‘For Anne Gregory’, by W.B.
Yeats is a poem that explores the idea how physical beauty
is transient and it is only the inner beauty that actually counts. The main theme revolves
around a conversation between presumably Yeats and Anne Gregory, a woman known
for her attractiveness. Anne Gregory was the granddaughter of Lady Gregory, one of
Yeats’ close friends and collaborators over the years.
FIRST STANZA Yeats begins the poem with the claim that no young man will ever be
able to love Anne for her personality, not because it isn’t worth loving, but because her
hair is so beautiful that they wouldn’t be able to notice anything else.He compares her
hair to the sweet and pleasant association of honey, in addition, he also refers to
‘ramparts’ giving it a defensive strategy of kinds.This is intended to represent the fact
that Anne’s beautiful hair is as much a curse as it is a blessing because, according to
Yeats, her beauty prevents her from making meaningful connections with people rather
than enabling her to do so.
SECOND STANZA: The second stanza is the response from Anne herself, in which she
attempts to refute Yeats’ claims by saying that she would dye her colour to black brown
and carrot and then men who would lfall in love with her , they would do so because of
her qualities and not her physical appearance. This clearly indicates the stereotypical
thinking that these colours are not not beautiful. It seems like an attempt to prove Yeats
wrong.
THIRD STANZA: In The third and final stanza Yeats once again replies in an attempt to
convince Anne that he is right about her hair when he says that “only God” would be
able to love Anne for reasons other than her hair as only He can see beyond and above
the superficiality of the skin.
Through their dialogue the speaker suggests that genuine beauty is not solely
dependent on looks but on qualities as well. This poem highlights the nature of beauty
and raises questions about society's emphasis on appearance rather than substance. It
delves into the notion that true beauty is rooted in ones character and integrity than
external attributes alone . Man is incapable of seeing beyond the superficiality of skin
and features.
POETIC DEVICES
l The rhyme scheme of the poem is abcbdb.
l the phrase ‘honey-coloured ramparts’ is an example of a metaphor. Yeats, through
the metaphor, compares Anne Gregory’s hair to the walls of a fort. Ramparts at
your ear’. Just like the walls of a fort hide and protect the city, the hair hides the
true self of Anne Gregory.
l Alliteration
Love you for yourself alone
‘your yellow hair’ is an example of alliteration.
Brown, or black
May love me for myself alone
l Anaphora:
In the 3rd stanza – the second and third line
That he had found a text to prove
That only God, my dear,
l Refrain:
1st Stanza 3rd Line , 2nd Stanza 3rd line , 3rd stanza 3rd line
And not your yellow hair.”- to emphasize on the idea of beauty
l Enjambment:
In the 2nd Stanza: the 4th and the 5th Line
That young men in despair
My love me for myself alone
In the 3rd Stanza: 1st, 2nd and the 3rd Line
‘I heard an old religious man
But yesternight declare
That he had found a text to prove
