Song of the Old Mother

1
Song of the Old Mother

• W.B. Yeats

Page 46
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• To put Song of the Old Mother into context you
  will need to know a little about the author - an
  Irish writer of the late 19th and early 20th
  century.
• William Butler Yeats was born in Ireland in 1865.
  His father and brother were famous painters, but
  Yeats chose to concentrate on literature,
  composing poetry.
• He was fascinated by the history and culture of
  Ireland, particularly its folklore, and went on
  to become involved in Irish politics - he was a
  nationalist and wanted Ireland to be
  self-governing.
• This poem was written in 1899, so is one of his
  earlier poems. It reflects his interest in the
  Irish peasantry.

3
So what happens?

• The Old Mother describes how she gets up at
  dawn to light the fire and then works all day
  until night time, cleaning and cooking.
• She describes the young in the family, asleep in
  their beds dreaming of trivial things. During the
  day they devote their time to idleness.
• She states that she herself must work until she
  grows old and dies.

4
Rhyme

• The poem is written in rhyming couplets the
  rhyme scheme is AA BB CC DD EE.
• It is a regular form like the Old Mothers days.
• Rhyming couplets are a traditional rhyme scheme
  for simple songs and nursery rhymes, so it is
  poignant that this sad song about an old woman
  who feels left out of life rhymes as lightly as a
  child's nursery rhyme.

5

• Should the poem be read?
• Wistfully? As if the old woman wishes she could
  be like the young women?
• Bitterly? As if the old woman is angry that her
  life has been so hard compared to the lives of
  the young women?
• Sadly and resignedly? As if the old woman regrets
  that her life has been like this but knows she
  never had the option of changing it?

6

• In the exam you'll be asked to write about four
  poems, two pre-1914 and two post-1914, comparing
  and contrasting them with each other. The poems
  will usually have something in common - such as
  their subject matter, or an aspect of their
  language, or the ideas expressed - but also
  important differences.
• Remember
• Compare means looking for things which are
  similar.
• Contrast means looking for things which are
  different.

7
What points can you make about the poet's
attitude to the Old Mother in this poem?

• Mention
• How do we know what her day is like?
• How do we know what her work is like?
• Can you tell anything about her from the language
  she uses?
• How does she feel towards young people? How do
  you know?
• Is the old woman mocking the young ones or is she
  jealous of them? Give reasons why it could be
  either of these things.
• What might have happened in the old womans life
  to make her have to work so hard now when she is
  old and infirm?
• Look at the last line. How does the woman feel
  about what the rest of her life holds? Does she
  feel positive about what is to come? How do you
  know?