For Anne Gregory

For Anne Gregory Summary & Explanation

For Anne Gregory by William Butler Yeats Explanation

First Stanza

“Never shall a young man,
Thrown into despair
By those great honey-coloured
Ramparts at your ear,
Love you for yourself alone
And not your yellow hair.”

Explanation:
In this stanza, the young man is speaking to Anne Gregory. He tells her that no young man will ever love her solely for who she is as a person. Instead, they will be captivated and thrown into despair by her beautiful, honey-colored hair. The “honey-coloured ramparts” refer to her golden hair, which he suggests is the primary reason for their attraction.

 

Second Stanza

“But I can get a hair-dye
And set such colour there,
Brown, or black, or carrot,
That young men in despair
May love me for myself alone
And not my yellow hair.”

Explanation:
Anne Gregory responds to the young man by saying that she can easily change her hair color using dye. She can make it brown, black, or even carrot (red). By doing so, she believes that young men who are in despair over her beauty might then love her for who she truly is, rather than just for her yellow hair.

 

Third Stanza

“I heard an old religious man
But yesternight declare
That he had found a text to prove
That only God, my dear,
Could love you for yourself alone
And not your yellow hair.”

Explanation:
The young man replies by recounting something he heard from an old religious man the previous night. The religious man claimed to have found a text (likely a religious scripture) that proves only God can love Anne Gregory for who she truly is, without being influenced by her physical appearance, specifically her yellow hair.

 

Central Idea

The poem explores the theme of superficiality versus true inner beauty. The young man argues that people are often attracted to outward appearances rather than the true essence of a person. Anne Gregory believes she can overcome this by changing her appearance. However, the young man concludes with a somewhat pessimistic view that only a divine being (God) can truly see and love someone for their inner self, beyond physical attributes.

 

Poetic Devices in “For Anne Gregory”

1. Metaphor

A metaphor is a figure of speech that makes a direct comparison between two unlike things without using “like” or “as.”

Example: “Those great honey-coloured / Ramparts at your ear”
Here, Anne Gregory’s hair is metaphorically described as “honey-coloured ramparts,” comparing her hair to the defensive walls of a fortress, emphasizing its beauty and allure.

 

2. Imagery

Imagery involves the use of vivid and descriptive language to create mental images for the reader.

Example: “Honey-coloured ramparts”
This phrase creates a visual image of golden, beautiful hair that is striking and captivating.

 

3. Alliteration

Alliteration is the repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words that are close to each other.

Example: “Brown, or black, or carrot”
The repetition of the ‘b’ sound in “brown” and “black” creates a rhythmic effect.

 

4. Repetition

Repetition involves repeating words or phrases for emphasis.

Example: “Love you for yourself alone / And not your yellow hair.”
This line is repeated to emphasize the central theme of the poem, which is the distinction between loving someone for their inner qualities versus their outward appearance.

 

5. Personification

Personification is giving human characteristics to non-human things.

Example: “Thrown into despair / By those great honey-coloured / Ramparts at your ear”
Despair is personified as something that can be thrown, adding a dramatic effect to the young man’s feelings.

 

6. Irony

Irony involves a contrast between expectation and reality, often highlighting a deeper truth.

Example: The irony lies in Anne Gregory’s belief that changing her hair color will make men love her for who she is, while the young man suggests that only God can truly love her for herself alone, regardless of her appearance.

 

7. Symbolism

Symbolism involves using symbols to represent ideas or qualities.

Example: “Yellow hair”
Anne Gregory’s yellow hair symbolizes physical beauty and the superficial aspects of attraction.

 

8. Dialogue

The poem is structured as a dialogue between two characters, which helps to present different perspectives on the theme.

Example: The entire poem is a conversation between the young man and Anne Gregory, allowing for a dynamic exploration of the theme.

 

9. Allusion

An allusion is an indirect reference to a person, place, thing, or idea of historical, cultural, literary, or political significance.

Example: “I heard an old religious man / But yesternight declare / That he had found a text to prove”
This alludes to religious texts and teachings, suggesting a deeper, spiritual perspective on love and inner beauty.

