The theme of “Lapis Lazuli” is that all forms of art can surpass the tragedies experienced within the world; therefore making it gay. Yeats uses his theme of tragic joy throughout the poem, and often in his works toward the last few years of his life. As an artist of literature Yeats understands he faces death like every mortal, but art is what makes things beautiful. Art can bring people joy even in the worst of times. Art can overcome the mere tragedy of events simply by knowing everything comes to an end. Tragic joy is the bittersweet part of life that involves the acceptance of all things good and bad.
In the first stanza we see he believes that those who give credence to the political world will only end up with tragedy, and no joy. The “hysterical women” he speaks of are those who have forsaken the arts, “sick of the palette and fiddle-bow.” Specifically, he is thinking of women such as Maud Gonne who was extremely active politically, especially with the uprising Easter uprising. These women embrace the politics of the modern world, and the modern world is stricken with war and destruction. The women’s convictions make them ugly since they are not accepting o
It is in stanzas four and five that Yeats completes the trio of arts with music. He describes to the reader his gift of lapis lazuli: two Chinamen and a servant. He imagines that the men are alive and animated. The Chinamen are climbing to a place that overlooks a tragic scene. As they stare, the servant starts playing a sad melody by the request of a fellow Chinamen. They too are gay in their ancient wisdom as all the artists are, for all artists understand that the only way to be happy is to accept all that is good and bad. Every imperfection within the carving can be many things to the Chinamen. It can be snow on a mountain or possibly a stream running through a valley, but whatever it may be Yeats leaves it up to the reader to decide.
In the second stanza the reader is introduced to the first of the three arts in the form of Shakespeare’s tragic heroes, Prince Hamlet and King Lear. Readers of Hamlet and Lear understand that the characters meet a tragic end, but at the same time the heroes come to an understanding of their tragedy. Any artist should feel the troubles of his time, as the actor should understand the intensity of Hamlet and Lear. An actor who plays either of the two characters must no
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