How far do you think Broken Dreams is a love poem? Adedeji Thierry Olaonipekun
Contextual Knowledge Published in 1917 at the age of 52, just after Yeats’ final proposal to Maud Gonne Maud’s husband, John MacBride, was executed a year prior to this poem for his affiliation with the Eater 1916 rising This poem differs from over poems about Maud Gonne; it feels more peaceful then it being filled with disgust and anger.
Form & Structure The poem is broken into 5 unequal stanzas linking the title, portraying his dreams to be with Maud Gonne has vanished causing a broken heart. This contributes to the unplanned feeling and the constantly shifting-focus of the poem, giving an in-and-out of conscious feel portraying what could’ve been; contrasting dreams with reality. There is lots of enjambment throughout the poem which fortifies this idea as it creates a fast-paced feeling conveying Yeats’ quick flow of recollection of memories. This mainly happens when he recalls the young beauty of Maud expressing his excitement and the deeply rooted love he had for her.
STANZA BY STANZA ANALYSIS LINKED TO LOVE
Stanza 1 THERE is grey in your hair. Young men no longer suddenly catch their breath When you are passing; But maybe some old gaffer mutters a blessing Because it was your prayer Recovered him upon the bed of death. For your sole sake - that all heart's ache have known, And given to others all heart's ache, From meagre girlhood's putting on Burdensome beauty - for your sole sake Heaven has put away the stroke of her doom, So great her portion in that peace you make By merely walking in a room. Yeats again expresses his resentment of ageing; beauty fades with growing old. Decaying a natural beauty. Reference to Maud’s late husband. Possibly expressing jealousy that she chose him over himself causing him to feel heart aches as his love was unrequited Her beauty is described as “burdensome”. Giving it negative connotations to portray how age affects those who are beautiful more as it diminished with age. Yet despite this she is still deeply admired; she’s given angelic qualities conveying that it’s not just her appearance that’s beautiful but also the person she is within. Looks + Personality is needed.
Stanza 2 Your beauty can but leave among us Vague memories, nothing but memories. A young man when the old men are done talking Will say to an old man, "Tell me of that lady The poet stubborn with his passion sang us When age might well have chilled his blood.' Link to: The Cold Heaven – “Vanished, and left but memories”. Both express how his chances to be with Maud have Gonne and now he can only reminisce about the good memories he has. Contrasts with the “Hot blood of youth” in The Cold Heaven. Contrasts the naivety of youth in love compared to age. Through ageing he has been able to look back on his love life causing his to filled with regret.
Stanza 3 Vague memories, nothing but memories, But in the grave all, all, shall be renewed. The certainty that I shall see that lady Leaning or standing or walking In the first loveliness of womanhood, And with the fervour of my youthful eyes, Has set me muttering like a fool. Becomes like a refrain in the poem, emphasising how he has lost Maud and is only left with memories made unclear possibly by age. He is obsessed with her youthful beauty. Only through death Yeats can be reunited with Maud in her youth. Links to An Irish Airman Foresees his Death; death changes everything. Maud was his first true love and he recollects how he was helplessly in love with her when he was younger. He emphasises his youthful beauty expressing how misses this; envious of the young.
Stanza 4 You are more beautiful than any one, And yet your body had a flaw: Your small hands were not beautiful, And I am afraid that you will run And paddle to the wrist In that mysterious, always brimming lake Where those What have obeyed the holy law paddle and are perfect. Leave unchanged The hands that I have kissed, For old sake's sake She becomes beauty personified fully expressing the extreme magnitude of her beauty. His exaggeration shows how deeply in love he is with her. #whipped He picks out a very small flaw she has making her seem more human; possibly making her more precious and desirable. She was previously beatified by his angelic descriptions throughout the poem, she is now neutralised by this flaw Where her “flaw” is, is the part he has kissed and wants unchanged. Reemphasising how precious her beauty is. Mysterious brimming lake – possibly link to The Wild Swans of Coole and The Fisherman. Water used as a medium for his reflection of memories. Connects her beauty to the nurturing and wonder of nature.
Stanza 5 The last stroke of midnight dies. All day in the one chair From dream to dream and rhyme to rhyme I have ranged In rambling talk with an image of air: Vague memories, nothing but memories. Whilst he still find life very sad from Maud’s rejection he has finally come to terms with it and it no longer torments him. There’s no point in chasing “broken” love. The image portrayed in the final two lines of ‘Broken Dreams’, suggests that all of his ‘rhyme[s]’ are unclear, repetitive and futile. His beliefs are expressed on paper, without the real conviction he seeks and he finds it difficult to truly emphasize the meaning of this futile love he has for the youthful Maud. This draws comparisons to the ‘old’ ideas he has recycled over the years in his poetry. He feels frustrated by the way his poetry seems very meaningless and the fact that he has nothing new to say. In the same way, he is suggesting that his poetry has become useless and insignificant in relation to everything else. The ‘rambling’ nature of it also reflects his increasing aged nature, and his inability to reflect his feelings on paper.