The Major Works: Including Poems, Plays, and Critical Prose

by W.B. Yeats, Edward Larrissy (Editor)

A unique selection of Yeats's major poems, plays, criticism and other prose writings, showing the connectedness of his literary output. Formerly published in the acclaimed Oxford Authors series. Published 2023-04-18

Genres: Poetry, Classics, Irish Literature, Ireland, Plays, Nonfiction, Drama

608 pages, Paperback

First published January 15, 1997

About the author

William Butler Yeats was an Irish poet and dramatist, and one of the foremost figures of 20th century literature. A pillar of both the Irish and British literary establishments, in his later years Yeats served as an Irish Senator for two terms. He was a driving force behind the Irish Literary Revival, and along with Lady Gregory and Edward Martyn founded the Abbey Theatre, serving as its chief during its early years. In 1923 he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature for what the Nobel Committee described as "inspired poetry, which in a highly artistic form gives expression to the spirit of a whole nation." He was the first Irishman so honored. Yeats is generally considered one of the few writers who completed their greatest works after being awarded the Nobel Prize; such works include The Tower (1928) and The Winding Stair and Other Poems (1929).

Yeats was born and educated in Dublin but spent his childhood in County Sligo. He studied poetry in his youth, and from an early age was fascinated by both Irish legends and the occult. Those topics feature in the first phase of his work, which lasted roughly until the turn of the century. His earliest volume of verse was published in 1889, and those slow paced and lyrical poems display debts to Edmund Spenser and Percy Bysshe Shelley, as well as to the Pre-Raphaelite poets. From 1900, Yeats' poetry grew more physical and realistic. He largely renounced the transcendental beliefs of his youth, though he remained preoccupied with physical and spiritual masks, as well as with cyclical theories of life.
--from Wikipedia

Reviews

[Sam Young · Rating 4 out of 5]

i think i would be A Bad Irish Reader if i didn’t at least read SOME yeats! thankfully my fwiend anna was reading it at the same time! we were able to buddy read and discuss the major themes of his work. and discuss we did!! we came up with a couple of ideas that were a throughline in his writing (Celtic mythology, war/suffering, nature, endings! you know, the works!). his writing makes sense in the context of the Ireland he lived in; an agriculturally-based, revolutionary society trying to gain independence from their imperial overlords

[Kevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was delighted when my studies finally led me to this famed poet. Yeats is a figure that Irish people seem to take for granted. We are brought up in the knowledge of his accomplishments, yet few of us have any knowledge of how truly brilliant his works are. Poems like Easter 1916 and The Wild Swans of Coole, one reflecting on the political and the other on a man's longing for life.
Everyone deserves to read his works and everyone will be better for it.

[Lachrymarvm_Library · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had, of course, heard of W.B. Yeats, but before I got this collection, I only knew his name as a well-regarded poet. In my last few years of delving into occult lore, his name came up again in association with the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. I found it noteworthy that someone who is more accepted in the Traditional Literary World was also involved in 'secret' occult societies. Not to cast shade, but generally speaking those two worlds don’t have a ton of overlap. For instance, Aleister Crowley (who was also in the Golden Dawn at the time) thought he was a better poet than Yeats. I've read a lot of Crowley and in terms of writing about magick, he's brilliant - but as a poet, not so much; now that I've read Yeats, it's just laughable to think about.

Full disclosure, this book is well over 500 pages and I did not read all of it. To the book’s credit, it contains a variety of materials by Yeats, including plays, essays, a few speeches from his time in the Senate (!) and personal letters in addition to the obvious poetry section. I may return to read more of that material, but I focused on what interested me (probably about two/thirds of it). I read ALL the poems (about 200 pages worth), most of the essays (which were among my favorites, but especially “Magic” & “The Symbolism of Poetry”), and a section that really caught my attention called “Occult Speculation”

