Originally published in 1892, “The Countess Cathleen” sparked intense controversy upon its 1899 stage debut. Subject to frequent revivals and numerous revisions, the play gradually but persistently became at various points in Yeats’s writing career a pivotal indicator of various matters: first, of his relations and interactions with his literary and theatrical audience; second, of his changing perceptions of dramatic form; and third, of the status of his ineffective pursuit of Maud Gonne, to whom the play is not only dedicated, but for whom the play was initially written. Like many of Yeats’s works, “The Countess Cathleen” draws from Irish folklore. Against the backdrop of famine, it portrays demons dispatched by Satan to Ireland to purchase the souls of the starving…
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Citation: Yilmaz, Dilâra. "The Countess Cathleen". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 02 August 2024 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=1179, accessed 27 November 2024.]
