Reconstruction of Text Meaning in William Butler Yeats’ Selected Poems

This Paper studies the reconstruction of text meaning according to theories of modern historical hermeneutics. The development of these theories in this field of study will be discussed to show the major trends that can be used to analyze poetry and find its significant meaning. William Butler Yeats is truly prolific poet and writer; whose poetry is so rich with various levels of meaning. The paper will shed light upon the following poems ‘Easter 1916’and ‘Sailing to Byzantium’ to highlight the various meanings construed through different levels of reading according to theories of modern historical hermeneutics.