The Lake Isle of Innisfree Essay Questions

What is the significance of the Biblical allusion in the phrase "arise and go"?

The phrase "I will arise and go" comes from The Book of Luke. The Prodigal Son wastes his father's inheritance and falls into servitude in a foreign land. He eventually feels regret and decides to return home to his father and declares his intention with the words, "I will arise and go." Yeats's use of this phrase refers to the regret of many Irish immigrants who left their home to work in other countries, particularly England and the United States. The "inheritance" they waste is the natural and cultural richness of Ireland, to which they long to return.

How does the speaker present the magical quality of nature in this poem?

The speaker uses mystical imagery to describe nature, which emphasizes his spiritual connection with it. Specifically, his descriptions of the midnight being "all a glimmer" and the "noon a purple glow," suggest a dream-like quality to this environment. Normally, the night is dark and the noon bright. However, in the poem, this is reversed because of the bright night stars and the hazy color of the heather reflecting in the lake. In addition, the speaker describes the fog as a "veil," similar to a head-covering worn by women in religious contexts.

How does the speaker emphasize self-reliance in his vision of everyday life on Innisfree?

The speaker imagines undertaking a number of difficult physical tasks in order to consolidate his rural life. To begin with, the speaker must find an area to live and set about building a small cabin out of "clay and wattles." These are all local materials found on the island. He then must plant crops to sustain himself, so he plans to plant beans and also set up a beehive. These are significant aspects of the poem because they show how the speaker must work hard in order to live harmoniously with nature without relying on the city or anyone else.

How can "The Lake Isle of Innisfree" be read politically? What does the poem suggest about Ireland?

At the time the poem was written in the late nineteenth century, Ireland was a British colony. A number of Irish nationalist writers started the Irish Literary Revival to show how Ireland had its own rich culture and history separately from England. In emphasizing the beauty and peacefulness of Western Ireland, considered primitive and uncouth by the colonizers, the poem makes an argument that Irish history is something of which to be proud.

Where is the speaker located and why is this important?

The speaker is not, as some readers assume, in Innisfree but rather in a big city. This is made clear in the line, "While I stand on the roadway, or on the pavements grey." The speaker dreams of going to Innisfree and even declares his intention with the phrase "I will arise and go." However, this remains a dream. In this way, the poem contrasts the alienation and coldness of the urban life with the peace and ease of rural life.