Analyzing Themes in Poetry: Exploring Eliot, Yeats & Frost's Works

This essay delves into the enduring relevance of poetry by analyzing the works of T.S. Eliot, W.B. Yeats, and Robert Frost. It examines themes such as death, war, social discrimination, and the relationship between humanity and nature. Through an analysis of Eliot's 'The Waste Land,' Yeats' 'The Second Coming,' and Frost's 'Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening,' the essay demonstrates how these poems continue to resonate with contemporary issues such as terrorism, corruption, and the fast-paced nature of modern life. The essay concludes by emphasizing Ezra Pound's visionary understanding of poetry and its contextual significance.

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Literature is a form of art that expresses emotions and feelings in words, and poetry is
probably the most distinctive genre of it. The rhythmic features and meters of a poem
distinguish it from any other form of literature. The rhythmic sound and the abstract use of
words in poetry create a sublime image that intensifies readers’ emotions (Mays). As Ezra
Pound wrote in his book ABC of Reading, that poetry is “news that stays news”, this essay
delves into the relevance of the message and idea that a poetry conveys.
Deaths, barrenness of war and class discrimination in society are the major themes
(Rao) that T S Eliot explicitly portrayed in his poem The Wasteland. Death is the major motif
of the first section of the poem The Burial of the Dead (Eliot). Written in a time when the
world was facing the consequences of the First World War and was preparing for the Second
World War, the poem throughout discusses the futility of war and violence. In several
sections, it also insinuates the differentiation between social classes. These issues are present
in modern days too. Although terrorism and war are entirely different phenomenon, yet both
are violent and hostile in nature. Hence, poet’s concerns about how the brutality of war can
bring only impotency in the society are evidently relatable in contemporary world where
terrorism is a persistent threat. Death is an eternal fact; innumerable literary works had
adopted this theme throughout the ages. The pain and void that death leaves behind are
applicable in any period. Since the beginning of history, social discrimination had been an
integral part of it in any place and any time. Whether a society belongs to a third world
country or first world country, it always will be divided into poor-rich, educated-uneducated,
male-female and many more classifications.
W B Yeats’ The Second Coming is a poem of revolution. Yeats wrote this poem in the
context of Irish Civil War and the First World War (Dalsimer). Through the whole poem, he
illustrates a chaotic picture where there is no hope and only darkness. He describes a world
which denies to recognize the authority and upholds disorder. In this morally confusing

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world, even Christ cannot save his believers. Each mention of innocence and hope is infused
with darkness and collapse, “The ceremony of innocence is drowned” (line no. 6) (Yeats).
The Spiritus Mundi (Yeats) is a figure with a lion’s body and a man’s head, and is pitiless
observing the humankind before wrecking a on human race (Tabor). This can be related with
man’s hunger for power. In the picture of the disruptive world, poet hints the corruption in
the political system. Every nation has faced political emergence at some point of time. The
description of a lawless and corrupted ruling system in this poem can be the description of the
challenges every nation had faced regarding corruption in their government. The last two
lines of the poem “And what rough beast, its hour come round at last, Slouches towards
Bethlehem to be born?” (lines no. 21, 22) (Yeats), are the most significant lines, as here, poet
raises the question that how much time is left before even the most honest people will fall
into the evil hands of corruption. In the contemporary world where corruption is a constant
problem in every sector of life, this poem gives a dramatic description to portray it. As
corruption is the social virus that can never be destroyed, the poem will neither lose its
relevance.
“But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.” (Lines no. 14, 15, 16) (Frost)
These iconic lines from Robert Frost’s Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening are
relatable in any era. Although written in 1923, readers of any age can relate themselves to its
theme. In his simple and subtle manner, Browning asked a deep question about the purpose
of human life (Tyagi). Apart from death, another motif of the poem is man’s relation to
nature and sense of responsibility. In the poem, poet describes his experience in a winter
evening when he was going to fulfill some duties. On his way back, captivated by the
exquisite snowy woods, he stopped to respond to its appeal. His horse, symbolizing the

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workaholic nature of man, got impatient, as the dark cold woods was not alluring its senses.
The horse reminded the poet that he had worldly commitments that he must keep, and then
poet realizes no matter how much he wishes to spend time in the woods appreciating it; his
social responsibilities will never allow him that liberty. In this world of globalization, life is
becoming so fast that there is no time to waste to relate to the root of humankind, the nature.
In the business of trying to accomplish social goals, people are forgetting to take time to
notice and enjoy the beauties that are around him – life and nature.
In 1934, Ezra Pound wrote ABC of Reading intending to educate people to understand
literature, especially poetry. In this book, he claims that the inner meaning of a poem,
however subtly or explicitly drawn, will always be contextual. After discussing the relevance
of three of the most significant poetries of twentieth century, it can be said in conclusion that
Ezra Pound was indeed a visionary poet and critic. His understanding of poetry and
recognising its true potentiality was beyond imagination.

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Reference List
Dalsimer, Adele M. WB Yeats: A critical introduction. Routledge, 2016.
Eliot, Thomas T. "The Waste Land By T. S. Eliot". Poetry Foundation,
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/47311/the-waste-land. Accessed 10 July 2018.
Frost, Robert. "Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening By Robert Frost". Poetry
Foundation, https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/42891/stopping-by-woods-on-a-
snowy-evening. Accessed 10 July 2018.
Mays, Kelly J. The Norton introduction to literature. WW Norton & Company, 2015.
Rao, B.M., Themes, Images, Motifs, Myths and Symbols in TS Eliots The Waste Land: A
Study.
Tabor, Nick. "No Slouch". The Paris Review, 2015,
https://www.theparisreview.org/blog/2015/04/07/no-slouch/. Accessed 10 July 2018.
Tyagi, Ankit. "An Analysis of “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” by Robert
Frost." International Journal of Advanced Research in Education and Technology 2.4 (2015).
Yeats, William B. "The Second Coming By William Butler Yeats". Poetry Foundation,
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/43290/the-second-coming. Accessed 10 July 2018.