Poem Analysis - Two Songs Rewritten For The Tunes Sake

Introduction: A Lament of Unrequited Love

William Butler Yeats' "Two Songs Rewritten For The Tune's Sake" is a poignant exploration of unrequited love and the associated feelings of isolation, desperation, and self-deprecation. The poem, divided into two distinct parts, conveys a sense of longing and frustration, tinged with a raw, almost desperate tone. The mood shifts from a direct declaration of desire in the first song to a more melancholic and self-pitying reflection in the second, revealing the speaker's descent into despair.

The Agony of Isolation: Whistling in Vain

One of the central themes in the poem is the crushing weight of isolation. In the first song, this is starkly presented through the repetition of "Alone and alone." The speaker's physical and emotional state is deteriorating ("shrunken to skin and bone") because his love remains unfulfilled. He attempts to bridge the gap through his music ("what I can whistle alone and alone"), but this proves futile. The lines "I thought to have whistled her down that way;/I whistled and whistled and whistled in vain" powerfully illustrate the speaker's failed attempts to connect with his beloved and the futility of his efforts. The repeated line "To-morrow night I will break down the door," while seemingly proactive, also highlights a desperation born from loneliness, suggesting a potentially destructive course of action fueled by his isolation.

Love's Destructive Power: A Shrunken Existence

The theme of love's destructive power is woven throughout both songs. In the first, the speaker's physical decline ("shrunken to skin and bone") is directly attributed to his unfulfilled desire for "My Paistin Finn." His heart's "hire" is nothing more than solitary whistling, implying that his love has left him depleted and unrewarded. In the second song, this destructive aspect manifests as self-loathing and a desire for transformation. The speaker wishes to be a "dreary, dreepy beggar," or anything other than "a rhymer/Without a thing in his head/But rhymes for a beautiful lady." This reveals that his love has consumed him, reduced him to a state where his identity is solely defined by his unrequited affection, making him despise his very being.

Transformation Through Imagery: From Lover to Beggar

The poem employs striking imagery to convey the speaker's emotional turmoil. In the first song, the image of the speaker lying "Between two bushes under the rain" evokes a sense of vulnerability and exposure, suggesting his willingness to endure hardship for his love. The act of whistling, initially a symbol of hope, becomes a representation of his despair as it yields no results. The second song uses vivid imagery of a "blind pearl eye" and a "thieving rascally cur" to illustrate the speaker's desire for a radical transformation. He imagines himself as a beggar, stripped of his identity as a lover and poet, highlighting the depth of his dissatisfaction with his current state. This imagery underscores the theme of transformation, showing his longing to escape the pain of unrequited love, even if it means sacrificing his artistic self.

Conclusion: A Song of Despair and Longing

"Two Songs Rewritten For The Tune's Sake" offers a deeply personal and resonant exploration of unrequited love. Through vivid imagery, recurring motifs of isolation and transformation, and a shift in tone from desperate longing to melancholic self-pity, Yeats crafts a powerful portrayal of a speaker consumed by his desire. The poem ultimately reveals the destructive potential of love when it is not reciprocated, leaving the speaker trapped in a cycle of yearning and despair, forever whistling in vain for a love that remains just out of reach.