The Song of Wandering Aengus Summary & Analysis by William Butler Yeats
- Line-by-Line Explanation & Analysis
- Poetic Devices
- Vocabulary & References
- Form, Meter, & Rhyme Scheme
- Line-by-Line Explanations
First printed in 1897 and collected in The Wind Among the Reeds (1899), W. B. Yeats's "The Song of Wandering Aengus" is a dramatic monologue about burning and thwarted passion. Written in the voice of Aengus (a god of love and youth in Irish mythology), it tells the tale of a magical fish that turns into a beautiful girl and runs away. The infatuated Aengus wanders the earth in pursuit of this girl, growing old but never giving up his search. As a kind of miniature fable, the poem suggests how unrequited love—or any other unattainable dream—can both exhaust a person's energies and nourish a person's imagination.
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The Full Text of “The Song of Wandering Aengus”
1 I went out to the hazel wood,
2 Because a fire was in my head,
3 And cut and peeled a hazel wand,
4 And hooked a berry to a thread;
5 And when white moths were on the wing,
6 And moth-like stars were flickering out,
7 I dropped the berry in a stream
8 And caught a little silver trout.
9 When I had laid it on the floor
10 I went to blow the fire a-flame,
11 But something rustled on the floor,
12 And someone called me by my name:
13 It had become a glimmering girl
14 With apple blossom in her hair
15 Who called me by my name and ran
16 And faded through the brightening air.
17 Though I am old with wandering
18 Through hollow lands and hilly lands,
19 I will find out where she has gone,
20 And kiss her lips and take her hands;
21 And walk among long dappled grass,
22 And pluck till time and times are done,
23 The silver apples of the moon,
24 The golden apples of the sun.
“The Song of Wandering Aengus” Summary
“the song of wandering aengus” themes.
Infatuation, Beauty, and Obsession
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Line-by-Line Explanation & Analysis of “The Song of Wandering Aengus”
I went out to the hazel wood, Because a fire was in my head, And cut and peeled a hazel wand, And hooked a berry to a thread;
And when white moths were on the wing, And moth-like stars were flickering out, I dropped the berry in a stream And caught a little silver trout.
When I had laid it on the floor I went to blow the fire a-flame, But something rustled on the floor, And someone called me by my name:
Lines 13-16
It had become a glimmering girl With apple blossom in her hair Who called me by my name and ran And faded through the brightening air.
Lines 17-20
Though I am old with wandering Through hollow lands and hilly lands, I will find out where she has gone, And kiss her lips and take her hands;
Lines 21-24
And walk among long dappled grass, And pluck till time and times are done, The silver apples of the moon, The golden apples of the sun.
“The Song of Wandering Aengus” Symbols
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Silver Trout
“The Song of Wandering Aengus” Poetic Devices & Figurative Language
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Parallelism
Alliteration, juxtaposition, “the song of wandering aengus” vocabulary.
Select any word below to get its definition in the context of the poem. The words are listed in the order in which they appear in the poem.
- On the wing
- Apple blossom
- See where this vocabulary word appears in the poem.
Form, Meter, & Rhyme Scheme of “The Song of Wandering Aengus”
Rhyme scheme, “the song of wandering aengus” speaker, “the song of wandering aengus” setting, literary and historical context of “the song of wandering aengus”, more “the song of wandering aengus” resources, external resources.
The Poet's Life and Work — Read a short bio of Yeats, along with other Yeats poems, at Poets.org.
The Poem Read Aloud — Hear a reading of the poem by actor Michael Gambon.
"Aengus" in Song — Listen to a 1971 adaptation of the poem by folk singer Donovan.
Yeats, Nobel Laureate — Browse an exhibit on Yeats, winner of the 1923 Nobel Prize in Literature, at Nobel.org.
The Many Sides of Yeats — Read the Poetry Foundation's introduction to the various phases of Yeats's career.
Yeats Reads His Work — Listen to a rare recording of W. B. Yeats reading his poetry aloud.
