The wild duck and the drake
From the tall and the tufted reeds
Of the drear Hart Lake.
And he saw how the reeds grew dark
At the coming of night-tide,
And dreamed of the long dim hair
Of Bridget his bride.
He heard while he sang and dreamed
A piper piping away,
And never was piping so sad,
And never was piping so gay.
And he saw young men and young girls
Who danced on a level place,
And Bridget his bride among them,
With a sad and a gay face.
The dancers crowded about him
And many a sweet thing said,
And a young man brought him red wine
And a young girl white bread.
But Bridget drew him by the sleeve
Away from the merry bands,
To old men playing at cards
With a twinkling of ancient hands.
The bread and the wine had a doom,
For these were the host of the air;
He sat and played in a dream
Of her long dim hair.
He played with the merry old men
And thought not of evil chance,
Until one bore Bridget his bride
Away from the merry dance.
He bore her away in his atms,
The handsomest young man there,
And his neck and his breast and his arms
Were drowned in her long dim hair.
O’Driscoll scattered the cards
And out of his dream awoke:
Old men and young men and young girls
Were gone like a drifting smoke;
But he heard high up in the air
A piper piping away,
And never was piping so sad,
And never was piping so gay.
Poem Analysis:
William Butler Yeats, the renowned Irish poet, delves into the mystical realm in "The Host of the Air." This enigmatic poem weaves a narrative of love, loss, and the transcendence between the earthly and supernatural worlds. Yeats, a master of symbolic poetry, employs vivid imagery and haunting themes to evoke a sense of wonder and mystery. In this analysis, we will explore the layers of meaning in "The Host of the Air" and unravel the poetic tapestry that blends the tangible with the ethereal.
- The Setting and Atmosphere: The poem opens with the evocative image of O'Driscoll driving a wild duck and drake from the reeds of Hart Lake. This seemingly ordinary act introduces an otherworldly ambiance, suggesting a liminal space where the natural and supernatural intersect. The mention of the "tall and the tufted reeds" sets the stage for a mysterious encounter that transcends the mundane.
- Dreams and Longings: As O'Driscoll observes the darkening reeds at nightfall, he is transported into a dreamlike state. The dream centers on his bride, Bridget, and her "long dim hair." This recurring motif becomes a symbol of both the earthly and the supernatural, bridging the gap between the tangible world and the ethereal plane. The juxtaposition of the mundane act of driving ducks with the dream of Bridget's hair creates an eerie contrast that sets the tone for the poem's exploration of dualities.
- The Piper's Melancholy Tune: Within O'Driscoll's dream, the melancholic and enchanting sound of a piper emerges. The dual nature of the piping, "never so sad" and "never so gay," further underscores the theme of opposites coexisting. The piper becomes a spectral presence, guiding O'Driscoll through the realms of both sorrow and joy, blurring the lines between the two.
- Dance of the Supernatural Host: As the dream unfolds, young men and girls dance with Bridget among them, displaying a blend of sadness and joy in their faces. The imagery is charged with a sense of both celebration and mourning, emphasizing the transient nature of human experience. The supernatural host, represented by the piper and the dancers, appears to lure O'Driscoll into a mysterious, transcendent realm.
- The Mysterious Host: The poem introduces an enigmatic host— "the host of the air." This spectral gathering, with its allure and doom, hints at the supernatural forces at play. The host manifests through various symbols, such as the red wine and white bread, suggesting both temptation and communion with the ethereal.
- Loss and Awakening: O'Driscoll's dream takes a haunting turn as Bridget is taken away by a young man, her long dim hair engulfing him. The dream, though beautiful, is interrupted as O'Driscoll awakens to find the merry bands gone like drifting smoke. The transient nature of the supernatural encounter leaves O'Driscoll with a lingering sense of both loss and wonder.
"The Host of the Air" is a captivating exploration of the mysterious and the supernatural, where Yeats employs rich symbolism and haunting imagery to blur the boundaries between reality and dream. The interplay of joy and sadness, the earthly and the supernatural, and the tangible and the ethereal creates a mesmerizing narrative that invites readers to contemplate the mystique of the unseen realms. Yeats, with his poetic mastery, leads us on a journey where love, loss, and the supernatural converge in a realm beyond the ordinary.