NNAMDI AZIKIWE UNIVERSITY AWKA, ANAMBRA STATE.

FACULTY OF ARTS

DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERARY STUDIES

SEMINAR PRESENTATION WILLIAM BUTLER YEATS' “ADAM'S CURSE AND NO

SECOND TROY.”

LECTURER'S NAME: DR. IFEOMA ODINYE

DATE: 02 JUNE, 2025

ABSTRACT

This paper explores William Butler Yeats’s poems Adam’s Curse and No Second Troy
through the lens of historical context, personal experience, and literary theory. It examines
how Yeats intertwines emotional depth with national identity and critiques a society that
undervalues art and beauty. Through close reading, the study analyzes Yeats’s use of
metaphor, allusion, irony, and symbolism to portray love, artistic labor, and political idealism.
The paper also situates the poems within modernist concerns such as fragmentation,
disillusionment, and mythic reinterpretation. Drawing from Romanticism, Modernism,
Postcolonialism, and Psychoanalysis, this analysis reveals Yeats’s evolving poetic vision
and the complex interplay between personal anguish and cultural change in early 20th-
century Ireland.

Keywords: Yeats, modernism, nationalism, Maud Gonne, poetic labor, Irish identity

BIOGRAPHY

William Butler Yeats was born on June 13, 1865, in Sandymount, Dublin, Ireland. He was
born into an Anglo-Irish Protestant family with strong artistic and intellectual traditions. His
father, John Butler Yeats, was a well-known painter, and his brother Jack Yeats became one
of Ireland’s leading artists. Yeats spent much of his early life moving between London and
Dublin, which gave him exposure to both English literary traditions and Irish folklore.

Yeats began his poetic career in the late 19th century with works deeply influenced by
romanticism and mysticism. He became a central figure in the Irish Literary Revival, helping
to establish a distinct Irish literary identity. He co-founded the Abbey Theatre in 1904, which
became the national theatre of Ireland. Throughout his life, Yeats was involved in politics,
serving as a senator for the Irish Free State from 1922 to 1928. His later works reflected
modernist influences and a deepened philosophical inquiry.

Yeats received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1923, and his poetic journey is noted for its
transformation—from dreamy romanticism to a more austere and symbolic modernism. He
died on January 28, 1939, in Menton, France.

What Prompted the Writer

Yeats was inspired by a variety of personal, political, and philosophical factors. The personal
dimension is especially evident in the poem Adam’s Curse, where Yeats discusses the
challenges of creating art and maintaining beauty in a world that undervalues such efforts.
The poem was inspired by a conversation Yeats had with Maud Gonne, a revolutionary and
the great unrequited love of his life. Yeats expresses his frustrations with the perception that
poetry and artistic labor are effortless.

In No Second Troy, Yeats directly addresses his emotional turmoil over Maud Gonne's
refusal of his marriage proposals and her continued commitment to Irish nationalism. Gonne
was a fiery and passionate advocate for Irish independence, and Yeats often saw her as
both muse and destructive force. Her political passion and refusal to return his love left
Yeats emotionally torn—torn between admiration and despair.

Both poems reflect the emotional depth and complexity of Yeats’s experiences with love,
beauty, labor, and socio-political ideals. He turns personal pain into philosophical reflection
and public commentary.

Historical Formation of the Texts

The poems Adam’s Curse and No Second Troy were written during a transformative period
in both Yeats’s life and Irish history. This era saw the rise of Irish nationalism, the decline of
British imperial influence, and a cultural renaissance known as the Irish Literary Revival, of
which Yeats was a central figure.

Adam’s Curse was composed in 1902 and published in 1903 in the collection In the Seven
Woods. The early 20th century was a time when Ireland was striving for cultural and political
autonomy from British rule. This cultural revival emphasized Gaelic literature, Irish folklore,
and traditional arts. Yeats felt the tension between his identity as an Anglo-Irish poet and his
desire to contribute to the Irish cause. The poem reflects a broader societal undervaluation
of the arts at a time when manual labor and political action were prioritized.

No Second Troy was written in 1910 and reflects the political unrest in Ireland, particularly
around the actions of Maud Gonne and her involvement in nationalist movements like
Inghinidhe na hÉireann. The poem alludes to the violent potential of political idealism and
questions the morality of such fervor. This period was marked by growing calls for Irish
Home Rule, which culminated in the Easter Rising of 1916 and later the Irish War of
Independence. Yeats’s ambivalence towards violent revolution is evident in this poem.

The historical formation of these texts is rooted in a complex web of personal

disillusionment, national awakening, and a shifting literary landscape transitioning from
Romanticism to Modernism. Yeats uses his poetry to critique, mourn, and question these
shifting paradigms.

The Texts and Their Interpretation of Society

Both Adam’s Curse and No Second Troy serve as reflections of and responses to the
societal context of Yeats’s time.

