The Collected Works in Verse and Prose of William Butler Yeats, Vol. 2 (of 8) The King's Threshold. On Baile's Strand. Deirdre. Shadowy Waters

A richly imagined tableau unfolds as a king summons his most devoted followers to intervene in a lover’s silent protest. In the opening of this drama, the royal court wrestles with questions of honor, artistic freedom, and the power of a single individual’s refusal to be silenced. Through lyrical dialogue and haunting imagery, the play draws listeners into a world where music and poetry become both weapons and salvation, setting the stage for a conflict that reverberates beyond the palace walls.

The volume continues with two of Yeats’s most celebrated mythic retellings, each steeped in the timeless romance and tragedy of ancient Irish legend. “On Baile’s Strand” and “Deirde” bring heroic quests, doomed love, and the inexorable pull of destiny to vivid life, while “Shadowy Waters” deepens the atmosphere with a haunting, dream‑like encounter. Together, these pieces weave a tapestry of myth, music, and moral dilemma that invites listeners to contemplate the delicate balance between personal conviction and the demands of power.