The Collected Works in Verse and Prose of William Butler Yeats, Vol. 4 (of 8) The Hour-glass. Cathleen ni Houlihan. The Golden Helmet. The Irish Dramatic Movement

"The Collected Works in Verse and Prose of William Butler Yeats, Vol. 4 (of 8)" is a compilation of plays and essays from the early 1900s that presents a unique view into Irish culture and universal human dilemmas. In these writings, ideas around good and evil clash against the backdrop of Irish folklore and contemporary issues. "The Hour-Glass" opens the collection, a play that unfolds in a room of a knowledgeable teacher, who is tasked with learning to teach his pupils a most valuable lesson. The arrival of a simpleton contrasts wisdom with childish beliefs. Soon, a messenger appears, who abruptly disturbs the teacher with a harrowing message about an hourglass counting down his life. He confronts his own beliefs, and finds himself seeking solace among his students. The tension between wisdom and faith sets the stage for stories of trust, self-reflection, and salvation that echoes through this volume.