Her Triumph (Poem by William Butler Yeats)

Her Triumph

By William Butler Yeats

I did the dragon’s will until you came

Because I had fancied love a casual

Improvisation, or a settled game

That followed if I let the kerchief fall:

Those deeds were best that gave the minute wings

And heavenly music if they gave it wit;

And then you stood among the dragon-rings.

I mocked, being crazy, but you mastered it

And broke the chain and set my ankles free,

Saint George or else a pagan Perseus;

And now we stare astonished at the sea,

And a miraculous strange bird shrieks at us.

Poem Analysis:

William Butler Yeats’ poem Her Triumph is a short yet deeply symbolic work that explores themes of love, redemption, and transformation. The poem uses mythological allusions and striking imagery to depict the narrator's journey from a life of fleeting pleasures to one of true love and liberation. With a tone that blends irony, wonder, and self-reflection, Her Triumph presents a moment of profound change, as the speaker acknowledges the power of love to break illusions and redefine destiny.

The Struggle with the “Dragon”

The poem opens with an admission of past submission:

I did the dragon’s will until you came

The “dragon” here symbolizes something oppressive—perhaps societal expectations, shallow desires, or an unhealthy view of love. The speaker suggests that before encountering true love, she followed the will of this metaphorical dragon, possibly engaging in relationships that were insincere or dictated by external forces.

She elaborates on her past perception of love:

Because I had fancied love a casual

Improvisation, or a settled game

That followed if I let the kerchief fall:

Here, love is described as something trivial—either an impromptu, fleeting pleasure (“a casual improvisation”) or a predictable social ritual (“a settled game”). The image of dropping a kerchief alludes to courtly love traditions, where a woman’s signal might invite a suitor’s pursuit. This suggests that before meeting her true love, she viewed romance as something to be played with rather than deeply felt.

However, this view is about to change.

A New Presence and the Breaking of Chains

The speaker continues by reflecting on past experiences:

Those deeds were best that gave the minute wings

And heavenly music if they gave it wit;

This suggests that she once sought fleeting pleasures—moments of excitement, cleverness, and beauty—rather than something lasting. But then, something (or someone) disrupts this cycle:

And then you stood among the dragon-rings.

The “you” in this poem, likely a lover or savior figure, enters the scene within the domain of the dragon. The term “dragon-rings” could refer to literal coils of a serpent or metaphorical entrapments—perhaps symbolic of the illusions, societal pressures, or self-imposed limitations that once defined the speaker’s life.

The speaker initially resists:

I mocked, being crazy, but you mastered it

At first, she ridicules this newfound presence, dismissing or resisting the idea that she could be freed from her past views. However, the lover is undeterred and ultimately triumphs:

And broke the chain and set my ankles free,

This line suggests both literal and figurative liberation. The chains could symbolize societal roles, self-deception, or past emotional entanglements. The imagery of ankles being freed evokes classic depictions of captives released from bondage, reinforcing the theme of transformation.

Mythological Allusions: Saint George and Perseus

The speaker compares the lover to legendary figures known for rescuing women from monsters:

Saint George or else a pagan Perseus;

Saint George is a Christian saint famous for slaying a dragon and saving a princess, while Perseus is a hero from Greek mythology who rescued Andromeda from a sea monster. Both figures represent chivalry and heroism, emphasizing the transformative power of the speaker’s savior.

The use of “pagan Perseus” in contrast to Saint George (a Christian figure) suggests that the lover’s heroism transcends religious or cultural boundaries. Regardless of whether he is a saintly knight or a mythic warrior, his role is the same—he breaks the chains and offers the speaker a new reality.

The Final Transformation: Wonder and the Unknown

The poem’s concluding lines shift from past reflections to a moment of astonished contemplation:

And now we stare astonished at the sea,

The sea, vast and mysterious, represents the unknown future. The speaker and her savior, now freed from the constraints of the past, face this new expanse together. The tone is one of awe—perhaps uncertainty, but also possibility.

And a miraculous strange bird shrieks at us.

The appearance of the “miraculous strange bird” adds a mystical touch to the poem. This could symbolize a supernatural omen, a newfound awareness, or a break from the ordinary. The shriek of the bird suggests excitement, surprise, or even a warning—an ambiguous note that invites interpretation.

Love as Liberation

Her Triumph is a poem of personal awakening, in which love is portrayed not as a mere pleasure or game, but as a force of profound transformation. The speaker moves from a life of superficial romance, dictated by societal norms or fleeting desires, to one where love is a heroic and liberating force.

The mythical allusions elevate the significance of this transformation, casting the lover as a legendary figure who rescues the speaker from illusion. The final image of staring at the sea, with a miraculous bird shrieking overhead, reinforces the theme of stepping into an unknown, wondrous, and perhaps unsettling future.

In the end, Her Triumph is not just about love’s power to save—it is about its power to change, to open new possibilities, and to redefine the self.