Class 12 English Notes Poetry 5 (Trees) – Kaliedoscope Book

Alright class, let's focus now on the fifth poem in your Kaleidoscope reader. While the user prompt mentioned "Trees," the fifth poem in the NCERT Class 12 Kaleidoscope syllabus is actually "The Wild Swans at Coole" by W.B. Yeats. The opening line, "The trees are in their autumn beauty," might cause this confusion, but the poem's focus and title are centered on the swans. Yeats is a highly important poet for any examination, so pay close attention.

Here are the detailed notes focusing on aspects crucial for government exam preparation:

Poem 5: The Wild Swans at Coole by W.B. Yeats

1. About the Poet: William Butler Yeats (1865-1939)

• Nationality: Irish poet, dramatist, and prose writer.
• Significance: One of the foremost figures of 20th-century literature. A driving force behind the Irish Literary Revival. Awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1923.
• Key Themes in his work: Irish nationalism, mythology, folklore, politics, love (especially his complex relationship with Maud Gonne), aging, the passage of time, mysticism, and the cyclical nature of history and life.
• Style: Known for his symbolic language, lyrical quality, evolving style (from romanticism to modernism), and masterful use of traditional forms.

2. Context of the Poem:

• Setting: Coole Park, the estate of Lady Augusta Gregory, a friend and patron of Yeats, located in County Galway, Ireland. Yeats spent many summers there.
• Time: Written around 1916-1917, during a period of personal turmoil for Yeats (aging, unrequited love for Maud Gonne, political upheaval in Ireland - Easter Rising 1916).
• Subject: The poet observes swans on the lake at Coole Park, reflecting on the passage of time and the contrast between his own aging and the seemingly unchanging nature of the swans.

3. Summary:

The poet stands by the lake at Coole Park in autumn. He observes the swans, noting there are fifty-nine. He reflects that nineteen years have passed since he first counted them there. Everything seems changed for him since then. He recalls how the swans would suddenly take flight in the past. Now, he watches them swimming peacefully, paired as lovers, embodying youth and passion. He notes that their hearts have not grown old; they still possess the same vigour and freedom. He feels a pang of sorrow realizing his own life has changed significantly, while the swans appear timeless. The poem ends with a poignant question about where these unchanging, beautiful creatures will delight others in the future, implying his own mortality and eventual absence from the scene.

4. Themes:

• The Passage of Time and Aging: This is the central theme. The poet acutely feels the nineteen years that have passed. He contrasts his own sense of weariness and change ("All's changed") with the seemingly timeless vitality of the swans ("Their hearts have not grown old").
• Permanence vs. Transience: The swans symbolize permanence, unchanging beauty, passion, and freedom. The poet represents human transience, subject to aging, sorrow, and change. Nature (swans, lake, trees) appears constant or cyclical, while human life is linear and finite.
• Beauty of Nature: The poem vividly describes the autumnal beauty of Coole Park and the grace of the swans, even amidst the poet's melancholy.
• Memory and Reflection: The act of counting the swans triggers memories of the past and deep reflection on the changes within himself over nineteen autumns.
• Unrequited Love and Sorrow: Though not explicit, the context of Yeats' life (his long, unfulfilled love for Maud Gonne) often informs readings of the poem. The "lover by lover" pairs of swans can highlight his own loneliness and heartache. The "sore" heart mentioned relates to this personal pain.

5. Stanza-wise Analysis:

• Stanza 1: Establishes the setting (autumn, Coole Park, lake, twilight). Introduces the swans and the act of counting (fifty-nine). Sets a calm but slightly melancholic mood.
• Stanza 2: Introduces the theme of time. Nineteen years have passed since his first count. Emphasizes the poet's changed state ("All's changed"). Creates a contrast between past and present observation.
• Stanza 3: Focuses on the swans' movement and vitality. The "clamorous" wing beats symbolize energy and perhaps disruption (contrasting with the current peace). Highlights their unity ("lover by lover") and grace.
• Stanza 4: Deepens the contrast between the poet and the swans. Their hearts remain young, passionate, and free ("Passion or conquest...attend upon them still"). His heart, however, has grown "sore" (weary/sad).
• Stanza 5: The poet looks to the future with uncertainty and a sense of loss. He wonders where the swans will build their nests and bring delight after he is gone, acknowledging his own mortality and the enduring nature of the swans' beauty.