LitCharts on Other Poems by William Butler Yeats
Adam's Curse
Among School Children
An Irish Airman Foresees his Death
A Prayer for my Daughter
Easter, 1916
He Wishes for the Cloths of Heaven
In Memory of Eva Gore-Booth and Con Markievicz
Lapis Lazuli
Leda and the Swan
Sailing to Byzantium
September 1913
The Lake Isle of Innisfree
The Second Coming
The Wild Swans at Coole
When You Are Old
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The Song of Wandering Aengus
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I went out to the hazel wood, Because a fire was in my head, And cut and peeled a hazel wand, And hooked a berry to a thread; And when white moths were on the wing, And moth-like stars were flickering out, I dropped the berry in a stream And caught a little silver trout.
When I had laid it on the floor I went to blow the fire a-flame, But something rustled on the floor, And someone called me by my name: It had become a glimmering girl With apple blossom in her hair Who called me by my name and ran And faded through the brightening air.
Though I am old with wandering Through hollow lands and hilly lands, I will find out where she has gone, And kiss her lips and take her hands; And walk among long dappled grass, And pluck till time and times are done, The silver apples of the moon, The golden apples of the sun.
This poem is in the public domain.
More by this poet
Leda and the swan.
A sudden blow: the great wings beating still Above the staggering girl, her thighs caressed By the dark webs, her nape caught in his bill, He holds her helpless breast upon his breast.
A Prayer for my Daughter
Once more the storm is howling, and half hid Under this cradle-hood and coverlid My child sleeps on. There is no obstacle But Gregory's wood and one bare hill Whereby the haystack- and roof-levelling wind, Bred on the Atlantic, can be stayed; And for an hour I have walked and prayed
The Stolen Child
Where dips the rocky highland Of Sleuth Wood in the lake, There lies a leafy island Where flapping herons wake The drowsy water rats; There we've hid our faery vats, Full of berrys And of reddest stolen cherries. Come away, O human child!
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The Song of Wandering Aengus
I went out to the hazel wood, Because a fire was in my head, And cut and peeled a hazel wand, And hooked a berry to a thread; And when white moths were on the wing, And moth-like stars were flickering out, I dropped the berry in a stream And caught a little silver trout.
When I had laid it on the floor I went to blow the fire a-flame, But something rustled on the floor, And someone called me by my name: It had become a glimmering girl With apple blossom in her hair Who called me by my name and ran And faded through the brightening air.
Though I am old with wandering Through hollow lands and hilly lands, I will find out where she has gone, And kiss her lips and take her hands; And walk among long dappled grass, And pluck till time and times are done, The silver apples of the moon, The golden apples of the sun.
This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published before January 1, 1929.
The longest-living author of this work died in 1939, so this work is in the public domain in countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 84 years or less . This work may be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works .
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The Song of Wandering Aengus
By william butler yeats.
- The Song of Wandering Aengus Summary
The poem begins with the speaker, Aengus—an Irish Celtic god—wandering in the woods in a passionate, intense mood. He uses a branch and a berry to create a fishing pole, which he drops into a stream. He then catches a silver trout. Laying the fish on the ground, the speaker starts to make a fire. He is interrupted by the sound of someone calling his name, and, looking around, Aengus sees that the fish has transformed into a girl, who wears apple blossoms in her hair. Calling Aengus's name, she runs and disappears into the air. Now, the speaker is old and tired from wandering through the landscape's hills and valleys, searching for this girl. When he finds her, he says, he will kiss her, hold her hands, and walk with her on the sun-dappled grass. The two of them will spend eternity plucking the moon and sun as if these are apples on a tree.
The Song of Wandering Aengus Questions and Answers
The Question and Answer section for The Song of Wandering Aengus is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.
Study Guide for The Song of Wandering Aengus
The Song of Wandering Aengus study guide contains a biography of William Butler Yeats, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.
