Poems of W.B. Yeats: The Tower Lesson Plan

Yeats brings up Troy and the Trojan war several times in this section. Citing specific examples of the references to Troy, discuss their significance?

The story of the Trojan war is very generative for Yeats, for several reasons. In "Two Songs From a Play", the speaker says that the Trojan War must replay over and over, must repeat itself. In this setting, it's a reference to "staging" of a play, but also a reference to history repeating itself, especially given the previous references to war in the collection.

Leda is the mother of Helen, whose beauty triggered the Trojan War.

Do you think that "Leda and the Swan" is an erotic poem? Why/why not?

Students...