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Article: A political love story.(Willie & Maud, A Love Story)(Book Review)
- Article from:
- Irish Literary Supplement
- Article date:
- March 22, 2005
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2005 Irish Studies Program. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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BARRY SHORTALL Willie & Maud, A Love Story Collins Press, 2003, $16.95
THE DUST-JACKET OF THIS BOOK proclaims that "Willie & Maud tells the story of the most fascinating love affair of the Irish literary world," and the sub-title presents it as "A Love Story." Love in the story turns out to be one-sided, and the sustained friendship between W.B. Yeats and Maud Gonne can hardly be called an "affair," although it was consummated once, in a weak moment of mutual passion, and thereafter completely dismissed by Maud as a more frightening than fascinating experience. Yeats may have been obsessed with his romantic love for Maud, but she was obsessed with her political ...