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SAI INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

CLASS IX ENGLISH

CHAPTER-13 LAKE ISLE OF INNISFREE

LESSON NOTES

Title

The title of the poem refers to the place the poet longs to go to. An actual place in
County Sligo, Ireland, Innisfree has a deep fascination for the poet who visited this
place time and again during young days. The title makes us curious about the dreamy
and picturesque place and we get anxious to know what the poet has to say about it.

Themes of the Poem

The poem revolves around the idea that the idyllic life in the countryside with beautiful, peaceful and
natural surroundings gives much more pleasure than life in the cities with its noise and din, sound and
fury. The poet who had, during his boyhood, spends his summers on the green and watery landscape
of the lake Isle of Innisfree, feels a deep longing to shun the city life and to settle down in the peaceful
environment on the island. A simple life with only a few simple needs will be more delightful than the
complicated and hectic life in the city.

Message

Poet yearns for a natural retreat where he will live in peace. Through this poet depicts

that the present world is full of dirt and noise. Lastly, through this poet highlights the
moral value of appreciating the natural beauty of nature. While searching for natural
beauty one can find solitude and peace.

Summary

The poet is reminded of his past, his boyhood, when he visited the peaceful Lake Isle
of Innisfree. He wants to go there and says that he will live there all alone. He wants to
build a small cabin with clay and wattles. He would grow beans and get a honeybee
hive for honey to survive on.

The poet describes the peaceful natural surroundings of the lake. He says that the
scene of the cloudy mornings, the shining stars, the glowing Sun and birds flying in the
sky give him peace. He feels relaxed to hear the pleasant sound of the cricket’s song.

The poet feels the urgency to go to the lake Isle of Innisfree. In the depth of his heart,
he can hear the sound of the lake waters hitting the shore. It is as if the lake is calling
him. He hears the sound everywhere – either on the crowded roads or the grey –
coloured pavements of the city in which he lives. This indicates that he wants to
escape from the artificial life of the city into the peaceful surroundings of nature.