William Butler Yeats’ poem titled ‘Adams Curse is a very interested poem. In the poem, readers only hear the voice of the speaker. In line 2, he speaks to his lover and reference that “beautiful mild woman”. He says in line 7, 8, and 9 it is ‘better’ to go down upon your marrow-bones / and scrub a kitchen pavement or break stones / like an old pauper in all kind of weather, than to write poetry. In the former verse, the speaker suggests that poetry is harder to write than scrubbing a floor. When I think about the previous lines, I think about “Tradition and the Individual Talent” by T. S. Eliot. Since William B. Yeats and T. S. Eliot are both twentieth century writers I get the notion that Yeats is referring to the idea form Eliot’s essay, “tradition and impersonality”. Yeats notion that “it is harder”, to write poetry than to scrub a kitchen floor is possibly a theory of the poets from that era. Eliot’s essay argues that” tradition and impersonality” is only obtained unconsciously, and with hard work. This the idea that Yeats is possibly relating. In line 11 and 12 Yeats continues with yet, less appreciated by, bankers, schoolmasters and clergymen. Then in line 16, the speaker turns his attention back to the ”beautiful mild woman” asserting many shall find “heartache” in her. This line suggest to readers a sense of discomfort within the speakers voice. In lines 19, 20 and 21 the speaker uses a metaphor to describe the curse of mankind which is, ” Adams Curse”. The meaning to this curse can be found in Genesis 3: 16 and 17. In the last five verses, the poet directs his attention to his lover by saying,” I had a thought for no one’s but your ears”. To love you, yet we’d grown / as weary hearted. insinuating that his love is no more. Lastly, the form of this poem is written in rhyming couplets.
Miniesia Coleman