- About The Song of Wandering Aengus
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Song of Wandering Aengus
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Where does the narrator go in the beginning of the poem?
a hazel wood
the bottom of a stream
The speaker is not feeling well at the beginning of the poem. What evidence from the poem helps you make this inference?
“I dropped the berry in a stream”
“A fire was in my head”
“I went out to the hazel wood”
“I went to blow the fire a-flame”
What did the trout that the narrator caught turn into?
a glimmering girl
apple blossoms
moth-like stars
What has the narrator been searching for this whole time?
berries and thread
his stolen trout
the glimmering girl
silver and gold apples
What kind of figurative language is in this quote?
"...moth-like stars were flickering out..."
metaphor - comparing 2 unlike things
hyperbole - exaggeration
simile - comparing 2 unlike things w/ "like" / "as"
idiom - common expression w/ a figurative meaning
What does the speaker use as bait when fishing?
What kind of mythology is the myth of Aengus?
Native American
What kind of writing is "The Song of Wandering Aengus"?
short story
informational text
Who is the narrator of the poem?
William Butler Yeats
The speaker has a "burning desire". What evidence from the poem helps you make this inference?
What is the quest the speaker has set himself on?
To go fishing
To find the glimmering girl
to make a fishing rod
to wander around
Which line indicates the time of day
and faded through the brightening air
and pluck and till time and times are done
and moth-like stars were flickering out
I went out to the hazel wood
Which line demonstrates the glimmering girl might be a fantasy?
And faded through the brightening air
who called me by name and ran
the silver apples of the moon
and caught a little silver trout
What could be a possible theme of this poem?
love is dumb
never trust a girl
be careful when fishing
love is everlasting
- 15. Multiple Choice Edit 5 minutes 1 pt what is the effect of the words "flickering out" or "glimmering?" they hint what is going to happen at the end of the poem they show how upset the troubled speaker is the slow down the meter of the poem with long syllables they create a powerful image in the reader's mind
What is the topic of this poem?
longing and desire
resentment and hate
contentment and peace
charity and thanks
"Because a fire was in my head"
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The Song of Wandering Aengus - Comprehension Questions Answer Key 9. Name three things the speaker will do. (any three of the following are acceptable): - The speaker will find out where the glimmering girl has gone. - The speaker will kiss the glimmering girl's lips. - The speaker will take the glimmering girl's hands.
By William Butler Yeats. I went out to the hazel wood, Because a fire was in my head, And cut and peeled a hazel wand, And hooked a berry to a thread; And when white moths were on the wing, And moth-like stars were flickering out, I dropped the berry in a stream. And caught a little silver trout.
Summary. ' The Song of Wandering Aengus' by William Butler Yeats describes Aengus' quest to find a girl he once saw in his youth. The speaker is looking back on a pivotal moment in his life that solidified its direction for years to come. He begins by describing an average day in which he decides to go fishing, makes a rod from a hazel ...
The Full Text of "The Song of Wandering Aengus". 1 I went out to the hazel wood, 2 Because a fire was in my head, 3 And cut and peeled a hazel wand, 4 And hooked a berry to a thread; 5 And when white moths were on the wing, 6 And moth-like stars were flickering out, 7 I dropped the berry in a stream. 8 And caught a little silver trout.
The Song of Wandering Aengus 6. What is the effect of the words "flickering out" (line 6) and "glimmering" (line 13)? A) They hint at what is going to happen at the very end of the poem. B) They show how upset and troubled the speaker is. C) They slow down the meter of the poem with long syllables. D) They create a powerful image in the reader ...
About the Poem. William Butler Yeats wrote "The Song of Wandering Aengus" on January 31 sometime in the late 1890s. It was first printed in 1897 under the title "A Mad Song." The current title "The Song of Wandering Aengus" was applied when it was finally published in The Wind Among the Reeds (1899). These early collected poems displayed ...
