Yeats-Feb 21

1. This poem left me with many questions mainly, especially ones that questioned if Yeats had any friends growing up. It is quite difficult for me to be drawn into a poem that first of all deals with the situation of rape let alone having it be told through this mythological figure. I guess I am one of those individuals that would rather read "happy" things, where there is happily ever after ending, but in this poem, you wouldn't find that. Putting aside my personal feelings, I think if an individual would read this, who enjoys fantasy and weird things they would think this poem was great, me however, I think this poem was horrible!

2. While I became acquainted with this poem in the way of trying to figure out its meaning and content I was astonished with Yeats' use of his portrayal of a rape from mythology. I feel his primary purpose was to create this predator vs victim portrayal, in which the victim was overcome with strength from her attacker that there was no way to "fight back." As a reader, we view mythological creatures as these "god-like" things that have all of the power in the world, and are inhuman with their powers. With this concept in mind Yeats was trying to draw a dramatic affect within a rape, by showing how powerful this specific attacker was. What I found interesting while reading was the theme in which this poem reveals the present through its portrayal of the past. Today when we analyze rape victims or these situations, people often question why it happened or why didn't the individual fight back. This is often so incomprehensible for individuals, however within Yeats' poem we are able to realize why a girl would not fight back as this huge creature with wings is rapping her, who overwhelms her both physically and mentally. This situation is similar to the past because individuals did not have freedom to do as they please, with this, it relates to today in the way of things happening that are beyond our control.