Ch-5: The Lake Isle of Innisfree (Poem-Beehive)
The following notes should be written in your Notebook.
Learning objectives:
At the end of the lesson, I will be able to:
describe the activities of birds and animals in their natural habitat.
create and paint a picture of Innisfree as imagined by the poet.
identify the figures of speech in the poem.
explain the poem in own words after taking running notes.
Illustration: Draw something related to the poem.
Glossary:
1. Hover-hang
2. Wattles-twisted sticks for making fences
3. Glade-open space
4. Veils-curtain (here-fog)
5. Glimmer-something shining
6. Lapping-striking
7. Linnet-a small brown and grey bird with a short beak
Stop-jot-share:
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.
In the second paragraph, 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. 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 will give
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.
This paragraph, 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-
coloured pavements, he hears the sound deep in the innermost part of his heart.
II. Answer the following questions
Question 1-Where does the poet want to go and why?
Answer: The poet wants to go to the solitary and silent Isle of Innisfree. He wants to go there
because he is fed up with the restless, noisy world of cities and feels strongly nostalgic about life on
the island which, by contrast, will be a life of quietness and pleasure.
Question 2-How does the poet describe the mornings on the lonely island?
Answer: The poet describes the mornings on the lonely island to be very peaceful and quiet. The
atmosphere of the morning is hazy with fog or mist. Out of the hazy heavens, peace comes on the
land falling softly and noiselessly.
Question 3-What does the poet imply by “…. from the veils of the morning to where the cricket
sings”?
Answer: By this expression, the poet implies that the span of time from morning to evening is full of
peace on the Lake Isle of Innisfree. Here, quietness reigns supreme. The singing of the cricket adds to
the music of nature and can be enjoyed on this island.
Question 4-Why does the poet hear the music of the waves standing on the roadway?
Answer: The poet hears the music of the waves standing on the roadway because their gentle and
soothing sound is recalled involuntarily by his mind as a defence against the unpleasant sounds of
the traffic that have a sickening impact on him.
Question 5-What does the poet hear in the deep “heart’s core”? What is his reaction to it?
Answer: The poet hears the sweet and gentle music made by the placid waves of the lake striking
softly against the shore of the island. This music is so soft and powerful that the poet hears it in the
core of his heart. It triggers in him a keen desire to go to the island of Innisfree and enjoy this
melody amidst a harmonious environment.
Question 6-What is the central idea/theme of the poem ‘The Lake Isle of Innisfree’?
Answer: The poet, W.B. Yeats deeply longs for peace in the natural surroundings. Innisfree is an
island on the Lake Isle. The poet had spent a lot of time there as a boy. He seems to be fed up with
the hectic and noisy city life. Now he wants to go to Innisfree to live in the lap of nature. He will
enjoy the water playing in the lake. The humming of bees and their beehives would please him.
Question 7-How will the poet have calmness and tranquillity in Innisfree?
Answer: In Innisfree, the poet will live in a cabin made of clay and wattles. He will also have nine
bean-rows and a beehive. He will get the opportunity to live in the glade with the sound of bees. He
will certainly live in peace because it will drop from the veils of the morning where he can hear the
songs of cricket.
Question 8-How can we make our lives enjoyable? Discuss with reference to the poem “The Lake
Isle of Innisfree”.
Answer: The world is full of beauty and pleasures. It has a rich feast for our senses. God has
provided us with beautiful sights and sounds. But it is regrettable that we have only added misery
into our lives by being blind to the beauties of the world. We have become much too materialistic
and are always lost in a race for more and more riches. We do not have time to enjoy calmly the
beauties of nature.
However, we may enjoy a peaceful life if we check our desires. We must realize that contentment is
a source of real happiness. We must curtail our greed, jealousy, and hatred. A life of simple needs,
near the beautiful surroundings of nature away from the madding crowd of cities; can give us
soothing delights.
Love for nature, faith in God, and affection for fellow human beings can restore the peace of our
minds. We should develop a keen sense to perceive beauty all around and spare time to enjoy these
beauties. The soft feel of pity, sympathy, consideration, kindness, and affection can overpower all
the sorrows of life and make life thrilling and pleasant.
