The Fairy Reel
What is the importance of the "violin" in the poem, The Fairy Reel?
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Asked by
Jill W
Last updated by
Jill W
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At one point, the speaker describes how their heart is pulled apart by fairies and used as strings for a violin. The fairies then use this violin to entrap others like the speaker with its music. This creates the sensation of meta-poetry, or a poem woven within itself; the title, “The Fairy Reel,” is evocative of a piece of music meant to be danced to in this way. This suggests that the poem the reader is experiencing may in fact be the same one that was played upon the speaker’s heart, immersing the reader into the body of the poem. It also creates a connection between love, desire, and music, alluding to the importance of traditional music and oral storytelling.
The Fairy Reel