The Lake Isle Of Innisfree

(I) I will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree,

And a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made:

Nine bean-rows will I have there, a hive for the honey-bee,

And live alone in the bee-loud glade.

Explanation : In this poem ‘I’ refers to the poet William Yeats who says that he wants to go Innisfree.
There he will build a small room for himself with clay and small sticks that he will use to make walls and
fences of the cabin. Also, when he will live there then he will need some food to eat. So, he will grow
nine rows of beans near his cabin. Along with that, he will have a beehive to get fresh honey from the
beehive. Moreover, the poet says that the open space, where he will build his room will be full of the
buzzing sound of the bees. There he will live alone in peace and calmness.

(II) And I shall have some peace there, for peace comes dropping slow,

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

There midnight’s all a glimmer, and noon a purple glow,

And evening full of the linnet’s wings.

Explanation : In the second stanza, the poet says that when in Innisfree, he will feel peaceful. And
gradually he will feel peaceful as the feeling of peace is felt slowly. He also describes how he would feel
peaceful. When it is cloudy in the morning and the view of the sky is not very clear, then it will appear as
if the morning has worn a veil and has hidden. Moreover, looking at this scene makes him feel peaceful.
Also, he says that when male cricket sings their song, that sound will also bring him peace. In the
midnight, when he sees the twinkling in the night sky, their shine five him peace. During the afternoon,
when the sunlight gives a purplish glow, which also gives him peace. In the evening, when he sees the
linnet bird flying in the sky, then again he feels peaceful.

(III) I will arise and go now, for always night and day
I hear lake water lapping with low sounds by the shore;

While I stand on the roadway, or on the pavements grey,

I hear it in the deep heart’s core.

Explanation : In this stanza, the poet states that now he will take a stance and will go to Innisfree,
because all this time, the sound of the lake waters striking the shore repeats in his mind. In addition, the
sound of the lake attracts him towards the lake. Moreover, whenever he is standing on the roadway or
on the grey-colored pavements, he hears the sound deep in the innermost part of his heart.

The main theme of The Lake Isle of Innisfree?

The theme of ‘’The Lake Isle of Innisfree’’ is the interplay between nature and civilization. The speaker
values living alongside nature more than he values civilization and city life.

Extract Based Questions:

Read the following extracts carefully and answer the questions that follow:

1. I will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree,

And a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made:

Nine bean-rows will I have there, a hive for the honey-bee;

And live alone in the bee-loud glade.

(a) What does Innisfree symbolise?

(b) Find a word from the extract which is the antonym of ‘slumber’.
© Why does the poet say ‘I will arise and go now’?

(d) How will the poet make his cabin?

Ans:

(a) Innisfree symbolises peace and tranquility.

(b) Arise

© The poet is most probably sad and depressed as he says ‘I will arise and go now’.

This expression shows the poet’s urgency to leave the city for a more rustic

Environment.

(c) The poet will make his cabin of clay and wattle. It is an ancient construction

Technique known as ‘wattle and daub’ where clay is smeared over a frame of interwoven

Branches.

2. And I shall have some peace there, for peace comes dropping slow,

Dropping from the veils of the morning to where the cricket sings;
There midnight’s all a glimmer, and noon a purple glow,

And evening full of the linnet’s wings.

(a) Name the poem and the poet.

(b) What does the expression ‘peace comes dropping slow’ mean?

© What is beautiful about the morning?

(c) What is meant by “purple glow?

Ans: (a) The name of the poem is ‘The Lake Isle of Innisfree’ and the poet is ‘William

Butler Yeats’.

(b) It seems the poet equates the slow simple pace of life with peace. But here, the

Poet’s words, ‘peace comes dropping slow’ suggest that the concept of peacefulness is

Being unravelled to him gradually and he is taking his time to relish the quiet and calm.

© The poet finds the morning beautiful when he is awakened to the chirping of the

Cricket’s song as the mist is lifted by the rising of the sun.

(d) The colour purple is indicative of nobility and royalty. So the poet feels as if he is all
Aglow in the afternoon as he enjoys the warmth and peace, and the laziness that is the

Prerogative of the royals.

3. I will arise and go now, for always night and day

I hear lake water lapping with low sounds by the shore;

While I stand on the roadway, or on the pavements grey,

I hear it in the deep heart’s core.

(a) What is the mood of the poet in the last line of the extract?

(b) What is happening “always night and day?

© What does the poet hear deep in his heart?

(c) Find the internal rhyme in the given extract.

Ans:

(a) The poet is sad and feels frustrated with the fact that he cannot leave his place of

Work in the city.

(b) The poet is reminiscing every day and night about the beautiful life in the countryside.
© The poet can hear in his heart the sound of water hitting against the shore of Innisfree island all
through the day.