The Song of Wandering Aengus The Song of Wandering Aengus by William Butler Yeats I went out to the hazel wood, Because a fire was in my head, And cut and peeled a hazel wand, And hooked a berry to a thread; And when white moths were on the wing, 5 And moth-like stars were flickering out, I dropped the berry in a stream And caught a little ...
I went out to the hazel wood, Because a fire was in my head, And cut and peeled a hazel wand, And hooked a berry to a thread; And when white moths were on the wing, And moth-like stars were flickering out, I dropped the berry in a stream. And caught a little silver trout. When I had laid it on the floor.
When I had laid it on the floor. I went to blow the fire a-flame, But something rustled on the floor, And someone called me by my name: It had become a glimmering girl. With apple blossom in her hair. Who called me by my name and ran. And faded through the brightening air. Though I am old with wandering.
William Butler (W. B.) Yeats. William Butler Yeats's "The Song of Wandering Aengus" is a poem that draws on, and repurposes, the folklore of Yeats's native Ireland. In Celtic mythology, Aengus is the eternally youthful god of love who falls for Caer the goddess of sleep and dreams. In the myth, Aengus gets the girl and lives on in ...
The Song of Wandering Aengus Summary. The poem begins with the speaker, Aengus—an Irish Celtic god—wandering in the woods in a passionate, intense mood. He uses a branch and a berry to create a fishing pole, which he drops into a stream. He then catches a silver trout. Laying the fish on the ground, the speaker starts to make a fire.
1 pt. The speaker is not feeling well at the beginning of the poem. What evidence from the poem helps you make this inference? "I dropped the berry in a stream". "A fire was in my head". "I went out to the hazel wood". "I went to blow the fire a-flame". 3. Multiple Choice.
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Identify the different forms of nature in the poem: energy, animal life, and plant life. Discuss how the poet uses them symbolically and how his inclusion of them impacts the reader. 1 -- Permission is granted to educators to reproduce this w orksheet for classroom use. "The Song of Wandering Aengus" by W. B. Yeats: A Common Core Exemplar.
Summary. PDF Cite. "The Song of Wandering Aengus" first appeared in 1899 in William Butler Yeats's third verse collection, The Wind and the Reeds. Like many of Yeats's early works, the ...
William Butler Yeats was one of the most well-known and influential poets of the 20th century, and his poem "The Song of Wandering Aengus" is one of his most famous poetic works. As students read this poem about Aengus, a god of youth, love, and poetry in Celtic mythology, they will explore the topics of love, longing, and the pursuit of ...
Study with Quizlet and memorize flashcards containing terms like The Song of Wandering Aengus Related Poem Content Details BY WILLIAM BUTLER YEATS I went out to the hazel wood, Because a fire was in my head, And cut and peeled a hazel wand, And hooked a berry to a thread; And when white moths were on the wing, And moth-like stars were flickering out, I dropped the berry in a stream And caught ...
Yeats's poem "The Song of Wandering Aengus.". In whatever venue, make sure the students provide evidence from the poem in their answers. The answers provided in this teacher version are suggestions and a starting point for discussion—there are a variety of other possible responses to these questions. The questions are preceded by the Common
The Ballad Form. "The Song of Wandering Aengus" follows the form of the ballad, a traditional structure found in both folk music and poetry. The quintessential ballad tells a story, often of ...
EDSITEment worksheet. Traditional Irish Sources for "The Song of Wandering Aengus". Part 1. Allusions to Celtic Mythology. In discussing the composition of "The Song of Wandering Aengus," William Butler Yeats noted, "It was suggested to me by a Greek folksong; but the folk belief of Greece is very like that of Ireland, and I certainly ...
"The Song of Wandering Aengus" by W. B. Yeats Read the poem "The Song of Wandering Aengus" by W. B. Yeats . Then, reread the lines indicated with each question below. Answer each question, citing text evidence. 2. 3. Lines 1—16: What is the rhyme scheme of the poem? Highlight the rhyming words and label. What is its effect on the poem?