Poems of W.B. Yeats: The Rose Study Guide

Character List

Druid

A druid held the class of priest in ancient celtic societies. He or she was polytheistic and believed that there are spiritual elements in natural places like rivers and trees.

Fergus

Fergus was a king in many of the ancient mythological cycles of the Irish. He was the lover of Queen Mebh, a protagonist in the Tain Bo Cuailange (Cattle Raid of Cooley), whose name means "fertility" in Gaelic. High Kings of Ireland in the 3rd and 4th centuries AD were named after him.

Eire

Gaelic name for Ireland; often personified by Yeats.

Emer

Cuchulain's wife in the ancient myth cycles. Yeats wrote a play about her called The Only Jealousy of Emer (1922).

Cuchulain

The greatest hero of the Irish myths. He defeated Queen Mebh in the Tain Bo Cuailange, and came to an agreement with Fergus where they would yield to one another on the battlefield. He was married to Emer.

Conchubar

King of Ulster (the northeastern segment of Ireland and part of modern day Northern Ireland) in the ancient myth cycles. Cuchulain's uncle, Conchubar forcibly married the heroine Deirdre, who committed suicide.

Usna

The name of the father of the men who helped Deirdre escape Ireland before Conchubar found her and forced her to marry him.

Diarmuid

An Irish warrior from the myth cycles who served in Cuchulain's army, the Fianna.

Grania

The intended bride of Finn Maccool, who ran away with Diarmuid.

Odysseus

Protagonist of Homer's Odyssey.

Priam

King of Troy during the Trojan War, who was brutally murdered by Achilles's son.

Mother Mary

Jesus's mother, the Virgin Mary.

Father Gilligan

Anonymous father.