The renowned Irish poet W. B. Yeats was fascinated by the mystical and the supernatural, as well as Irish culture. The Celtic Twilight combines these interests with stories and commentary that both illustrate the inhabitants of the world of the Fae and examine their meaning in the contexts of individuals’ daily lives, societal belief systems, and Ireland’s history. ( )

Aunque sea conocido como uno de los poetas más famosos del siglo XX, William Butler Yeats (premio Nobel de Literatura de 1923) fue también un destacado exponente de las tradiciones míticas y mágicas occidentales. En El crepúsculo celta, rescata "con precisión y candidez" muchas de las cosas que "ha visto y oído" sobre "la tierra de las hadas". Hadas, duendes, brujas y bosques encantados pueblan estos cuentos maravillosos que Yeats recopiló en la provincia donde pasó su infancia y que se han convertido en un referente ineludible para los amantes de la literatura fantástica.

This collection of Irish folklore feels somewhat repetitive in relation to the Yeats volume I read earlier and that took me two tries to finish. Maybe I would have had a different experience if I’d read this one first. And because the stories are filtered through Yeats’s retelling (we don’t experience the stories as first- or even third-person narrative; he’s always there telling the story), it kept me at a distance and I didn’t feel engaged with the stories. ( )

EL CREPUSCULO CELTA

Hdas, duendes, brujas,y bosques encantados pueblan estos cuentos maravillosos
que Yeats recopiló en la provincia donde pasó su infancia y que sehan convertido
en un referente ineludible para los amantes de la mitología celta.

This has such an evocative title, I've wanted to read it for decades. I'd expected it to be a lyrical celebration of the folkloric traditions of Ireland, and those parts of it that were that, I found the best. For the rest, it was a collection of brief outlines of fairly typical folkloric tales, interspersed with some slightly longer stories, some of which were interesting. A slightly disappointing read, but still worthwhile. ( )