This study undertakes a comparative analysis of W.B. Yeats and Harry Martinson, focusing on the tripartite framework of Nature, Philosophical Vision, and the Poetic Soul. Positioned within the broader context of early twentieth-century European modernist poetry, the research examines how these two canonical poets, representing Irish and Swedish literary traditions respectively, articulate distinct yet complementary understandings of the natural world as a medium for philosophical inquiry and spiritual transcendence. By situating the poets within their cultural and intellectual milieus, the study identifies Nature not merely as a thematic backdrop but as a foundational ontological category that shapes their philosophical outlooks. Yeats, rooted in Celtic symbolism and Platonic idealism, constructs Nature as a symbolic threshold leading toward a transcendent, eternal order. In contrast, Martinson, influenced by Nordic naturalism and cosmic philosophy, perceives Nature as an immanent, living cosmos wherein the poetic soul achieves unity with the universal rhythm of existence. The core of this investigation lies in unpacking the Philosophical Vision that mediates their engagement with Nature. It explores how Yeats’ vision is oriented toward the pursuit of spiritual transcendence and the reconciliation of opposites, while Martinson’s vision emphasizes ecological interconnectedness and the dissolution of the self into the natural order. This comparative lens reveals divergent pathways through which each poet forges a Poetic Soul—Yeats through the construction of a mythic, enduring self, and Martinson through the embrace of a fluid, cosmic identity. Employing close textual analysis and comparative poetics, this research fills a notable gap in existing scholarship, as no prior study has systematically juxtaposed Yeats and Martinson along these conceptual lines. The findings contribute to cross-cultural literary studies by illuminating the diversity of European responses to modernity, the role of Nature in poetic philosophy, and the multifaceted constructions of the poetic soul across linguistic and national boundaries. Ultimately, this study demonstrates how Nature and philosophical vision converge to define the enduring spiritual and aesthetic legacy of both poets.
Bo Xia (Sun,) studied this question.