This collection of specially commissioned essays by both established and younger scholars aims to provide a fresh as well as authoritative view of the works of a poet who is not just one of the great figures of Irish literature, but of world literature. Interest in him is continually growing, seventy years after his death. These essays offer a comprehensive series of readings not only of the poems but also of the plays, and remain mindful of the daring thought and subtly innovative technique of a poet whose complex identity and changing political views cannot be summed up with easy labels. They also offer a survey of recent criticism, and reassess his Protestant background, his interest in esoteric traditions, his orientalism, his chief philosophical affiliations, his concepts of gender, and the way we should look at his life, including his relationships with women. This book will prove indispensable for anyone wishing to deepen their understanding of this extraordinary poet.