The Land of Heart's Desire
The Land of Heart's Desire is a play by Irish poet and playwright W.B. Yeats. It tells the story of Maurya, an elderly Irish woman who is visited by a group of fairies. The fairies offer her a chance to go to the Land of Heart's Desire, a place of eternal youth and beauty. Maurya is tempted by the offer, but ultimately decides to stay in her home and accept her mortality. The play explores themes of mortality, faith, and the power of imagination.
By W.B. Yeats · First published 1894 · Genre: Drama, Romance, Fantasy · 5,084 words
First lines
BRIDGET BRUIN. Because I bade her go and feed the calves, She took that old book down out of the thatch And has been doubled over it all day. We would be deafened by her groans and moans Had she to work as some do, Father Hart, Get up at dawn like me, and mend and scour; Or ride abroad in the boisterous night like you, The pyx and blessed bread under your arm.
SHAWN BRUIN. You are too cross.
What this Textopian page supports
The Land of Heart's Desire is listed on Textopian as a novel by W.B. Yeats, dated 1894 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novel
- Author: W.B. Yeats
- Date: 1894 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Drama, Romance, Fantasy, Poetry
- Length: 5,084 words
- Structure: 1 section, 175 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Land of Heart's Desire by W.B. Yeats
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Land of Heart's Desire?
- How does this novel by W.B. Yeats fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Drama first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
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- The Way Home by Henry Handel Richardson
- The Forsyte Saga Part 5 To Let by John Galsworthy
Genres
- Drama — The Land of Heart's Desire is a play written by W.B. Yeats, which follows the story of a family and their struggles with faith and love.
- Romance — The play focuses on the romantic relationships between the characters, and the conflicts that arise from them.
- Fantasy — The play features a supernatural element, with the characters being visited by a fairy who grants them their heart's desires.
- Poetry — The Land of Heart's Desire is written in a poetic style, with lyrical language and imagery throughout.
Tags
Drama · Fairy plays · Ireland · Myth · bird · bridget · bring · bruin · child · children · cross · dance