📌About the Poem
“The Wild Swans at Coole” is one of William Butler Yeats’s most celebrated poems, reflecting themes of time, change, beauty, loss, and the desire for permanence. The poem describes the poet’s visit to Coole Park, the estate of Lady Gregory (his close friend and patron), where he observes a flock of swans. The sight triggers a deep meditation on his own aging, the passage of time, and the unchanging beauty and vitality of the swans.
📌Date of Composition and Publication
First Draft: 1916 (Yeats wrote it during his stay at Coole Park, County Galway).
First Publication: Published in The Little Review (June 1917).
Collection: Later included in the poetry collection The Wild Swans at Coole (1919).
📌Background / Inspiration
Yeats often stayed at Coole Park, the home of Lady Augusta Gregory.
The swans on the lake at Coole became a recurring image in his poetry, symbolizing constancy and immortal beauty in contrast to human aging and loss.
Written in the aftermath of the Easter Rising (1916) and during a period of personal reflection, the poem conveys Yeats’s awareness of his own advancing age and loneliness.
📌Form and Structure
Form: Lyric poem.
Stanzas: 5 stanzas, each with 6 lines (sestets).
Meter: Predominantly iambic pentameter.
Rhyme Scheme: Regular (ababcc).
📌Symbols
Swans: Immortality, youth, vitality, permanence.
Autumn setting: Symbol of decline, aging, and the nearing of life’s winter.
Lake: Reflection and stillness—mirroring the poet’s meditative mood.
📌Critical Significance
Considered one of Yeats’s great meditative nature poems.
Shows the poet’s preoccupation with aging, memory, and permanence, key themes in his later works.
Combines Romantic nature imagery (influenced by Wordsworth) with Yeats’s own symbolist style.
📌Summary in Brief
The poet visits Coole Park in autumn and sees 59 swans on the water. He remembers that 19 years earlier he had counted them, when he was young. Now, as he grows older, he realizes that while his own life has changed, the swans remain the same—beautiful, passionate, and full of life. The poem ends with the thought that someday the swans will leave, flying away, leaving the poet in his solitude.
✅ Key Facts (for quick revision):
Poem: The Wild Swans at Coole
Poet: W. B. Yeats
Written: 1916
First Published: 1917 (The Little Review)
Collection: The Wild Swans at Coole (1919)
Location: Coole Park, County Galway (Lady Gregory’s estate)
Theme: Aging, permanence of nature vs. transience of human life, beauty, and loss
📌 Line by Line Explanation
Stanza 1
1. The trees are in their autumn beauty,
→ The trees look beautiful in autumn, full of colorful leaves.
2. The woodland paths are dry,
→ The forest paths are dry and calm, showing the peaceful season.
3. Under the October twilight the water
→ In the dim light of October evening, the water is quiet.
4. Mirrors a still sky;
→ The water reflects the still, peaceful sky like a mirror.
5. Upon the brimming water among the stones
→ On the full water, among the stones, swans are resting.
6. Are nine-and-fifty swans.
→ Exactly fifty-nine swans are seen together on the water.
Stanza 2
7. The nineteenth autumn has come upon me
→ The poet says 19 years have passed since he first saw the swans.
8. Since I first made my count;
→ It has been that long since he counted them the first time.
9. I saw, before I had well finished,
→ The first time, before he finished counting them,
10. All suddenly mount
→ Suddenly, all the swans took flight into the air.
11. And scatter wheeling in great broken rings
→ The swans flew in circular patterns across the sky.
12. Upon their clamorous wings.
→ Their loud wings made a noisy, lively sound.
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Stanza 3
13. I have looked upon those brilliant creatures,
→ The poet admires the swans as bright, beautiful beings.
14. And now my heart is sore.
→ But his heart feels pain because he has grown older.
15. All’s changed since I, hearing at twilight,
→ Life has changed greatly since he first saw them at twilight.
16. The first time on this shore,
→ When he first watched them by this same shore.
17. The bell-beat of their wings above my head,
→ He remembers the powerful sound of their wings overhead.
