William Butler Yeats was an outstanding poet of the early twentieth century, though some of his much critically acclaimed and popular poems were written in the late nineteenth century. The range of his poetry is remarkable, encompassing idealistic romanticism and physical sensuality, political themes as well as the spirit of free inquiry, brief compressed expression as well as long narratives.

This book presents a selection of Yeats’s poems along with a critical reading of these poems. A brief overview of Yeats’s life and times is provided along with the historical and literary background. This is followed by a discussion of the poet’s themes and stylistic techniques in general. Major critical perspectives on the poet’s work are incorporated in context. The text of each poem is accompanied by detailed annotations and analysis of important passages in the poem besides a critical discussion of the themes and stylistic features of the particular poem.