(c) “Roadway rhymes with “grey, but they both don’t come at the end of the line (hence,

Calling it “internal rhyme). It is the kind of thing you don’t notice unless you’re reading

The poem aloud.

Thinking about the poem:

Question 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);
(II) What he hears and sees there and its effect on him (stanza II);
(III) What he hears in his “heart’s core” even when he is far away from Innisfree (stanza
III).

Answer: Innisfree is a beautiful place where nature is in its swing.

(I) The poet wants to build a small hut of clay and wattles. He will have a nine bean-rows and a
hive for the honeybees.

(II) He hears peace come dropping and the cricket sing. He sees the midnight shine and a purple
glow at noon. Evenings are full of linnet’s wings. He feels happy and gets peace of mind.

(III) The poet hears the lake water lapping the shore with low sounds.

Question 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.)
Answer: The natural beauty of Innisfree is used and explained in contrast with the roads and pavements
in city. The pavement is of grey colour which symbolises decay and death.

Question 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?

Answer: The natural beauty of Innisfree is not the creation of the poet’s fancy. It is a real place that gives
solace to the frustrated souls. The poet longs to live at such a beautiful and peaceful place. He misses it a
lot.

II.

Question 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?

Answer: (I) These words create the picture of the hive and honeybee humming all around. It is in the
glade.

(II) Linnet is a bird with wings. When it flutters its wings, it looks beautiful. And when the bird sits on a
tree amidst beautiful natural scene, it leaves an indelible impression on the minds of the beholder.

(IV) It is an ordinary but bewitching scene. The waves strike the lake’s shore to create a pleasing
and soothing sound.

Question 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?

Answer: These words mean that peace surrounds that area at dawn. The pleasing and melodious sound
of cricket greets the morning. It adds sweetness to the serenity of the place.
Short answer type questions:

Question 1. When and where will the poet experience ‘peace’?

Answer: The poet will experience ‘peace’ in the lap of nature at the Lake Isle of Innisfree. He will observe
the beautiful trees, insects, birds and bushes. The calm and cool atmosphere of the forest will give
happiness to him.

Question 2. How does the poet describe the lake’s waves?

Answer: The poet says that the lake’s waves hit its shore and create a low sound. It gives him aesthetic
pleasure. He hears it and enjoys it. It also gives him solace and comforts. He finds his peace of mind.

Question 3. Why does the poet want to go to Innisfree?

Answer: The poet wants to go to Innisfree to enjoy its natural beauty. Its morning, noon and evening are
different from the cities where high-rise buildings touch the sky. He hears the pleasing sound of birds
and gets peace of mind.

Question 4. Where is the poet standing? How is it different from Innisfree?

Answer: The poet is standing on the roadway or on the pavements of grey colour. This colour epitomises
decay. He compares that with the floral beauty of Innisfree. However, standing even there, he can hear
the sounds of the lake water lapping by the shore. He hears it in the core of his heart.

Question 5. What does the isle of Innisfree stand for the poet?

Answer: The isle of Innisfree stands for unadulterated natural beauty. A visit to Innisfree gives immense
joy, pleasure and peace to the poet. The sounds of honeybees, crickets and the lake water lapping by the
shore tempt him to go there again and again. He will be contented with living in a small cabin and
working at a small farm.
Question 6. Is the poet’s going to Innisfree merely an attempt to escape from the harsh realities of city
life?

Answer: No doubt, Innisfree provides all what the poet yearns for. Even standing on the doorway or on
the grey pavement of the city, he escapes to the natural world of the lake isle of Innisfree. The sounds of
the birds and the lake water lapping by the shore echo in the core of his heart. This escapism gives him
immense pleasure and peace.

Self- Assessment Test

Extract Based Questions:

Read the following extracts carefully and answer the questions that follow.

1. I will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree,

And a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made:

Nine bean-rows will I have there, a hive for the honey-bee;

And live alone in the bee-loud glade.

(a) Who is ‘I’?

(b) Why does he want to go to Innisfree?

© What does ‘bee-loud glade’ mean?

(c) Which word in the extract means ‘rods or stakes interlaced with twigs or branches’?

2. I will arise and go now, for always night and day

I hear lake water lapping with low sounds by the shore;

While I stand on the roadway, or on the pavements grey,

I hear it in the deep heart’s core.

(a) How does the poet hear the sound of the water in the lake?

(b) What is happening to the poet day and night?

© Name the poem and the poet.

(c) Name the poetic device and the rhyme scheme used in the above lines.

Short Answer Questions:

 1. How does the poet describe the waves of the lake?

2. What is the poet’s idea about peace?

3. Being a city dweller, do you appreciate the yearnings of the poet? Explain.

3. What is the moral of the poem, ‘The Lake Isle of Innisfree’?

5. Why does the poet wish to spend his time in the cabin alone?

6. Imagine that you are sitting by a lake in your village. Do you experience the same

Pleasure that the poet experienced?

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