Childhood memories are very precise to one's life. The recollection of pure innocence, freedom, fun with no responsibilities or nothing to be concerned about. But as we all know, we grown up and mature and slowly but surely ones childhood is nothing but special memories. Although childhood is the beginning of our life that is filled with nothing but innocent fun, that does not mean growing up takes away ones freedom and happiness. In the poem "The Stolen Child" by William Butler Yeats, he reminds us life as a child is a fantasy world that should be kept a memory because if one tries to relive it, they would not be as happy as they think. W.B Yeats illuminates the theme of his poem by using print, sound, imagery, metaphor, symbolism and irony.
Using print and sound Yeats tells the reader the poem is a simple, flowing poem. Yeats makes the poem rhyme like a child's nursery rhyme, "Come away, O human child! To the waters and the wild" (9-10) Despite the flow of the poem he also uses harsh sounding words such as "gushes" "troubles" "unquiet" etc, used to describe the real world, which one lives in.
Using imagery and metaphor Yeats captures the childhood in ones memory. In the first and second stanza he gives us an image of the dream island.
Where the wave of moonlight glosses.
The dim grey sands with light,.
Far off by furthest Rosses.
We foot it all the night,.
Weaving olden dances,.
Mingling hands and mingling glances.
Till the moon has taken flight;.
To and Fro we leap.
And chase the frothy bubbles (14-22).
In the same stanza he remind us of the real world "While the world is full of troubles/And is anxious in its sleep." (23-24) Giving the real world an image of sadness and being tiresome, the world that has no fun only responsibilities. In the forth stanza Yeats changes the poem dramatically, stating when the child goes with the fairies and leaves the real world behind he realize he is not happier in the dream world but only sad to leave it (the real world) thus being the theme of the poem.
