The Cat and The Moon Flashcards
What is the context of ‘The Cat and The Moon’?
- Published in 1919 as part of ‘The Wild Swans At Coole’
- Alludes to Plato’s ‘one out of two’ parable about how human’s are constantly searching for their other half
What is the significance of the title: ‘The Cat and The Moon’?
-Two things that are seemingly so different are linked in the way of the title and this immediately displays a connection between them Can be a metaphor for: Maud and Yeats All the separate components of nature The poem and the poet
–> link to the man and the echo & among schoolchildren!
What evidence is there to show that the cat represents WBY in ‘The Cat and The Moon’? (1)
“The cat went here and there”
–>”here” displays to where WBY is and “there” displays away from the poet- this very personal description of direction implies the poet is the cat
What is the link to the occult in the poem ‘The Cat and The Moon’? (2)
“spun round like a top”
–>represents WBY’s theory of gyres
“The Moon” is closely linked to the cycles of Earth
Chiasmus ABBA “round”, “crescent”, “crescent”, “round” displays changing cycles
–> WBY’s belief in this occult emphasises his belief that all things in nature are somehow linked
How does WBY explicitly display the link between between the cat in the moon in ‘The Cat and The Moon’? (2)
“the nearest kin of the moon”
“two close kindred”
What are the overall messages and the key themes of ‘The Cat and The Moon’?
- WBY’s relationship and link with Maud Gonne
- Mutability and change (a key romantic theme)
- Similarities and the links of things in nature
What are the quotations that suggest that ‘The Cat and The Moon’ is referencing the relationship between a poet and a poem? (6)
“Black Minnaloushe stared at the moon” AND “moonlit”
–> “stared” displays how the moon provides the subject of the poem (observation) for the cat (poet): whether the moon represents Maud (link to Broken dreams and writing poem) or simply a source of awakening light, it provides inspiration for the poem
“delicate feet”- romantic irony to the careful use of metrical feet within poetry
“dance” (repeated) is an art form just like poetry
“A new dance turn”- this acts as the “turn” (volta) in the poem as up to this point, the cat attempts to teach the Moon a dance, but after this point the cat realises he must adjust himself to truly link with the moon
“his pupils will pass from change to change” - the students of WBY’s will change but they will experience the same message WBY is trying to get across, and thus he eternalises his message
How is there a reference made to MG’s and WBY’s relationship in ‘The Cat and The Moon’? (5)
“What better than call a dance?” displays how WBY attempts to woo and entice MG. Also a “dance” is ritualistic and ceremonial, therefore could be Yeats asking Maud for her hand in marriage - reinforced with the question mark
“he lifts to the moon his changing eyes” displays a new, “changing” outlook and that he cannot simply seduce MG- realised that she is inaccessible?
“Minnaloushe creeps through the grass/ From moonlit place to place” - Yeats is constantly following Maud. But “creeps” shows their disconnection as if he is trying to go unseen.
“The sacred moon overhead/ Has taken a new phase” - “overhead” suggests she’s far away - one step ahead of him; underlining the distance between them. “a new phase” suggests that she has moved on from Yeats to other men? (Or she is in a new political “phase”)
“The pure cold light in the sky/ Troubled his animal blood” - the antithesis of “cold light” reflects the Maud’s beauty but Yeats sees her as having a cold heart (similar to those in Easter 1916 - the rebels are “enchanted to a stone” - therefore could be referring to Maud’s political views which “troubled [Yeats’] animal blood”)
The “blood” also shows his passion for Maud which she is troubling by making him metaphorically “cold” - links to the “hot blood of youth, of love crossed long ago” (The Cold Heaven) - shows her constant rejection
How does WBY metaphorically display the similarity between the cat and moon (WBY & MG) in ‘The Cat and The Moon’?
“Does Minnaloushe know that his pupils/ Will pass from change to change, / And that from round to crescent, / From crescent to round they range?”
–> even if some components are not aware of it, things in nature are linked as the eyes of the cat display the cycles of the moon
Chiasmus ABBA “round”, “crescent”, “crescent”, “round” displays their link and similarities
“And lifts to the changing moon/ His changing eyes” - repetition of “changing” but in cat and moon displays parallels between the cat and moon- subtle reference that they are both changing and WBY realises he may not ever be successful in pursuing MG
How does WBY display change and mutability (a key romantic theme) in his poem ‘The Cat and The Moon’ and what is it’s effect?
“A new dance turn” acts as a volta and a change in the Cat’s outlook
“his pupils will pass from change to change”- what he witnesses and his perception will change
“the changing moon” - MG is changing and as is WBY’s perception of her- perhaps WBY is starting to accept that he wont be able to be with her, despite his feeling that they are linked
How does WBY displays secrets and knowledge of nature in his poem ‘The Cat and The Moon’?
“in the grass” and “through the grass” displays how the cat is hidden and emphasises the hidden, and secret mysteries of life
“alone, important and wise” - the tricolon displays how the cat (WBY=the poet) has knowledge that others seek to understand eg. the meanings of his poem.
–>Displays not only the hidden messages of the poem that only WBY truly knows but also the secrets of nature and it’s links that WBY feels he understands
How does the metre of the poem ‘The Cat and The Moon’ affect its meaning?
3 feet per line apart from the last line makes the poem move like a slow waltz (a “dance”) and display how WBY attempted to entice MG
How does the rhythm and timing of ‘The Cat and The Moon’ affect its meaning? (2)
The lines vary in syllables but have the same timing to display how although things appear different, they are more similar than it seems
The simple rhyme structure helps to build up the rhythm and give it momentum reflecting the mutability and mobility of the different aspects of nature.
