The poem in question was written for the Irish revolutionary, Maud Gonne. A "forbidden fruit" obsession and muse to Yeats for many years because he wasn't Catholic and "nationalist" enough for her.
It says much of her feisty nature, but she is immortalized as Helen in several of his poems, one of them bearing the title "No Second Troy".
Thanks for putting this up, by the way, that was fun.
I must have known that about Maud Gonne once upon a time, but it was long since forgotten. Thx. In hindsight, can I lamely draw a corollary between Gonne and Queen Helen?
Yes, it's fun making these xtranormal vids... I had to phonetically spell a couple of the words in order to get the actor to pronounce them correctly: 'Lives,' for example, became 'Livz,' because the interpretor would only read it as rhyming with 'hives'.
I guess you could draw some comparisons, since Gonne, besides being an ardent revolutionary, was red haired and one of the most striking beauties of her generation.
Oui, I meant Shirley.
enossified 2 years ago
Just a quick one:
The poem in question was written for the Irish revolutionary, Maud Gonne. A "forbidden fruit" obsession and muse to Yeats for many years because he wasn't Catholic and "nationalist" enough for her.
It says much of her feisty nature, but she is immortalized as Helen in several of his poems, one of them bearing the title "No Second Troy".
Thanks for putting this up, by the way, that was fun.
Nornegest 2 years ago
I must have known that about Maud Gonne once upon a time, but it was long since forgotten. Thx. In hindsight, can I lamely draw a corollary between Gonne and Queen Helen?
Yes, it's fun making these xtranormal vids... I had to phonetically spell a couple of the words in order to get the actor to pronounce them correctly: 'Lives,' for example, became 'Livz,' because the interpretor would only read it as rhyming with 'hives'.
enossified 2 years ago
"In hindsight, can I lamely draw a corollary between Gonne and Queen Helen?"
Which one? The legendary queen of Sparta, or Shirley Manson?
Nornegest 2 years ago
Oh, I get it now: Shirley.
I guess you could draw some comparisons, since Gonne, besides being an ardent revolutionary, was red haired and one of the most striking beauties of her generation.
Just like our Shirley.
Nornegest 2 years ago