Queensland Association of History, Philosophy, Religion and Classics Publishing Inc.
Abstract
The theosophical systems formulated by great poets, such as William Butler Yeats, represent a personal idiosyncratic actualization of an ancient repertoire of magical symbols and occult visions. Three fundamental steps of Yeats’ deep investigation into esotericism are given – the Dublin Hermetic society, his meeting with Madame Blavatsky and his joining the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. The close reading of ‘To the Rose upon the Rood of Time’ (1893) and ‘The Two Trees’ (1893) clearly shows the deep influence in Yeats’ own system of the symbolic and imaginary repertoire of the above mentioned occult societies
