, About the poet
• William Butler Yeats, a prominent Irish poet, writer
and playwright was born in Dublin, Ireland on June 13,
1865, he died January 28, 1939, at the age of 73.
• In 1867 his family moved to London where he spent
the middle years of his life.
• He often accompanied his mother on her visits to her
parents who lived in Sligo on the west coast of
Ireland.
• Innisfree, a real place near the coast of Ireland. It is
not inhabited and is on Lough Gill, a lake in County
Sligo. This is where the young Yeats spent a lot of
time as a child and the idyllic memory remained with
him forever.
, Background to the poem
• The poem was written and published in 1893, while the poet
was living in the crowded, dirty, smog-filled London, a time
when he described himself as being ‘very homesick’.
• His homesickness centred round Sligo, where he spent much
time as a child: he longed to return to the seclusion of the
Irish countryside - to Lake Isle of Innisfree, to be specific.
• Yeats said he got the idea for the poem as he was walking
down Fleet Street in London, and heard the sound of a
water fountain in a shop window.
• It reminded him of the lapping of the water at Innisfree, and
it fed his urge to escape from the artificial life of the city, into
the peaceful surroundings of nature.
• The poem expresses the speaker's longing for the peace,
tranquillity and simplicity of the Irish countryside.
• He firmly believes that all his physical and spiritual needs will
be satisfied there.
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller OpsommingsSummaries. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $2.88. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.