The Land of Heart's Desire

The Land of Heart's Desire

Enriched edition. A lyrical journey through Irish folklore and mysticismBy W. B. Yeats
Michael Caine
Listen with Sir Michael Caine™ and 1,000+ voices
Length1h 44m

About this audiobook

In "The Land of Heart's Desire," W. B. Yeats crafts a lyrical and evocative play that explores the tension between reality and the infinite possibilities of the imagination. Set in the Irish countryside, the narrative unfolds around a young couple, Matt and Mary, whose mundane existence is disrupted by the allure of faerie realms and the haunting power of dreams. Yeats employs a rich tapestry of symbolism and rhythmic language, drawing upon the lyrical tradition of both Irish folklore and the Symbolist movement to weave a poignant narrative that reflects his belief in art as a means to transcend the limitations of earthly life. Yeats, a pivotal figure in the Irish Literary Revival, was deeply influenced by myths, folklore, and the spiritual ethos of his native land, experiences that colored his literary output. His engagement with theosophy and fascination with the mystical infused his writing with a sense of deep yearning and introspection. "The Land of Heart's Desire" epitomizes this blend of personal longing and cultural heritage, as Yeats navigates the interface between the human soul and the otherworldly. This play is highly recommended for readers interested in the intersection of mythology and modern drama. Yeats's exploration of desire and the elusive nature of happiness resonates universally, inviting profound reflection on one's own aspirations and the dreams that beckon from beyond the ordinary. In this enriched edition, we have carefully created added value for your reading experience: - A succinct Introduction situates the work's timeless appeal and themes. - The Synopsis outlines the central plot, highlighting key developments without spoiling critical twists. - A detailed Historical Context immerses you in the era's events and influences that shaped the writing. - An Author Biography reveals milestones in the author's life, illuminating the personal insights behind the text. - A thorough Analysis dissects symbols, motifs, and character arcs to unearth underlying meanings. - Reflection questions prompt you to engage personally with the work's messages, connecting them to modern life. - Hand‐picked Memorable Quotes shine a spotlight on moments of literary brilliance. - Interactive footnotes clarify unusual references, historical allusions, and archaic phrases for an effortless, more informed read.

Audiobook details

GenreLiterary Classics
Length1 hr 44 mins
Narrated byListen with 1,000+ voices
FormateBook with Audio
Publish dateDec 5, 2019
LanguageEnglish

Table of contents

1Introduction
6The Land of Heart's Desire
2Introduction
7Analysis
3Synopsis
8Reflection
4Historical Context
9Memorable Quotes
5Author Biography

More from W. B. Yeats

The Gulag Archipelago Volume 3
The Gulag Archipelago Volume 3Aleksandr I. Solzhenitsyn21h 56m$46 · $0.00
Sherlock Holmes: The Ultimate Collection
Sherlock Holmes: The Ultimate CollectionArthur Conan Doyle59h 49m$5 · $0.00
The Complete Works of Fyodor Dostoyevsky: Novels, Short Stories and Autobiographical Writings
The Complete Works of Fyodor Dostoyevsky: Novels, Short Stories and Autobiographical WritingsFyodor Dostoyevsky270h 59m$2 · $0.00
The Complete Works: Charlotte, Emily, Anne, Patrick & Branwell Brontë
The Complete Works: Charlotte, Emily, Anne, Patrick & Branwell BrontëCharlotte Brontë, Anne Brontë, Emily Brontë138h 12m$1 · $0.00
L. M. Montgomery – Premium Collection: Novels, Short Stories, Poetry & Memoirs
L. M. Montgomery – Premium Collection: Novels, Short Stories, Poetry & MemoirsLucy Maud Montgomery155h 1m$2 · $0.00
MARK TWAIN: 12 Novels, 195 Short Stories, Autobiography, 10 Travel Books, 160+ Essays & Speeches (Illustrated)
MARK TWAIN: 12 Novels, 195 Short Stories, Autobiography, 10 Travel Books, 160+ Essays & Speeches (Illustrated)Mark Twain415h 9m5 (2)$2 · $0.00
The Great Gatsby: Original 1925 Edition (An F. Scott Fitzgerald Classic Novel
The Great Gatsby: Original 1925 Edition (An F. Scott Fitzgerald Classic NovelFrancis Scott Fitzgerald4h 45m$18 · $0.00
The Brontë Sisters: The Complete Novels (Unabridged) (Annotated)
The Brontë Sisters: The Complete Novels (Unabridged) (Annotated)Charlotte Brontë, Emily Brontë, Anne Brontë120h 3m$2 · $0.00
The Complete Works of Tolstoy
The Complete Works of TolstoyLeo Tolstoy412h 44m$1 · $0.00
Louisa May Alcott: 16 Novels in One Volume (Illustrated Edition)
Louisa May Alcott: 16 Novels in One Volume (Illustrated Edition)Louisa May Alcott141h 35m$2 · $0.00
The Fire Next Time
The Fire Next TimeJames Baldwin2h 25m$15
The Complete Works of Oscar Wilde
The Complete Works of Oscar WildeOscar Wilde80h 38m$1 · $0.00
The Count of Monte Cristo (With Original Illustrations)
The Count of Monte Cristo (With Original Illustrations)Alexandre Dumas54h$1 · $0.00
The Complete Books of F. Scott Fitzgerald (all his 5 novels + all 4 short story collections published during his lifetime)
The Complete Books of F. Scott Fitzgerald (all his 5 novels + all 4 short story collections published during his lifetime)F. Scott Fitzgerald87h 43m$1 · $0.00
Braving the Truth
Braving the TruthRachel Held Evans11h 31m$29 · $0.00
Richard Wagamese Selected
Richard Wagamese SelectedRichard Wagamese3h 14m$15
Henry V (The Play, Historical Background and Analysis of the Character in the Play)
Henry V (The Play, Historical Background and Analysis of the Character in the Play)William Shakespeare, William Hazlitt8h 40m$1 · $0.00
Pathways to Light
Pathways to LightPrakash Amte7h 6m$8
The Holy Bible
The Holy BibleKing James99h 50m$12 · $0.00
The Greatest Works of Jules Verne
The Greatest Works of Jules VerneJules Verne246h 57m$2 · $0.00

