If a poet interprets a poem of his own he limits its suggestibility.
William Butler YeatsRead
Nor law, nor duty bade me fight, Nor public men, nor cheering crowds, A lonely impulse of delight Drove to this tumult in the clouds.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote expresses the idea of pursuing one's passions and desires without the influence of external pressures or societal expectations.
William Butler Yeats reflects on the personal motivation that drove him to fight or go against conventional expectations. He indicates that his inclinations were not shaped by laws, duties, or the approval of others, but rather by a solitary and profound joy that compelled him to engage in a tumultuous endeavor, almost like a journey through the clouds. It suggests the beauty of authentic, individual-driven passion in the face of societal norms.
Themes
PassionIndividualismMotivationFreedomDelight
In practice
Example use cases
In a motivational speech about following one's dreams, this quote can encourage individuals to pursue their true passions.
More from William Butler Yeats
All quotes βIt was my first meeting with a philosophy that confirmed my vague speculations and seemed at once logical and boundless.
William Butler YeatsRead
But I, being poor, have only my dreams; I have spread my dreams under your feet; Tread softly because you tread on my dreams.
William Butler YeatsRead
How far away the stars seem, and how far is our first kiss, and ah, how old my heart.
William Butler YeatsRead
For he would be thinking of love Till the stars had run away And the shadows eaten the moon.
William Butler YeatsRead
Love is created and preserved by intellectual analysis, for we love only that which is unique, and it belongs to contemplation, not to action, for we would not change that which we love.
William Butler YeatsRead
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