism through the mouth of Oisin. Chapter Five discusses about his cultural nationalism and his expression of patriotic passion in the poem. Yeats himself is a cultural nationalist advocating revolution by means of culture rather than violence, his affection for Ireland is conveyed in Oisin’s fight against the devil. Chapter Six discusses and summarizes his ideas on Irish culture. To conclude, this thesis is to analyze the factors that lead to Yeats’ s transition in themes, his thought and how Yeats reflects on Irish culture in Wanderings.