" The Lake Isle of Innisfree " is perhaps the most popular choice of anthologists when it comes to examining the poems of William Butler Yeats. It plays a critical role in glorifying the otherwise small and dull island of Innisfree. When criticizing this work, two approaches that significantly stand out are historicism and archetypal critical approaches. The archetypal approach is essential in tracing the cultural and psychological myths which shape Yeats' text (Ramazani, 2017) . This can be seen more clearly in the way the poet uses images and symbols, as well as patterns and universal experiences to portray Innisfree as a total dream of humankind. In the opening stanza, the poet says that he will go to a small cabin built for him in Innisfree, where he will have nine bean-rows and a beehive (Peterson, 2018). In this context, he manages to portray Innisfree as a getaway place full of serenity and tranquility, a place that promises peace and quiet amidst all the chaos.
Another critical approach is historicism. It is essential to understand that Yeats composed the poem when he was 20 years old, stuck in the Metropolitan City of London, being homesick and struggling to break through as an artist. Therefore, he was yawning for a break from all the craziness, reflecting on the quiet and peaceful days of his childhood, which he spent on the island (Ramazani, 2017) . In the second stanza, he observes that he shall have some peace there (Innisfree), for peace comes dropping slow. This reflects his reminiscing of the joy he had as a child. Historicism approach is the most suitable approach when it comes to analyzing the poem since it directly builds on the nostalgia surrounding the reminiscing of the past. Through the entire poem, the persona can be heard longing to go back to Innisfree to find peace, joy, and fulfillment. "I will arise and go now" shows his determination to escape from his current predicaments in London (Peterson, 2018).
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References
Peterson, G. (2018). The Lake Isle of Innisfree. The Choral Journal , 58 (11), 74-74.
Ramazani, J. (2017). The Local Poem in a Global Age. Critical Inquiry , 43 (3), 670-696.
