První díl reprintu Yeatsových esejí. Co jest „lidová poezie"? – Deklamace s průvodem psaltéria – Magie – Nejšťastnější z básníků – Filosofie Shelleyových básní – V Stratfordě nad Avonem – William Blake a obrazotvornost Na obálce výřez z kolorované rytiny W. Blakea Stvoření světa.
W.B. Yeats' life spanned the end of the nineteeth and the beginning of the twentieth century, and his poetry reflects all the turmoil, fervour, traditions and revolutions of that period. From the quiet beauty of 'The Lake Isle of Innisfree' to the apocalyptic resonance of 'The Second Coming', this collection shows the impact of a great poet whose startling relevance to our own times grows more and more evident.
The present selection traces the development of Yeats's verse, encompassing the poet's interest in Irish folklore and national identity, his engagement with the political situation of his day, and the rich symbolism that is the hallmark of his work and a reflection of his lifelong fascination with the occult. It contains some of his best-known pieces, including the elegiac 'Easter 1916', the apocalyptic 'The Second Coming', and the reflective and spiritual 'Sailing to Byzantium'. Often radical in content but always traditional in form, these poems are by turns startling and affecting, and never less than inspired. Taken together, they form an ideal introduction to the poetic career of one of Ireland's greatest literary figures.