The Circle Animal Desertion
Poetry
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William Butler Yeats
The Circle Animal Desertion Summary
Summary
Part I – The Desertion of Imagination: In the first part, Yeats expresses his old age, loss of creative power, and spiritual emptiness. He admits, “I sought a theme and sought for it in vain,” meaning he can no longer find inspiration for poetry. Once, his imagination was like a circus full of bright, living figures — kings, chariots, heroes, and women — but now they have all left him. He...
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The Circle Animal Desertion Theme
Themes
The Fall of Imagination and Self-realization: The main theme of this poem is the fall of imagination and the journey toward self-discovery. Yeats admits that his old poetic imagination — which once produced his “circus animals” — has now abandoned him. He can no longer imagine romantic, mythical, or heroic figures as before. The line “I sought a theme and sought for it in vain” expresses hi...
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