Hanrahan: Yeats’s Creative Persona in His Writings

This study explores the character of Hanrahan in the works of W.B. Yeats, focusing on the significant role of Hanrahan as a persona or mask that defines the poet. It is quite plausible that Yeats expressed his various emotions and desires through Hanrahan, given the poet’s situation and emotions at the time of writing. Through a detailed analysis of Hanrahan’s role across Yeats’s works, this study highlights the character’s significance, extending to the broader themes of transcendence and immortality. Hanrahan, who evolves throughout Yeats’s literary career, serves as a conduit for the poet’s thoughts, emotions, and philosophical reflections, intertwined with mystical and mythological motifs. The use of Hanrahan as a persona symbolizing the poet himself conveys deeper insights into Yeats’s philosophy and thoughts. (Yongin University)