You may also like

The Land of Heart's Desire
The Land of Heart's DesireW. B. Yeats1h 44m$1 · $0.00
The Hill of Dreams
The Hill of DreamsArthur Machen7h 35m$1 · $0.00
Aegypt
AegyptJohn Crowley15h 31m$25
Ratno Dholi
Ratno DholiDhumketu, Jenny Bhatt, Jenny Bhatt10h 34m$16 · $0.00
The Book of Lies
The Book of LiesAleister Crowley1h 31m$2 · $0.00
The Crock of Gold
The Crock of GoldJames Stephens6h$2.30
Glimpses of Unfamiliar Japan First and Second Series
Glimpses of Unfamiliar Japan First and Second SeriesLafcadio Hearn20h 14m$2.30
The Book of Lies
The Book of LiesAleister Crowley1h 32m$2 · $0.00
Bantu Beliefs and Magic
Bantu Beliefs and MagicC. W. Hobley10h 6m$2.30
The Cradle of the Christ: A Study in Primitive Christianity
The Cradle of the Christ: A Study in Primitive ChristianityOctavius Brooks Frothingham4h 38m$2 · $0.00
Christmas
ChristmasVarious4h 21m$2 · $0.00
Lauren Semmer’s The Night Before Christmas
Lauren Semmer’s The Night Before ChristmasClement C. Moore6m$4 · $0.00
Totem and Taboo
Totem and TabooSigmund Freud8h 34m$1 · $0.00
The Collected Works of Aleister Crowley
The Collected Works of Aleister CrowleyAleister Crowley, S. L. MacGregor Mathers, Mary d'Este Sturges38h 6m$2 · $0.00
The Life and Teachings of Hermes Trismegistus
The Life and Teachings of Hermes TrismegistusManly P. Hall49m$4 · $0.00
Children's Ways
Children's WaysJames Sully4h 54m$2 · $0.00
Dream Drawings
Dream DrawingsN. Scott Momaday2h 2m$4 · $0.00
Ages of Man
Ages of ManWilliam Shakespeare1h 18m$16 · $0.00
A Literary History of Ireland, from Earliest Times to the Present Day
A Literary History of Ireland, from Earliest Times to the Present DayDouglas Hyde28h 2m$1 · $0.00
The Big Book of Christmas Magic: 400+ Holiday Novels, Tales, Poems, Carols & Legends
The Big Book of Christmas Magic: 400+ Holiday Novels, Tales, Poems, Carols & LegendsSelma Lagerlöf, Charles Dickens, Mark Twain, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Martin Luther, Robert Louis Stevenson, William Shakespeare, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Max Brand, William Wordsworth, Carolyn Wells, Sophie May, Louisa May Alcott, Henry Van Dyke, Walter Scott, Susan Anne Livingston Ridley Sedgwick, Anthony Trollope, Rudyard Kipling, Beatrix Potter, Emily Dickinson, Lucas Malet, Thomas Nelson Page, O. Henry, Alice Hale Burnett, Walter Crane, Amy Ella Blanchard, Amanda M. Douglas, Ernest Ingersoll, L. Frank Baum, J. M. Barrie, Eleanor H. Porter, Annie F. Johnston, Jacob A. Riis, Edward A. Rand, Florence L. Barclay, E. T. A. Hoffmann, Hans Christian Andersen, William Butler Yeats, Lucy Maud Montgomery, Leo Tolstoy, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Alfred Lord Tennyson, George Macdonald, A. S. Boyd, Juliana Horatia Ewing, Brothers Grimm, Clement Moore444h 39m$2 · $0.00