No Second Troy by W.B. Yeats (1916)

Name: No Second Troy
Author: W.B. Yeats

The work centers on a powerful, enigmatic woman whose very nature disrupts the conventions of her time. The speaker examines her influence and defends her inherent qualities despite the collateral misery and chaos her presence inevitably causes. She is portrayed as an almost mythic figure whose brilliance, beauty, and formidable will eclipse ordinary morality, making her both a beacon of rare nobility and a catalyst for destruction. Through a series of rhetorical questions, the text challenges the tendency to condemn her for inciting turbulence among otherwise ignorant and violent men. The imagery of burning cities and igniting streets serves as a metaphor for the transformative, often violent impact her extraordinary character has on society. Her nobility, while admired, is simultaneously a source of strife; it provokes passionate desires and reckless actions in others who are incapable of matching her intensity. The work suggests that her actions—however they may disrupt order—are intrinsically tied to her essence. The speaker argues that attributing blame to her for the societal upheaval is misguided because her very nature is incompatible with the confines of an age that cannot accommodate such singular, fierce individuality. The allusion to a legendary, irreproducible city underscores the idea that there is no counterpart to her; she stands alone, an unmatched force whose uniqueness precludes a second iteration or imitation. Ultimately, the text meditates on the interplay of beauty, power, and destruction. It posits that the extraordinary qualities which make her stand apart also render her a tragic figure, doomed to incite downfall and transform the world around her. The inherent conflict between her exceptional character and the limitations of the surrounding culture forms the core of the work, highlighting the eternal tension between individual greatness and societal norms.

By W.B. Yeats · First published 1916 · Genre: Poetry, Lyric Poetry, Mythopoetic · 143 words

First lines

Why should I blame her that she filled my days / With misery, or that she would of late / Have taught to ignorant men most violent ways, / Or hurled the little streets upon the great, / Had they but courage equal to desire? / What could have made her peaceful with a mind / That nobleness made simple as a fire, / With beauty like a tightened bow, a kind / That is not natural in an age like this, / Being high and solitary and most stern? / Why, what could she have done being what she is? / Was there another Troy for her to burn?

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No Second Troy is listed on Textopian as a poem by W.B. Yeats, dated 1916 CE.

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Work type: Poem
Author: W.B. Yeats
Date: 1916 CE
Language: English
Genres: Poetry, Lyric Poetry, Mythopoetic, Elegiac, Dramatic Monologue
Length: 143 words
Structure: 1 section, 1 paragraphs

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Genres

Poetry — The work is a poem by Yeats, employing verse and imagery characteristic of poetry.
Lyric Poetry — It expresses personal emotion and introspection, typical of lyric poetry, while engaging with broader themes.
Mythopoetic — The poem uses mythological allusions, notably the reference to Troy, to imbue its themes with symbolic depth.
Elegiac — It carries an undercurrent of lamentation over altered ideals and inevitable decay, aligning with elegiac tone.