In Adam’s Curse, Yeats laments the societal failure to recognize the labor that goes into
poetry and beauty. He uses the Biblical allusion to Adam’s fall to show that hard work, once
a punishment, has become a virtue misunderstood by modern society. He critiques how
society prizes superficial achievements and underappreciates the deep emotional and
intellectual efforts behind art. The poem mirrors a world that is becoming increasingly
utilitarian, where emotional and aesthetic pursuits are undervalued.

In No Second Troy, Yeats projects his frustration with Maud Gonne’s political radicalism onto
a broader critique of revolutionary zeal. The poem portrays her as a tragic heroine,
comparable to Helen of Troy, who indirectly caused the Trojan War. He interrogates whether
individuals like Gonne are justified in stirring unrest for the sake of lofty ideals. The poem
reflects Yeats’s discomfort with the violence he foresaw as inevitable in the nationalist
cause, suggesting that passion untempered by reason may lead to destruction.

Together, these texts explore how personal love, national identity, and artistic integrity are
affected by the pressures and contradictions of society. Yeats’s work acts as a mirror and a
warning to a society on the cusp of transformation.

Literary Devices Used in the Poems

a. Allusion
Adam’s Curse: References the Biblical figure Adam to emphasize the idea that all beauty
requires toil.

No Second Troy: Alludes to Helen of Troy, casting Maud Gonne in a mythic light.

b. Metaphor

Adam’s Curse: Poetry is described as laborious as physical work, likening writing to manual
labor.

No Second Troy: Maud Gonne is metaphorically likened to ancient tragedy and fire.

c. Irony

Adam’s Curse: The irony lies in society’s failure to see poetry as labor, though it demands
just as much effort.

No Second Troy: Yeats ironically blames himself for expecting peace from someone like
Maud, when her nature was clearly passionate and revolutionary.

d. Symbolism

Adam’s Curse: The moon symbolizes romantic conversations, while “beautiful women”
symbolize unattainable ideals.

No Second Troy: Fire symbolizes both destruction and the light of idealism.

e. Enjambment and Rhythm

Yeats often uses enjambment to carry thoughts across lines, maintaining fluidity and
emotional momentum. His rhyme schemes are traditional, but the content challenges
societal norms, blending form with rebellion.

f. Repetition and Contrast

In Adam’s Curse, repetition underscores the drudgery of beauty.

In No Second Troy, contrasts are used between peace and violence, beauty and destruction,
romantic love and national duty.
 Discovering a Theory Related to the Texts (Isms)

a. Romanticism: The emphasis on emotion, individualism, and beauty aligns Adam’s Curse
with Romantic ideals. However, Yeats moves beyond this by critiquing the societal neglect of
such values.

b. Modernism: Both poems exhibit modernist tendencies: disillusionment with society,

fragmented identity, and a skeptical view of progress. The complex emotional undertones,
mythical references, and ambiguity are characteristic of Modernism.

c. Feminism: No Second Troy can be examined through a feminist lens. Maud Gonne’s
portrayal as a strong, politically active woman is simultaneously admiring and critical,
revealing Yeats’s conflicted views on female agency.

d. Psychoanalytic Criticism: Yeats’s emotional obsession with Maud Gonne and the
projection of inner conflict in both poems invite a Freudian reading. The poems represent his
struggle between desire and repression, love and loss.

e. Postcolonialism: Given Ireland’s colonial condition during Yeats’s time, the nationalistic
themes and identity crises present in No Second Troy open the door to postcolonial
interpretations, especially regarding cultural reclamation and the resistance against imperial
narratives.

How It Is a Modern Period Work

Yeats’s transition from Romanticism to Modernism is evident in both poems. The themes of
alienation, the decline of traditional values, disillusionment with politics, and the search for
meaning in a chaotic world are all hallmarks of Modernism.

Adam’s Curse presents the disillusionment of the artist and critiques a society that values
productivity over poetic labor. This reflects the modernist concern with existential value.

No Second Troy reflects modernist ambiguity and mythic appropriation, using classical
references to explore contemporary dilemmas. The emotional fragmentation and
ambivalence toward nationalism further anchor it in modernist sensibilities.

Both poems demonstrate Yeats’s experimentation with language, form, and myth to express
the psychological and cultural anxieties of the early 20th century. The introspective, layered
style and philosophical depth illustrate the transition from 19th-century ideals to modernist
complexity.

CONCLUSION
William Butler Yeats’s Adam’s Curse and No Second Troy are emblematic of a poet
grappling with the tumult of personal emotion and national identity. Through rich imagery,
mythic allusion, and philosophical reflection, Yeats critiques a society that undervalues
emotional and artistic labor while wrestling with the complexities of love and politics.

The poems reflect a changing world—one moving from Romantic idealism to Modernist
realism. They are steeped in history, but their themes remain universally relevant: the cost of
beauty, the power of love, the dangers of untempered idealism, and the eternal struggle
between art and society.

As modern readers, we are invited into Yeats’s internal and external conflicts, his admiration
and frustration, his hope and despair. These poems remind us that behind every line of
verse lies a lifetime of thought, emotion, and sacrifice—a truth as relevant today as it was
over a century ago.

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