A Prayer for My Daughter Summary

“A Prayer for My Daughter” by W. B. Yeats is a reflective and contemplative poem where the speaker, presumably Yeats himself, expresses his hopes and fears for his newborn daughter. The poem is structured as a prayer, addressing various themes.

The poem begins with the speaker observing a storm and contemplating the difficulties his daughter might face in life. He prays for her to have a balanced and moderate amount of physical beauty, as excessive beauty may lead to vanity and a loss of natural kindness.

The speaker reflects on historical examples, such as Helen of Troy, to caution against the potential pitfalls of beauty and the troubles it might bring. He desires intellectual growth for his daughter, hoping she becomes learned and avoids the arrogance that can come with excessive beauty.

The poem delves into the idea of intellectual hatred and the importance of avoiding strong, divisive opinions. The speaker wishes for his daughter to be free from such negative influences and to embrace a life filled with kindness and happiness.

The concluding part of the poem expresses the speaker’s desire for his daughter to live in a house marked by customary and ceremonious living, suggesting a wish for stability, tradition, and a sense of belonging.

Overall, “A Prayer for My Daughter” is a heartfelt plea from a father for his daughter to navigate the complexities of life with grace, balance, and a strong moral compass. The poem explores the themes of beauty, wisdom, kindness, and the challenges of maintaining one’s values in the face of societal pressures.

Key Points

Author: The author of the poem is William Butler Yeats, an Irish poet and one of the most important figures of 20th-century literature.

Form: The poem is written in octave form.

Speaker: The speaker of the poem is usually read as Yeats himself.

Setting: The poem was written in 1919, two days after the birth of Yeats’ daughter, Anne. The setting of the poem is during a storm as his daughter sleeps.

Theme: The poem explores themes of parenthood, Irish politics, and reflections on Yeats’s own past. It expresses a father’s heartfelt wishes for his newborn daughter.

Plot: The poem begins with the speaker describing a storm while his daughter sleeps. He walks and prays for an hour, expressing his hopes and fears for his daughter’s future. He wishes for her to grow with wisdom, to be beautiful but not overly so, to be well-mannered and full of humility.

Tone: The tone of the poem is contemplative and filled with the universal concerns of a parent for their child.

Style: Yeats’s style in this poem is deeply touching, demonstrating his concern and anxiety over the future wellbeing and prospects of his daughter.

Message: The central message of the poem is a father’s profound desire for his daughter to grow with wisdom. It not only expresses the helplessness of Yeats as a father but all fathers who had to walk through this situation.

Structure and Rhyme Scheme

Structure

“A Prayer for my Daughter” is written in the lyric form containing ten eight-line stanzas. Each stanza has eight lines written in iambic pentameter or iambic tetrameter.

Rhyme Scheme

The poem follows a regular rhyme scheme of AABBCDDC. This form could be considered a variation on ottava rima.

Word Meaning