6. Literary Devices:

• Symbolism:
  • Swans: Represent beauty, grace, freedom, passion, permanence, unchanging nature, perhaps idealized love.
  • Autumn: Symbolizes maturity, the later stages of life, melancholy, beauty in decline.
  • Water: Reflects the scene, symbolizes continuity, perhaps the flow of time.
• Imagery:
  • Visual: "autumn beauty," "dry woodland paths," "October twilight," "water Mirrors a still sky," "great broken rings," "white swans."
  • Auditory: "clamorous wings."
• Contrast: The core device used to structure the poem – Poet vs. Swans; Past vs. Present; Change vs. Permanence; Age vs. Youthfulness.
• Tone: Reflective, Melancholy, Nostalgic, Somber, Admiring (of the swans).
• Structure: Five sestets (6-line stanzas). Regular rhyme scheme (ABCBDD), contributing to the poem's musicality and formal control, which contrasts slightly with the emotional turmoil beneath the surface.
• Alliteration: "still sky," "lover by lover," "wander where they will."
• Assonance: "stones," "swans"; "drift," "still."

7. Relevance for Exams:

• Understand Yeats' significance and common themes.
• Be able to identify and explain the central themes (Time, Change vs Permanence).
• Recognize the key symbols, especially the swans.
• Analyze the contrast between the poet and the swans.
• Understand the setting and its importance (Coole Park, Autumn).
• Identify key literary devices and their effect.
• Be aware of the poem's tone and structure.

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs):

1. Who is the poet of "The Wild Swans at Coole"?
   (a) John Keats
   (b) W.B. Yeats
   (c) Emily Dickinson
   (d) T.S. Eliot

2. What is the primary setting of the poem?
   (a) A bustling city park in spring
   (b) The poet's study in winter
   (c) Coole Park in autumn
   (d) A beach during summer

3. How many years does the poet state have passed since he first counted the swans?
   (a) Nine
   (b) Nineteen
   (c) Twenty-nine
   (d) Fifty-nine

4. What do the swans primarily symbolize in the poem?
   (a) Human mortality and sorrow
   (b) Political change in Ireland
   (c) Nature's indifference
   (d) Timeless beauty, passion, and permanence

5. The line "All's changed since I, hearing at twilight..." emphasizes which theme?
   (a) The beauty of nature
   (b) The passage of time and personal change
   (c) The political situation
   (d) The migration patterns of swans

6. What feeling is most strongly conveyed by the poet's observation of the swans swimming "lover by lover"?
   (a) Joy and celebration
   (b) Anger and jealousy
   (c) A sense of contrast with his own loneliness or changed state
   (d) Indifference

7. The phrase "Their hearts have not grown old" highlights:
   (a) The poet's admiration for the swans' scientific longevity
   (b) The contrast between the swans' unchanging vitality and the poet's aging
   (c) A criticism of the swans' lack of emotional depth
   (d) The poet's hope for his own rejuvenation

8. What is the dominant tone of the poem?
   (a) Cheerful and optimistic
   (b) Angry and defiant
   (c) Melancholy and reflective
   (d) Humorous and lighthearted

9. The final stanza expresses the poet's:
   (a) Certainty about the swans' future destination
   (b) Decision to leave Coole Park forever
   (c) Wonder and slight sadness about the swans' future and his own mortality
   (d) Belief that the swans will also soon grow old

10. Which literary device is central to structuring the poem's meaning?
    (a) Metaphor
    (b) Simile
    (c) Contrast
    (d) Hyperbole

Answer Key:

1. (b)
2. (c)
3. (b)
4. (d)
5. (b)
6. (c)
7. (b)
8. (c)
9. (c)
10. (c)

Study these notes carefully. Understanding the context, themes, and symbolism in Yeats' work is key. Good luck with your preparation!