Four plays for dancers

by W.B. Yeats

This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923. This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book.

Genres: Poetry, Plays, Theatre

154 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1921

About the author

William Butler Yeats was an Irish poet and dramatist, and one of the foremost figures of 20th century literature. A pillar of both the Irish and British literary establishments, in his later years Yeats served as an Irish Senator for two terms. He was a driving force behind the Irish Literary Revival, and along with Lady Gregory and Edward Martyn founded the Abbey Theatre, serving as its chief during its early years. In 1923 he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature for what the Nobel Committee described as "inspired poetry, which in a highly artistic form gives expression to the spirit of a whole nation." He was the first Irishman so honored. Yeats is generally considered one of the few writers who completed their greatest works after being awarded the Nobel Prize; such works include The Tower (1928) and The Winding Stair and Other Poems (1929).

Yeats was born and educated in Dublin but spent his childhood in County Sligo. He studied poetry in his youth, and from an early age was fascinated by both Irish legends and the occult. Those topics feature in the first phase of his work, which lasted roughly until the turn of the century. His earliest volume of verse was published in 1889, and those slow paced and lyrical poems display debts to Edmund Spenser and Percy Bysshe Shelley, as well as to the Pre-Raphaelite poets. From 1900, Yeats' poetry grew more physical and realistic. He largely renounced the transcendental beliefs of his youth, though he remained preoccupied with physical and spiritual masks, as well as with cyclical theories of life.
--from Wikipedia

Reviews

[Joanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

A strange collection of short plays. Yeats suggests that these plays are too high brow to have mass appeal and I'd have to agree. The plays were interesting to read, but I can't quite imagine seeing them as a performance. At least in reading, I could slow down to take in the poetry and the stage directions provide some context for what is meant by the masks and the scenes described. I don't know that I'd be able to understand the context if I just saw performances, unless fairly extensive notes were provided.

[Keith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having recently finished Pound’s book on the Noh plays, I thought I’d go back and re-read the plays Yeats says were influenced by this Japanese dramatic form. There are certainly similarities such as the flat characters, the cryptic language and the strange plots involving spirits.

The Hawk’s Well is the best of the four plays (which include The Dreaming of the Bones, The Only Jealousy of Emer and Calvary). But even that is bit of a trope – the man who wastes his life trying to live forever. Calvary has an interesting take on free will, control and chance. But the play seems ephemeral. It seems to barely brush against the profound theme.

In fairness to Yeats, he’s not trying to do what I consider good drama. He’s more interested in mood and atmosphere and eternity, and less in character and plot and a moment in time. His stories revolve around mystical themes and timeless reoccurrences. These might be better viewed as lyric works rather than dramatic works. The telling and the point of view of the teller are of prime importance.