18. Trod with a lighter tread.
→ At that time, his life felt lighter, freer, and happier.
---
Stanza 4
19. Unwearied still, lover by lover,
→ The swans are still tireless, moving in pairs like lovers.
20. They paddle in the cold
→ They swim in the cold water.
21. Companionable streams or climb the air;
→ They either swim together in friendly groups or fly in the sky.
22. Their hearts have not grown old;
→ Unlike the poet, the swans have not aged in spirit.
23. Passion or conquest, wander where they will,
→ Wherever they go, their lives are full of passion and adventure.
24. Attend upon them still.
→ Love and vitality always follow them.
---
Stanza 5
25. But now they drift on the still water,
→ At present, they calmly float on the quiet water.
26. Mysterious, beautiful;
→ They appear mysterious and beautiful to the poet.
27. Among what rushes will they build,
→ He wonders where they will build nests in the reeds.
28. By what lake’s edge or pool
→ On which lake or pool they will settle in the future.
29. Delight men’s eyes, when I awake some day
→ In the future, when the poet is gone or old,
30. To find they have flown away?
→ He fears that one day he will wake up and find them gone.
Summary
Yeats describes the beauty of autumn at Coole Park and the sight of fifty-nine swans. He recalls seeing them 19 years ago, when they flew powerfully and filled him with joy. Now, however, he feels sadness because time has passed and he has aged, while the swans remain unchanged—youthful, strong, and paired with love. He admires their beauty, energy, and mystery but also fears that one day they will leave, leaving him behind in loneliness.
Themes
1. Passage of Time – The poet feels the pain of aging while swans remain timeless.
2. Immortality of Nature vs. Mortality of Man – Swans symbolize eternal youth, while humans grow old.
3. Love and Companionship – Swans move in pairs, symbolizing lasting bonds.
4. Change and Loss – Life changes for humans, but nature’s beauty seems constant.
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Important Keywords
Autumn beauty – Symbol of aging and decline.
Twilight – Symbol of fading life.
Brilliant creatures – Swans as timeless, pure, and beautiful.
Unwearied still – Symbol of eternal youth and love.
Flown away – Symbol of loss and fear of separation.
Hard Word Meanings
Twilight – The dim light of evening.
Brimming – Full to the edge.
Clamorous – Noisy, full of sound.
Bell-beat – Strong, rhythmic sound like a bell.
Unwearied – Tireless, not growing tired.
Companionable – Friendly, sociable.
Passion – Strong feeling of love or desire.
Conquest – Victory, achievement.
Rushes – Tall grass-like plants growing near water.
Factual Questions (Moderate) with Answers & Explanation
1. Q: In which season is the poem set?
A: Autumn.
Explanation: The poem begins with “The trees are in their autumn beauty,” clearly setting the scene in autumn, symbolizing aging and decline.
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2. Q: How many swans does Yeats see at Coole?
A: Fifty-nine (nine-and-fifty).
Explanation: The exact number is given in line 6, showing Yeats’s precise observation.
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3. Q: How many years have passed since Yeats first counted the swans?
A: Nineteen years.
Explanation: In line 7, Yeats says, “The nineteenth autumn has come upon me / Since I first made my count.”
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4. Q: Where is the scene of the poem located?
A: Coole Park, Ireland.
Explanation: The title itself and Yeats’s visits to Lady Gregory’s estate at Coole Park confirm the location.
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5. Q: What happens when Yeats first tried to count the swans years ago?
A: They suddenly flew up before he finished counting.
Explanation: In stanza 2, Yeats recalls how they mounted all at once, showing their energy and vitality.
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6. Q: What does Yeats call the swans in stanza 3?
A: “Brilliant creatures.”
Explanation: This phrase shows his admiration for their beauty, contrasting with his own aging.
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7. Q: What sound does Yeats compare the swans’ wings to?
A: A “bell-beat.”
Explanation: The wings beating strongly over his head are compared to a bell’s rhythm, emphasizing power and music-like quality.
