The Countess Cathleen
by W. B. Yeats
- First published
- 2017
- Reading level
- Easy
- Price
- Free
About the book
"The Countess Cathleen" by W. B. Yeats is a verse drama first published in 1892. Set during an Irish famine, the play tells the story of a noble countess who makes an extraordinary sacrifice to save her starving tenants from both hunger and spiritual damnation. Based on a purported Irish legend, Yeats's drama explores themes of selflessness and redemption. The work underwent extensive revisions over two decades, transforming from its original form into a refined piece suitable for the Abbey Theatre.
- Nobility
- Famines
Updated September 2026. Public domain in the USA. Text and summary from Project Gutenberg eBook #5167. The Countess Cathleen on Wikipedia.
More free books by W. B. Yeats
About W. B. YeatsPoems
Ideas of Good and Evil
The Wind Among the Reeds
The Celtic Twilight
Plays and controversies
The Collected Works in Verse and Prose of William Butler Yeats, Vol. 1 (of 8)
Responsibilities, and other poems
The Collected Works in Verse and Prose of William Butler Yeats, Vol. 4 (of 8)
The Trembling of the Veil
Per Amica Silentia Lunae
The Secret Rose
The Unicorn from the Stars and Other Plays
