Publisher's Synopsis
The Countess Cathleen is a play written by the Irish poet and playwright, William Butler Yeats. The play is set in Ireland during a time of great famine and poverty. The story follows the wealthy Countess Cathleen, who is deeply troubled by the suffering of her people. In an effort to help them, she sells her soul to the devil in exchange for gold to distribute to the poor. However, when her actions are discovered, she is shunned by her community and ultimately sacrifices her life to save the souls of those she sought to help.The play is a powerful exploration of the themes of morality, sacrifice, and the human condition. Yeats uses the character of the Countess Cathleen to highlight the struggle between personal gain and the greater good, and to challenge the audience to consider what they would be willing to sacrifice for the betterment of others.The Countess Cathleen is considered one of Yeats' greatest works and is widely regarded as a masterpiece of Irish literature. It has been adapted for the stage and screen numerous times and continues to be studied and performed around the world.OONA. The empty rattle-pate! Lean on this arm, That I can tell you is a christened arm, And not like some, if we are to judge by speech. But as you please. It is time I was forgot. Maybe it is not on this arm you slumbered When you were as helpless as a worm.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.
