FATHER GILLIGAN - W.B. YEATS

THE POEM

STANZA 1

  • The old priest Peter Gilligan

  • Was weary night and day;

  • For half his flock were in their beds,

  • Or under green sods lay.

STANZA 2

  • Once, while he nodded on a chair,

  • At the moth-hour of eve,

  • Another poor man sent for him,

  • And he began to grieve.

STANZA 3

  • 'I have no rest, nor joy, nor peace,

  • For people die and die';

  • And after cried he, 'God forgive!

  • My body spake, not I!'

STANZA 4

  • He knelt, and leaning on the chair

  • He prayed and fell asleep;

  • And the moth-hour went from the fields,

  • And stars began to peep.

STANZA 5

  • They slowly into millions grew,

  • And leaves shook in the wind;

  • And God covered the world with shade,

  • And whispered to mankind.

STANZA 6

  • Upon the time of sparrow-chirp

  • When the moths came once more.

  • The old priest Peter Gilligan

  • Stood upright on the floor.

STANZA 7

  • 'Mavrone, mavrone! the man has died

  • While I slept on the chair';

  • He roused his horse out of its sleep,

  • And rode with little care.

STANZA 8

  • He rode now as he never rode,

  • By rocky lane and fen;

  • The sick man's wife opened the door:

  • 'Father! you come again!'

STANZA 9

  • 'And is the poor man dead?' he cried.

  • 'He died an hour ago.'

  • The old priest Peter Gilligan

  • In grief swayed to and fro.

STANZA 10

  • 'When you were gone, he turned and died

  • As merry as a bird.'

  • The old priest Peter Gilligan

  • He knelt him at that word.

STANZA 11

  • 'He Who hath made the night of stars

  • For souls who tire and bleed,

  • Sent one of His great angels down

  • To help me in my need.

STANZA 12

  • 'He Who is wrapped in purple robes,

  • With planets in His care,

  • Had pity on the least of things

  • Asleep upon a chair.'

THE BALLAD

  • A ballad is a narrative poem usually written in quatrains or four-line stanzas.

  • There are two main types of the ballad:

    • Traditional Ballad: An oral song handed down from one generation to another, typically anonymous.

    • Literary Ballad: Specially written ballads, such as "Father Gilligan" by W.B. Yeats.

SYNOPSIS

  • The poem tells the story of an old Roman Catholic priest, Peter Gilligan, who serves a parish affected by an epidemic, resulting in many parishioners being sick or dead.

  • The priest is frequently called to provide the sacrament of Extreme Unction or The Anointing of the Sick.

  • Overcome with fatigue, he falls asleep in a chair after praying one evening.

  • The next morning, he rushes to visit a sick man only to learn that the man died peacefully shortly after the priest's last visit.

  • The priest falls to his knees, thanking God for sending an angel in his place.

THEMES

  • God's Grace and Provision: The poem illustrates God's intervention in the lives of his vulnerable children.

  • Human Vulnerability: It reflects the fragility of human beings faced with fatigue and despair.

  • Resilience and Empathy: The poem emphasizes the need for compassion toward those in distress.

POETIC TECHNIQUES

  • The poem uses an omniscient narrator and consists of twelve four-line stanzas with an ABCB rhyme scheme.

  • Elements include repetitions, dialogue, and a supernatural theme, enhancing the musical quality of the poem.

  • The accessibility of the language mirrors traditional ballads, while didacticism is subdued compared to earlier forms.

REPETITION

  • The line 'The old priest Peter Gilligan' serves as a refrain, repeated in stanzas 6, 9, and 10.

  • The refrain introduces the character, emphasizing his age, role, and experience as a priest, showcasing his empathy and humility.

DIALOGUE

  • In stanza 3, the priest's lament, 'I have no rest, nor joy, nor peace, For people die and die;', reflects his emotional and spiritual struggles.

  • He admits to God his physical weakness, showing vulnerability and a plea for forgiveness.

DIALOGUE CONTINUED

  • In stanza 7, his exclamation of 'Mavrone, mavrone!' conveys deep sorrow for failing his duty.

  • Later dialogue between the priest and the sick man's wife reveals his grief and sense of failure as a caretaker.

  • Upon realizing God sent an angel, he kneels in humility and gratitude.

THE SUPERNATURAL

  • The presence of an angel signifies God's mercy, acting in the priest's stead to comfort the sick man, whom he could not serve due to fatigue.

CHARACTERIZATION

God

  • Portrayed as compassionate, recognizing the priest's exhaustion and providing an angelic substitute, thereby preventing the dying man from missing sacramental ministry.

The Priest, Peter Gilligan

  • Demonstrates diligence and honesty, expressing his challenges candidly and seeking forgiveness for moments of weakness.

  • Humility is shown when recognizing his limitations and the mercy shown by God.

FIGURES OF SPEECH

  • Personification: 'Stars began to peep.'

  • Hyperbole: 'Slowly into millions grew' and 'He rode now as he never rode.'

  • Metaphors: 'God covered the world with shade' and 'whispered to mankind.'

  • Euphemism: 'Under green sods lay' refers to death.

LESSONS FROM THE POEM

  • It teaches that effort in one’s duties is crucial, and that divine assistance comes when one is close to their limits.

  • Reflects the importance of confessing one's faults and showing compassion toward others in times of distress.