The Heart of the Woman by W.B. Yeats
The work examines a transformative and intimate union where personal identity is subsumed within a shared, sacred embrace. The speaker reflects on the contrast between a secure, nurturing past—symbolized by memories of childhood safety, maternal care, and a sheltered domestic space—and an overwhelming, almost mystical bond with another. In this union, physical proximity becomes a metaphor for emotional and spiritual merging: the intertwined hearts and shared breath erase individual boundaries, suggesting a state that transcends ordinary life and death. The imagery of a once-safe haven now giving way to a profound, all-encompassing connection underscores themes of relinquishment and rebirth. In surrendering the familiar comforts of solitude and past identity, the speaker embarks on a path marked by both vulnerability and strength, wherein the act of merging becomes both a sanctuary from life’s storms and a catalyst for personal transformation.
By W.B. Yeats · First published 1899 · Genre: Lyric Poetry, Romantic Poetry, Symbolist Poetry · 123 words
First lines
O what to me the little room / That was brimmed up with prayer and rest; / He bade me out into the gloom, / And my breast lies upon his breast.
O what to me my mother's care, / The house where I was safe and warm; / The shadowy blossom of my hair / Will hide us from the bitter storm.
O hiding hair and dewy eyes, / I am no more with life and death, / My heart upon his warm heart lies, / My breath is mixed into his breath.
What this Textopian page supports
The Heart of the Woman is listed on Textopian as a poem by W.B. Yeats, dated 1899 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: W.B. Yeats
- Date: 1899 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Lyric Poetry, Romantic Poetry, Symbolist Poetry, Modernist Poetry
- Length: 123 words
- Structure: 1 section, 3 paragraphs
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Genres
- Lyric Poetry — The work is a concentrated expression of personal emotion and inner experience conveyed through poetic form.
- Romantic Poetry — It emphasizes deep emotional bonds and an idealized view of love and connection typical of the Romantic tradition.
- Symbolist Poetry — The imagery and metaphors serve as symbols that invite multiple layers of interpretation beyond their literal meaning.
- Modernist Poetry — Subtle departures from traditional structure and introspective themes hint at early modernist elements in the verse.
Tags
poetry · modernism · feminine mystique · symbolism · mysticism · Irish myth · surreal · romantic · imagery · lyrical · metaphysical · introspection