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8. Q: How are the swans described in relation to aging?
A: Their hearts “have not grown old.”
Explanation: In stanza 4, Yeats contrasts his own aging with the timeless youth of the swans.
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9. Q: In what way do the swans represent companionship?
A: They move “lover by lover.”
Explanation: The swans are always in pairs, symbolizing love, unity, and enduring bonds.
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10. Q: What fear does Yeats express in the final stanza?
A: That one day he will wake up and find the swans have flown away.
Explanation: The last lines reveal Yeats’s anxiety about change and loss, linking to the theme of transience.
📌 50 Moderate to Hard Questions with Answers & Explanation
About the Poem & Setting
1. Q: In which month is the poem set?
A: October.
Explanation: Line 3 mentions “Under the October twilight the water.”
2. Q: What do the dry woodland paths signify?
A: Autumn’s decline and stillness.
Explanation: Dry paths mirror the quiet, aging atmosphere.
3. Q: What does the reflection of the sky in water symbolize?
A: Stillness and transience.
Explanation: Water acts as a mirror, symbolizing time’s passage.
4. Q: How does Yeats describe the swans’ flight?
A: In “great broken rings.”
Explanation: Suggests circular patterns of energy and unity.
5. Q: How is the noise of the swans described?
A: “Clamorous wings.”
Explanation: Symbolizes vitality, contrasting with Yeats’s silence.
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Personal Reflection
6. Q: Why does Yeats’s heart feel “sore”?
A: Because time has changed him, not the swans.
Explanation: He contrasts human aging with the swans’ timelessness.
7. Q: How does Yeats describe his past self at Coole?
A: He “trod with a lighter tread.”
Explanation: Suggests he was happier and more carefree in youth.
8. Q: What memory gives Yeats pain in stanza 3?
A: His first sight of swans at twilight.
Explanation: The memory highlights how much has changed since then.
9. Q: What do the swans’ unchanging hearts contrast with?
A: Yeats’s own aging and sadness.
Explanation: Human life declines, but nature appears eternal.
10. Q: What emotion dominates Yeats in the poem?
A: A mix of admiration and melancholy.
Explanation: He admires swans but laments his own aging.
Symbolism & Imagery
11. Q: What does autumn symbolize in the poem?
A: Aging and decline.
Explanation: Autumn parallels Yeats’s stage in life.
12. Q: What does twilight symbolize?
A: Fading life or nearing the end of vitality.
Explanation: Twilight is the in-between of day and night, like old age.
13. Q: Why are the swans called “brilliant creatures”?
A: They embody beauty, vitality, and timelessness.
Explanation: A contrast to the poet’s mortal weakness.
14. Q: What does “lover by lover” symbolize?
A: Eternal companionship and romantic unity.
Explanation: The swans are inseparable in pairs, unlike human love that fades.
15. Q: Why are the swans described as “mysterious”?
A: Their enduring youth seems beyond human understanding.
Explanation: They embody a kind of natural immortality.
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Themes
16. Q: Which theme dominates the poem?
A: Time and change.
Explanation: Yeats contrasts past and present experiences.
17. Q: How does the poem show nature vs. human life?
A: Swans remain youthful; humans age.
Explanation: A contrast of permanence vs. transience.
18. Q: How does love appear in the poem?
A: Through swans moving in pairs.
Explanation: Love is enduring in nature, fragile in human life.
19. Q: What theme does “flown away” suggest?
A: Loss and impermanence.
Explanation: Fear that beauty or love will vanish.
20. Q: Why is passion called a quality of swans?
A: They remain full of energy and conquest.
Explanation: Symbol of vitality against human decline.
Structure & Technique
21. Q: How many stanzas are in the poem?
A: Five stanzas.
Explanation: Each stanza has six lines (sestet).
22. Q: What is the rhyme scheme?
A: ababcc.
Explanation: A regular scheme giving the poem musical quality.
23. Q: What is the tone of the poem?
A: Reflective and melancholic.
Explanation: Yeats admires swans but mourns aging.
