The Lake Isle of Innisfree

 Literary Devices in the poem

 1. Rhyme Scheme: abab

 2. Alliteration: Alliteration is the repetition of a consonant sound in two or more closely placed words.  

  a.‘hive’, ‘honey bee’ – ‘h’ sound is repeated;

  b.‘lake’, ‘lapping’, ‘low’ – ‘l’ sound is repeated

  3. Repetition: ‘I will arise and go now’ is repeated in stanzas 1 and 3

  4. Personification: morning is personified

  5. Metaphor: clouds are compared to veils

 

 Summary

 

The poet remembers his past, his boyhood when he visited the peaceful Lake Isle of Innisfree. He wants to go there and says he will live there alone. He wants to build a small cabin with clay and wattles. He would grow beans and set up a honeybee hive.

 

The poet describes the peaceful natural surroundings of the lake. He tells us that the scene of the cloudy mornings, the shining stars, the glowing Sun, and birds flying in the sky give him peace. He feels relaxed to hear the pleasant sound of the cricket’s song.

 

The poet feels the urgency to go to the lake Isle of Innisfree. Deep in his heart, he can hear the sound of the lake waters hitting the shore. It is as if the lake is calling him. He hears the sound everywhere; either on the busy roads or the grey-colored pavements of the city where he lives. This indicates that he wants to escape from the artificial life of the city into the peaceful surroundings of nature.

 

 Answers to the Textual Questions

1. What kind of place is Innisfree? Think about:

 

(i) the three things the poet wants to do when he goes back there (stanza I);

 

Ans:

 

(i) The three things that the poet wants to do when he goes to Innisfree are as follows –

 

a) he wants to build a small cabin with clay and wattles.

 

b) he wants to plant nine rows of beans.

 

c) he wants to keep a honeybee hive.

 

(ii) what he hears and sees there and its effect on him (stanza II);

 

Ans:

(ii) The poet sees the cloudy morning which looks like the sky is wearing a veil. He hears the song of the cricket. He sees the linnet bird flying in the evening sky. The glimmering stars in the night sky and the purplish glow of the afternoon Sun. All these give him a feeling of being at peace.

  (iii) what he hears in his “heart’s core” even when he is far away from Innisfree (stanza III).

 Ans:

 (iii) Even when the poet is far away from Innisfree, he hears the sound of the lake water hitting the shore in the depth of his heart.

 

2. By now you may have concluded that Innisfree is a simple, natural place, full of beauty and peace. How does the poet contrast it with where he now stands? (Read stanza III.)

 A. The poet describes lake Innisfree as a place full of the bounties of nature. He sees the cloudy sky, the glowing stars in the night sky, the purple glow of the afternoon Sun, and the linnet bird flying in the evening sky. The sound of the cricket’s song is also pleasing to him. On the other hand, the place where he stands now is an urban place that is devoid of all these beauties of nature. He says that there are roadways and grey-colored pavements around him.

 

3. Do you think Innisfree is only a place or a state of mind? Does the poet actually miss the place of his boyhood days?

 A. Innisfree is a place that the poet used to visit in his boyhood. As he lives in the city now, he expresses a desire to go to Innisfree which had peaceful surroundings. This shows his state of mind.

 Yes, he misses lake Innisfree when he says that the sound of the lake water hitting the shore echoes in the core of his heart.

 

 II. 1. Look at the words the poet uses to describe what he sees and hears at Innisfree

 (i) bee-loud glade

 (ii) evenings full of the linnet’s wings

 (iii) lake water lapping with low sounds

 What pictures do these words create in your mind?

 Ans:

 (i) bee-loud glade

 We can imagine bees buzzing around.

 (ii) evenings full of the linnet’s wings

The image of linnets flying across the evening sky appears in the reader’s mind.

 (iii) lake water lapping with low sounds

 These words draw an image and also, create the sound of the lake water striking against the shore of the lake.

 

2. Look at these words;

 … peace comes dropping slow

 Dropping from the veils of the morning to where the cricket sings

 What do these words mean to you? What do you think “comes dropping slow…from the veils of the morning”? What does “to where the cricket sings” mean?

 Ans: These lines indicate that the feeling of being ‘at peace’ seeps in slowly and gradually. As one sees the cloudy morning which is followed by the pleasant song of the cricket, the poet gains peace of mind. These vibrant sounds and scenes of nature bring a feeling of peacefulness experienced by the poet.