Tagore and Yeats: A Cross-Cultural Literary Dialogue

Abstract

The literary relationship between Rabindranath Tagore and W.B. Yeats represents one of the most significant cross-cultural dialogues in early twentieth-century modernist literature. This paper examines how their mutual influence transcended geographical and cultural boundaries, creating a unique synthesis of Eastern and Western literary traditions. Through comparative analysis of their poetry, correspondence, and critical writings, this study demonstrates that their dialogue facilitated the development of a transcultural modernist aesthetic that challenged conventional East-West literary binaries. The research reveals how Tagore's mystical philosophy influenced Yeats's later symbolic poetry, while Yeats's modernist techniques impacted Tagore's experimental verse. Their collaboration illustrates the dynamic nature of literary modernism as a global phenomenon, contributing to our understanding of how cross-cultural literary exchanges shape artistic innovation and cultural understanding in an increasingly interconnected world.