Bring on the tough stuff - there’s not just one right answer.
- Just how angry and/or bitter is the speaker of this poem? Do you think he is serious in his claim that he can't blame Maud for being who she is, or do you think his questions conceal a giant Blame Monster?
- What do you think peeves the speaker the most: that Maud didn't return his love, or that she got mixed up in political protests?
- Aside from the love question, do you agree with the speaker's anger with Gonne for her role in possibly inciting violence?
- How would reading this poem be different if you knew nothing about the relationship between Yeats and Maud Gonne? (Maybe you had this experience before visiting Shmoop…) Is this background information necessary to understanding and appreciating the poem?
- Why is Helen of Troy being blamed for the burning of Troy? Weren't there a lot of powerful men who contributed to the city's destruction by, you know, invading it? What are the gender dynamics that underlie this poem?