 

Difficult Words and Their Meanings

  • Despair: A state of complete loss or absence of hope.
    Context in the poem: “Never shall a young man, / Thrown into despair”
  • Honey-coloured: Having a color similar to that of honey; golden or yellowish.
    Context in the poem: “By those great honey-coloured / Ramparts at your ear”
  • Ramparts: Defensive walls of a castle or walled city, having a broad top with a walkway and typically a stone parapet.
    Context in the poem: “By those great honey-coloured / Ramparts at your ear”
    Note: In the poem, “ramparts” metaphorically refer to Anne Gregory’s hair.
  • Declare: To announce something clearly, firmly, publicly, or officially.
    Context in the poem: “I heard an old religious man / But yesternight declare”
  • Yesternight: An archaic or poetic term for last night.
    Context in the poem: “But yesternight declare”
  • Prove: To demonstrate the truth or existence of something by evidence or argument.
    Context in the poem: “That he had found a text to prove”

Questions and Answers

Question 1:

What does the young man mean by “great honey-coloured / Ramparts at your ear?” Why does he say that young men are “thrown into despair” by them?

Answer:
The young man uses the phrase “great honey-coloured / Ramparts at your ear” to metaphorically describe Anne Gregory’s beautiful, golden hair. The term “ramparts” suggests that her hair is like a fortress wall, both protective and alluring. He says that young men are “thrown into despair” by them because her striking beauty, symbolized by her golden hair, captivates them so much that they feel hopelessly infatuated and overwhelmed by their attraction.

 

Question 2:

What colour is the young woman’s hair? What does she say she can change it to? Why would she want to do so?

Answer:
The young woman’s hair is yellow, as described in the poem. She says she can change it to brown, black, or carrot (red) using hair dye. She wants to do this so that young men might love her for who she truly is as a person, rather than being attracted solely to her physical appearance, specifically her yellow hair.

 

Question 3:

Objects have qualities which make them desirable to others. Can you think of some objects (a car, a phone, a dress…) and say what qualities make one object more desirable than another? Imagine you were trying to sell an object: what qualities would you emphasise?

Answer:
Objects like cars, phones, and dresses have specific qualities that make them desirable. For example:

  • Car: Desirable qualities might include fuel efficiency, safety features, brand reputation, and design.
  • Phone: Desirable qualities might include camera quality, battery life, processing speed, and brand.
  • Dress: Desirable qualities might include fabric quality, design, brand, and comfort.

If I were trying to sell a phone, I would emphasize its high-resolution camera, long battery life, fast processing speed, and sleek design. These qualities would appeal to potential buyers looking for a reliable and stylish device.

 

Question 4:

What about people? Do we love others because we like their qualities, whether physical or mental? Or is it possible to love someone “for themselves alone”? Are some people ‘more lovable’ than others? Discuss this question in pairs or in groups, considering points like the following.

  • (i) a parent or caregiver’s love for a newborn baby, for a mentally or physically challenged child, for a clever child or a prodigy
  • (ii) the public’s love for a film star, a sportsperson, a politician, or a social worker
  • (iii) your love for a friend, or brother or sister
  • (iv) your love for a pet, and the pet’s love for you.

Answer:
People often love others for a combination of their qualities, both physical and mental. However, it is also possible to love someone “for themselves alone,” especially in deep, unconditional relationships. Some people may appear ‘more lovable’ due to their qualities or actions, but true love often transcends these superficial aspects.

(i) A parent or caregiver’s love for a newborn baby is typically unconditional and not based on the baby’s qualities. This love extends to children who are mentally or physically challenged, as well as to clever children or prodigies. The love is rooted in the relationship and bond rather than specific attributes.

(ii) The public’s love for a film star, sportsperson, politician, or social worker is often based on their achievements, charisma, and public persona. This type of love can be more conditional and influenced by the individual’s public image.

(iii) Love for a friend or sibling is usually based on shared experiences, mutual respect, and emotional bonds. While certain qualities may enhance the relationship, the love often remains strong even if those qualities change over time.

(iv) Love for a pet is often unconditional. Pets do not have to possess specific qualities to be loved; their companionship and loyalty are enough. Similarly, pets love their owners unconditionally, regardless of their appearance or actions.

 

Question 5:

You have perhaps concluded that people are not objects to be valued for their qualities or riches rather than for themselves. But elsewhere Yeats asks the question: How can we separate the dancer from the dance? Is it possible to separate ‘the person himself or herself’ from how the person looks, sounds, walks, and so on? Think of how you or a friend or member of your family has changed over the years. Has your relationship also changed? In what way?

Answer:
It is challenging to separate ‘the person himself or herself’ from their physical attributes and behaviors because these aspects are integral parts of their identity. However, deep relationships often transcend these superficial elements. Over the years, as people change in appearance and behavior, relationships can also evolve. For example, my relationship with a close friend has deepened over time as we have shared more experiences and grown together. While our appearances and some interests have changed, the core of our friendship—mutual respect, trust, and understanding—has remained constant. This suggests that while physical attributes and behaviors are part of a person’s identity, the essence of who they are can still be appreciated and loved independently of these factors.