“Yeats and taoism” (Publication, 2005)

W.B. Yeats and China : general.
Aintzane Legarreta-Mentxaka : In my view, the evidence of the exhaustive research undertaken by Yeats, and his failure to mention Taoist thought and yin yang theory, do not prove his ignorance of them, but rather suggest that he must have been aware of both and chose to omit his sources for some unknown reason. Yeats applies the theory of the gyres to elements only tangentially associated to historical changes. His A vision, as well as a number of examples from his poetry and drama, reflect not only yin yang theory, but also other concerns and stylistic features associated with Taoist philosophy. Yeats could have come in contact with Taoism through a variety of sources, the most likely of which is the work of Oscar Wilde.
Madison Morrison : Yeats's China is predominantly daoist. China represents for him a philosophical view and a civilization seen broadly as alternatives to those of the West.