Symbolism and Yeats: An Analysis of Two Poems - The Dolls and A Coat - Research Paper Example

Symbolism and Yeats: An Analysis of Two Poems - “The Dolls” and “A Coat” As with many poets, the imagery and language that is utilized within William Butler Yeats’ poetry is oftentimes highly symbolic. This is so much the case that likelihood of understanding the poem itself is oftentimes predicated on the ability to understand the symbolism within it. As such, the following analysis will be concentric upon discussing the levels of symbolism and underlying meanings that are represented within two of William Butler Yeats lesser known poems: “A Coat” and “The Dolls”. One of the primary rationales for discussing these somewhat lesser known poems as a means of understanding Yeats’ symbolism is with respect to the fact that many other analysts and authors have engaged in interpretive assumption and analysis concerning the other more well known works; however, comparatively few analyses have been made with respect to the poems in question. It is the hope of this author that by analyzing these two poems, in light of the question of how symbolism is utilized by Yeats’ to effect deeper meanings, the reader can come to a more informed and appreciable understanding with respect to the ability of Yeats to representing meanings to the reader – alongside meanings veiled within symbology. Furthermore, by seeking to understand the motivations behind the symbology and the reasons why William Butler Yeats expressed these sentiments and meanings in the way he did, the reader will also come to appreciate the talent of Yeats to an even greater degree than they might have before. Firstly, with regard to William Butler Yeats’ “The Dolls”, the reader is presented with a poem that features the ruminations of an old man as he looks over a collection of dolls. Yet, beneath the surface is represented a much deeper and fundamental human issue; the need and continual desire for perfection. Ultimately, the poem continually plays on the desire of the doll-maker to represent perfection and the continual frustration that he finds in the “real world” as this perfection ends in decay, imperfection, flaws, and death. As the dolls sit on the shelf, the speaker becomes more and more disgusted by the reality of the insufficiency and imperfection that is represented within humanity; and by a greater level of discussion reality itself. One by one, the speaker analyzes the comparison between the real and the superficial/artificial; at each and every occurrence coming to realize that the artificial things are better. This is performed not only for the dolls themselves, but for the bird, and even the golden casket. A profound level of symbolism that few could miss relates to the comparison that the poet makes between the baby and the perfection that is exhibited by the doll. Ultimately, even though both of these could be argued as “his own creation”, the narrator muses that the baby that the doll-maker and his wife have created is noisy and ultimately filthy; even revolting. However, by means of contrast and comparison, the doll that he has revered and admired for years is perfect in every way; immutable to the corruptions of life and the slow decay of time (Ingelbien 183). Proceeding a step further, symbolism is yet again evoked as the narrator recalls that his wife attempted to console him over the birth of the child by calling it an “incident”. This qualification of the sexual union that produced this “flawed” child stands in contrast to the stark symbolism of the painstaking process that helped to create the “perfect” doll; something that no doubt took the narrator days if not weeks of careful labor. By means of contrast and comparison, the symbolism of a single mistake or lapse in judgment, even fluke of nature, that produced the infant is compared to blind chance and even further helps to evoke the symbolism between that which is human/real and that which is artificial and created. As if this symbolism were not enough, the speaker goes on to lament his own humanity, flaws, and imperfections; wishing he could sing the song of the “golden bird”. Naturally, as the reader can immediately note, the golden bird itself is yet another example of an inanimate object that is incapable of any of the behaviors of actions that makes the narrator real. Focusing more and more on the desire for artificiality, the reader is led to understand that the doll-maker is lost in his own world of fictitious longing; hoping for the day in which the worries and hardships that are faced as a part of being human can be removed and he too can experience the perfection that can only be achieved within the realm of the unreal (Ingelbien 75). Yet, it cannot be understood that Yeats utilizes symbolism in a similar way throughout all his poems; or indeed that “The Dolls” was indicative of the highest use of symbolism that the poet was capable of. As a function of the second poem which will be analyzed, “A Coat”, the analysis will seek to be concentric upon discussing the way in which Yeats uses symbolism to evoke emotion and engender sympathy within the heart of the reader. The obvious level of symbolism, as the title implies, is centered upon the degree and extent to which the “coat” that Yeats discusses serves as an allegory for the lies that he has carefully constructed to insulate his image and personality from those that would wish to tear him down. In effect, this “coat” serves as an illusion through which Yeats employs to disguise his true nature and self from those that would seek to do him harm (Jones 25). Yet, as time goes by, it becomes more and more apparent that the lies that Yeats has so carefully constructed come to define him more than he might wish. In a way, the symbolism of the coat then turns into a symbolism for the self-constructed prison that Yeats is forced to live within. Further leveraging symbolism, Yeats expresses with rejoicing that his secret has been found and that the lies that he has so carefully constructed to insulate himself from the censure and criticism of those in the outside world is no longer useful. But instead of making it appear as if the symbolism of the coat is something that was “taken” from him, Yeats hints that he ultimately allowed these lies to be understood and allowed for the charade to end; likely due to the fact that he was weary of it and, just like an old coat, wanted to be rid of the hardships that this double life effected on him. Interestingly, even though the coat was no longer effectively disguising Yeats from those that would twist his words or misinterpret his meanings, he further alludes to the symbolism of those that stole the coat now proudly wearing it as if it were their own. Historical analysis of this statement lends the reader to understand that Yeats was likely referring to the way in which political opponents, especially those that did not understand his meanings or poetry, were using it to their own ends; something that no doubt annoyed and frustrated Yeats to no end (Long 8). As such, the frustration in the fact that he was misunderstood eventually turned to smug satisfaction as he realized that the fools that had stolen his coat, has array of lies, were too foolish to comprehend their meaning; thereby allowing him to escape naked. Naturally, the escape that Yeats was symbolically referring to had to do with the fact that he was free from attempting to fight for the words he had said and would allow history and those with enough intellect to interpret them as they saw fit. In a sense, “The Coat” serves as a double sided symbolism for Yeats; both in the fact that he is able to conceal himself with it, and to foist the absurdity of interpretation on those that utilize it to make their own points. The use of symbolism throughout poetry is not something unique. It has been employed since the earliest practices of literature and something that the greatest writers and poets have effectively utilized to mask their meaning; either as a way of making it oblique to the reader or as a way of escaping the censure and criticism of certain members of society. In the case of the first poem that was analyzed, it is rather clear that Yeats was utilizing symbolism as a means of masking meaning in an oblique manner; providing a redundant and infinitely powerful means of conveying the absurdity of chasing after immortality or perfection. By means of contrast and comparison, the utilization of symbolism within the second poem was likely done as a means of masquerading the initial statements that Yeats was seeking to direct at those that he had duped. As a function of this dual usage, the reader can come to a greater level of appreciation for the way in which William Butler Yeats utilizes symbolism to effect the meanings he attempts to convey to the reader. Works Cited Ingelbien, Raphael. "Symbolism At The Periphery: Yeats, Maeterlinck, And Cultural Nationalism." Comparative Literature Studies 3 (2005): 183. Project MUSE. Web. 5 May 2014. McDermott, Theodore, et al. The Fugitive And The Ideal: Symbolism And Impressionism. n.p.: Gale, Cengage Learning, 2013. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 5 May 2014. Long, Scott. "The Influence Of French Symbolism On William Butler Yeats In His Early Years." (2014): OAIster. Web. 5 May 2014. Jones, Susan. A Poetics Of Potentiality: Mallarmé, Fuller, Yeats, And Graham. n.p.: Oxford University Press, 2013. Oxford Scholarship Online. Web. 5 May 2014. Read More