Really interesting. The whole article feels like an argument against his point; pointing out the varied meanings, implications and stigmas of 'mere' or 'able' just reminds me how great that ambiguity is for literature.
The line from Yeats' 'Second Coming' works with both meanings, mere meaning pure anarchy reflecting the nightmarish time and being a great oxymoron, and mere meaning small, less noticeable anarchy fitting the subtle terror of 'the falcon cannot hear the falconer.' Even without that as an initial intention, it shows how language and great writing both evolve together over time.
The line from Yeats' 'Second Coming' works with both meanings, mere meaning pure anarchy reflecting the nightmarish time and being a great oxymoron, and mere meaning small, less noticeable anarchy fitting the subtle terror of 'the falcon cannot hear the falconer.' Even without that as an initial intention, it shows how language and great writing both evolve together over time.