I don’t read poetry as often as, say, fiction or philosophy/essays. When the mood strikes, my tastes are very specific. Some of my favorites have been Baudelaire, Poe, Shakespeare, Verlaine, and Blake. Yeats fits among these lofty figures, though not as dark as some of them. I liked Yeats best when the poems had esoteric undertones or otherwise featured a more lyrical flow and rhyme scheme. Yeats wrote much about Irish lore and sociopolitical issues, which would have often been outside the scope of my knowledge but these Oxford editions do a great job with annotations. One poem I particularly liked (called 'All Soul's Night' - 1928) mentioned Yeats' friend Florence Emery (Farr), a fellow Golden Dawn member and writer/actress. I have obtained a book of her writings too (somewhat obscure and harder to find). Macgregor Mathers was aslo a Golden Dawn member (in fact, one of its leaders) and had been a friend of Yeats until they had a falling-out, which is alluded to here and in his essay, "Magic" (from 1901). A few other poems that stuck out to me were 'Phases of the Moon', 'Reconciliation', 'The Two Trees', 'Mad As The Mist and Snow', and 'Solomon and the Witch'...
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“I have now described that belief in magic which has set me all but unwilling among those lean and fierce minds who are at war with their time, who cannot accept the days as they pass, simply and gladly; and I look at what I have written with some alarm, for I have told more of the ancient secret than many among my fellow-students think it right to tell. I have come to believe so many strange things because of experience, that I see little reason to doubt the truth of many things that are beyond my experience; and it may be that there are beings who watch over that ancient secret, as all tradition affirms, and resent, and perhaps avenge, too fluent speech…" - from 'Magic'
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I especially enjoyed the ”Occult Speculation” section - excerpts from “Per Amica Silentia Lunae” and “A Vision” – which was apparently the product of years of ‘automatic’ writing prompted by séance experiments. Mine contained only a few dozen pages from what is a book-length work. Yeats attempted a cohesive system here, and although it’s truly fascinating (something involving spinning gyres?) its also kind of a mess. Part of me wants to try to read the entire text of 'A Vision' but part of me also thinks that it might not be worth my time. It doesn't help that there are two versions of 'A Vision' - one published in 1925 and one published in 1937 (revised) so I wouldn't even know which to read. This collection has excerpts from both versions. If anything, I'd be more inclined to find the full text of “Per Amica Silentia Lunae” which was also only excerpted.
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“We make out of the quarrel with others, rhetoric, but of the quarrel with ourselves, poetry. Unlike the rhetoricians, who get a confident voice from remembering the crowd they have won or may win, we sing amid our uncertainty; and, smitten even in the presence of the most high beauty by the knowledge of our solitude, our rhythm shudders.” - from 'Per Amica Silentia Lunae'
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[M.R.K M.R.K · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yeats is one of Ireland's best poets for sure! I loved navigating through his works and learn about Ireland's History through his neatly knitted poems. It is quite inspiring for me to write poetry as well. I will keep this book in my collection and review every now and then.

[Dylan Rock · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best editions of Yeats work, I particularly enjoyed the edition of his senate speeches and letters. The notes and introduction were extremely helpful

[Yeliz]

I am now officially quitting Yeats who I admire, in hope to return some day. It breaks me to leave a read halfway which happens rarely.

[Mark · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF, plays and prose were lame

[Céline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yeats is one of my favorite poets. The selection here was carefully made, and the introduction very informative .
I just love how Yeats had a lot of Muses, like Maud Gonne or Irish myths, and is now a big inspiration himself.
I've written an article about Yeats's "chain of inspiration" here: http://ouzepo.wordpress.com/2014/08/1... and I quoted Edward Larrissy a lot!

[Dana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really surprised me that I'd enjoy Yeats so much! And that I actually enjoyed the earlier poems about Celtic fairies! Later works very interesting, particularly where you can see the influence of his reading come in - particularly poems that resonate with the echoes of Donne. What an extraordinary career, constantly evolving.

[Natasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Poetry is an end in itself; it has nothing to do with thought, nothing to do with life, nothing to do with anything but the music of cadence, and beauty of phrase."