* Question : 3 Writer a detailed note on " A Prayer for my Daughter " by William Butler Yeats .
☆ Introduction :
" Education is not the filling of a pail , but the lighting of a fire . "
- William Butler Yeats
William Batler Yeats was born on 13 June 1865 and died on 28 January 1939 at France . He was an Irish poet , dramatist, and prose writer . He was one of the greatest English language poets of the 20th century .
☆ His Works :
- ' The second coming '
- ' The stolen child '
- ' A Prayer for my Daughter '
- ' The Land of Heart's Desire '
- ' The Wild Swans at Coole '
- ' A Vision '
☆ His Awards :
" He received the Nobel
Prize for Literature in
1923 . "
☆ About the poem :
' A Prayer for my Daughter ' this poem was written by william Butler Yeats . In the poem, a speaker prays about the type of woman he hopes his daughter will become and the kind of life he hopes she will have. At its core, the poem expresses a father's heartfelt wishes for his newborn daughter.
☆ Summary :
The poem opens with the poet expressing his deep anxiety about the future of his newborn daughter, born into a world ravaged by war and political turmoil.
He paints a bleak picture of the world, filled with violence and uncertainty, fearing the harsh realities that await his child.
Yeats worries that his daughter's beauty might become a source of both blessing and curse, attracting unwanted attention and potentially leading to her downfall.
He prays that she will possess inner strength and resilience to navigate the challenges of life, remaining true to herself despite .
The poet emphasizes the importance of courtesy and humility, suggesting that true beauty lies in character and kindness rather than mere physical appearance.
He warns against the dangers of vanity and the pursuit of fleeting pleasures, urging his daughter to cultivate wisdom and inner peace.
Yeats expresses his hope that his daughter will find happiness and fulfillment in life, but warns against the pursuit of material possessions and social status.
He suggests that a life of simplicity and contentment is far more valuable than a life of luxury and superficiality.
The poet encourages his daughter to remain grounded and connected to the natural world, finding solace in nature's beauty and enduring wisdom.
Ultimately, the poem is a testament to the poet's deep love for his daughter and his fervent hope for her happiness and well-being in a world fraught .
☆ Theme :
● Paternal love and Anxiety:
The poem is deeply rooted in a father's profound love for his child and his overwhelming desire to protect her from the harsh realities of the world. This love is coupled with a sense of anxiety about the kind of life she will encounter.
● The Desirability of Traditional Values:
Yeats expresses a yearning for a more traditional and ordered society, believing that such a framework would provide a more stable and fulfilling life for his daughter. He fears the potential for social and political upheaval and the impact it could have on her well-being.
● The Role of Beauty and Virtue:
While acknowledging the allure of beauty, Yeats emphasizes the importance of inner qualities like virtue, humility, and a capacity for love. He fears that an excessive focus on physical beauty could lead to superficiality and unhappiness.
● The Search for Meaning and Contentment:
The poem explores the search for meaning and contentment in a world that can often feel chaotic and uncertain. Yeats suggests that finding happiness lies in embracing traditional values, cultivating inner peace, and finding beauty in the simple things in life.
☆ Rhyme Scheme :
- AABBCDDC
☆ Meter :
- iambic pentameter
☆ Structure :
The poem is about a father's concerns for his daughter's future in an uncertain political situation.The poem is made up of ten stanzas, each containing eight lines.
☆ Literary Devices :
- Metaphor
- Simile
- Protagonist
- Antagonist
- Onomatopoeia
- Allusion
☆ Conclusion :
"A Prayer for My Daughter" this poem was written by William Butler Yeats . In this poem wish is that his daughter will marry a man from a good family, in a home filled with tradition and ceremony, where she will be protected from arrogance and hatred, ultimately living a life of grace and morality within a stable, ordered society.