24. Q: What kind of imagery dominates the poem?
A: Visual imagery of nature and swans.
Explanation: Strong emphasis on sight, motion, and sound.
25. Q: Which poetic device is in “bell-beat of their wings”?
A: Metaphor + auditory imagery.
Explanation: Wings compared to bells, emphasizing rhythm and sound.
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Contextual/Interpretative
26. Q: When was the poem first published?
A: 1917 (later in 1919 collection The Wild Swans at Coole).
Explanation: Written during WWI era.
27. Q: Whose estate inspired this poem?
A: Lady Gregory’s estate at Coole Park.
Explanation: Yeats often visited there.
28. Q: How old was Yeats around the poem’s writing?
A: Early 50s.
Explanation: He was reflecting on aging.
29. Q: What biographical struggle does this poem reflect?
A: Yeats’s despair over unfulfilled love and aging.
Explanation: His personal sense of loss enters the poem.
30. Q: How is the poem a contrast between permanence and change?
A: Swans remain timeless, but Yeats feels weakened by time.
Explanation: Nature’s permanence vs. human transience.
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Detailed Reading
31. Q: Why does Yeats precisely count the swans?
A: To mark their constancy over years.
Explanation: The number symbolizes stability amidst his own change.
32. Q: What does the phrase “lighter tread” suggest?
A: He was once carefree and energetic.
Explanation: Symbol of lost youth.
33. Q: How do the swans’ movements represent freedom?
A: They wheel in rings and climb the air.
Explanation: Suggest independence and vitality.
34. Q: What is Yeats’s fear in relation to swans?
A: That they may leave, taking beauty with them.
Explanation: He fears abandonment and loneliness.
35. Q: Why are the swans linked with conquest?
A: Their passion dominates wherever they go.
Explanation: Suggests eternal strength.
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Comparative Ideas
36. Q: How is “autumn” different for swans and Yeats?
A: For Yeats, it means aging; for swans, timeless beauty.
Explanation: A sharp human-nature contrast.
37. Q: Why is the number of swans odd (59)?
A: To emphasize reality, not myth.
Explanation: Suggests personal observation, not romanticized count.
38. Q: How do the swans mirror Yeats’s lost love life?
A: They stay in pairs while Yeats remained unmarried then.
Explanation: Symbol of companionship he longed for.
39. Q: How does the poem reflect Irish Romantic tradition?
A: Focus on nature, mythic imagery, and symbolism.
Explanation: Yeats merges Romantic nature imagery with modern melancholy.
40. Q: How does time affect Yeats differently than the swans?
A: He grows weaker; swans remain unwearied.
Explanation: Mortality vs. natural continuity.
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Literary Appreciation
41. Q: What kind of poem is this (genre)?
A: A lyric poem.
Explanation: Personal emotions dominate over narrative.
42. Q: Which mood dominates stanza 3?
A: Sadness and nostalgia.
Explanation: Yeats feels pain at his aging.
43. Q: Which mood dominates stanza 4?
A: Admiration and awe.
Explanation: He marvels at their tireless love and passion.
44. Q: Which stanza is most personal in tone?
A: Stanza 3.
Explanation: Yeats openly admits “my heart is sore.”
45. Q: Why is the ending a question?
A: To show uncertainty and fear.
Explanation: The open-ended close reflects his insecurity.
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Critical Insight
46. Q: How does Yeats portray the passage of 19 years?
A: Through autumn cycles.
Explanation: Autumn symbolizes years passing.
47. Q: What literary movement influenced Yeats here?
A: Romanticism + early Modernism.
Explanation: Nature imagery + existential reflection.
48. Q: How is loneliness implied in the poem?
A: Yeats stands alone, swans in pairs.
Explanation: Contrast emphasizes his solitude.
49. Q: Why is water an important image?
A: It reflects, supports swans, and symbolizes change.
Explanation: Still water contrasts with lively swans.
50. Q: What makes this poem universal?
A: Its meditation on aging, change, and enduring beauty.
Explanation: Every reader can relate to time’s passage and longing for permanence.
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