A Study Guide for William Butler Yeats's "The Stolen Child," excerpted from Gale's acclaimed Poetry for Students. This concise study guide includes plot summary; character analysis; author biography; study questions; historical context; suggestions for further reading; and much more. For any literature project, trust Poetry for Students for all of your research needs.
"The Wanderings of Oisin" is a narrative poem by W. B. Yeats that delves into themes of aging, nostalgia, and the passage of time. Drawing from Irish mythology and legend, the poem follows the ancient hero Oisin, who returns to Ireland after spending three centuries in the mythical land of Tír na nÓg with the fairy princess Niamh. As Oisin recounts his adventures and reflects on the changes that have occurred in his absence, he grapples with a sense of displacement and loss in a world vastly different from the one he knew. Through vivid descriptions and lyrical language, Yeats evokes a sense of longing for a glorious past while also exploring the inevitable dissonance between memory and reality. The poem captures the tension between the desire for eternal youth and the reality of mortality, as Oisin comes to terms with the transient nature of life and the inevitability of change. "The Wanderings of Oisin" stands as a poignant meditation on the passage of time, the complexities of memory, and the enduring power of myth and storytelling.
First published in 1928, The Tower was Yeats’s first collection published after receiving the Nobel Prize in 1923, and it is perhaps the major work that most cemented his reputation as one of the foremost literary figures of the twentieth century. The titular poem, ‘The Tower’, refers to Thoor Ballylee Castle, a Norman tower that Yeats purchased in 1917, and which formed the basis of the original cover design – evoked in the cover of this edition. The collection also includes some of his most inventive and profound work, and develops deep themes regarding life, love and myth. With explanatory notes, this edition seeks to bring the collection to a greater readership and to offer a more profound understanding of the great poet’s work.
Courtney Kelly has a shop full of delights, a cat named Pixie, a green thumb—and a magical touch when it comes to garden design. But in Carmel-by-the-Sea, things aren’t all sweetness and fairy lights . . . When Courtney’s friend Wanda gets into a ponytail-pulling wrestling match in public with a nasty local art critic, Courtney stops the fight with the help of a garden hose. But Lana Lamar has a talent for escalating things and creating tension, which she succeeds in doing by threatening a lawsuit, getting into yet another scuffle—in the midst of an elegant fundraiser, no less—and lobbing insults around like pickleballs. Next thing Courtney knows, Lana is on the floor, stabbed with a decorative letter opener from one of Courtney's fairy gardens, and Wanda is standing by asking “What have I done?” But the answer may not be as obvious as it seems, since Wanda is prone to sleepwalking and appears to be in a daze. Could she have risen from her nap and committed murder while unconscious? Or is the guilty party someone else Lana’s ticked off, like her long-suffering husband? To find out, Courtney will have to dig up some dirt . . . Praise for Daryl Wood Gerber’s A Sprinkling of Murder “Enchanting series launch from Agatha Award winner Gerber . . . Cozy fans will wish upon a star for more.” —Publishers Weekly “A winner. . . . Fans of Laura Childs’ work will enjoy.” —Booklist
