Discuss ways in which the significance of change is explored in easter 1916. It is a poem which evokes one to remember the incidences of the easter uprising of 1916 in dublin through the means of rich symbolism. Yeats describing the poets torn emotions regarding the events of the easter rising staged in ireland against british rule on easter monday, april 24, 1916. Yeatss easter 1916 is a profoundly ambiguous poem which strongly states that ireland and the irish people have been utterly changed. He basically makes superficial small talk with them, saying polite meaningless words 6.
Such poems as easter 1916 and in memory of eva gore booth and con markiewicz address individuals and events connected to irish nationalist politics, while the second coming and leda and the swan subtly include the idea of irish nationalism. The uprising was unsuccessful, and most of the irish republican leaders involved were executed for treason. When seen in this light we can understand why it is one of. Easter, 1916 is a poem by irish writer william butler yeats, commemorating the easter rising in dublin on easter monday, april 24, 1916. Michael robartes and the dancer, the volume in which easter, 1916 appeared, features other poems about the easter rising, including the rose tree, which explores the sacrificial imagery of the rising, on a political prisoner, which describes countess markievicz in prison, and sixteen dead men. The writer of this was an irish poet, and he was also known as the leading figure in the literature of the twentieth century. Pdf analysis of political poem of william butler yeats. Easter, 1916 gives yeats view of the rebels from the days before the rising and relates how those views changed afterwards. A thorough analysis of the poem, easter 1916, by william butler yeats. Easter 1916 is one of the most famous political poems of the 20th century and one of the most ambivalent. I have passed with a nod of the head or polite meaningless words, or have lingered awhile and said polite meaningless words, and thought before i had done of a mocking tale. I have met them at close of day coming with vivid faces from counter or desk among grey eighteenthcentury houses. Easter, 1916 by william butler yeats poem analysis.
Analysis of easter, 1916 by william butler yeats poem. In his poem easter, 1916, does yeats favor either side. It commemorates the martyrs of the easter rising, an insurrection against the british government in ireland in 1916, which resulted in the execution of several irish nationalists whom yeats knew personally the poem examines the nature of heroism and its. Critical analysis of poem easter 1916 researchomatic.
The chapter shows how yeats presented his characters, discussing the importance of numerology and the poems formal structure, and takes note of the mythology present in the. There are two interrelated themes in easter 1916, one political and public, the other personal and private. Easter, 1916 by william butler yeats poetry foundation. The poem that recorded this event and its shattering aftermath, with an enduring and quizzical ambiguity, remains one of yeatss great political. Another, the orahilly, who was shot dead off moore street just before the surrender, explained his motivation in a song and then there was peadar kearney whose dublin. In easter 1916, yeats refers to a number of key figures in the struggle for irish independence, although without naming them, so the poem requires a bit of analysis and context. The black tower, which his wife pertinently described as a political poem. Yeats starts the poem off by talking about the dudes he runs into in the street when the shops and offices are closing up around dublin. Yeats wants to criticize the use of violence to achieve political goals. Yeats began writing the poem within weeks of the executions in may 1916, and completed it two months later. It is this poem where yeats narrates the events of the easter rising, and immortalizes the rebels as agents of change, not as abstract heroes. One of the most powerful political poems of the 20th century was written by a man who was ambivalent about politics. The impact the easter rising had in yeats, due to the. Basically, the british promised the irish that they would give them free rule over their country in 1914.
In your answer, explore the effects of language, imagery and verse form, and consider how this poem relates to other poems by w. In his poem easter, 1916 yeats talks of that very day. One of william butler yeatss bestknown political poems. Radio documentary on yeats and politics as you can tell from easter, 1916, yeats had his own take on political stuff. In the end, easter, 1916 is less of a political poem than an elegy.
For mlinko, and many yeats scholars, easter, 1916 is a turning point in yeatss work, as he engages with the modernist rather than the idyllic ireland. Known as the easter rebellion, irish nationalists fought for independence on the streets of dublin for a week until their efforts proved unsuccessful. A small number of labor leaders and political revolutionaries occupied government buildings and factories, proclaiming a new independent irish republic. It was first published in 1920 in his collection michael robartes and the dancer the cuala press, 1920.
Yeats celebrates the memory of the general individuals who blindly sacrifices their lives in the easter rebellion despite the fact that they would certainly be defeated by the english government. In this poem, yeats was exploring the impact of the easter rising, where sixteen irish nationalist revolutionaries were executed by the british after a failed uprising. By the way, seeing that this poem easter 1916deals with a political problem, it is. The very title of the poem easter 1916 is immediately indicative of change.
Easter 1916 is often referred to as the most famous political poem of the twentiethcentury anglosphere. The political poem easter, 1916 by william butler yeats is one of the most powerful and strong poems ever written by him about the political situation of his country ireland. In his poem easter, 1916, does yeats favor either side in. Inspired by events that transpired in dublin, ireland, the poem pays tribute to the leaders of the irish uprising that was timed to coincide with easter, the religious holiday commemorating christs resurrection. Yeats wrote this patriotic poem to serve as a tribute to the irish men and women who stood up against the british government on easter monday of 1916. The aestheticization of violence is considered in the poem easter, 1916 and briefly in the statues. Yeats, as a tribute to the martyrs, immortalizes them in his. The aim of this article is to analyze the poem easter 1916 of the irish writer william butler yeats which was written weeks after the easter rising. The uprising or rising, as some call it, took place mostly in dublin but was felt throughout ireland.
Summary even a note of selfcriticism is also conspicuous in, the poem, for yeats begins by saying that he had also been guilty of complacency and detachment in his attitude towards his fellowirishmen. Yeatss conception of the relationship of violence to history, with particular emphasis on the frightening interaction among the divine, the human, and the bestial, is demonstrated in the visionary poems the second coming and. If you want to know more about it, check out this great radio documentary. And every now and then, hell tell a funny story that might get a laugh at the bar. A true poem, like life itself, is not a political causeeven a just one. Yeats to commemorate the easter rising in 1916, in which irish nationalists led a rebellion to win independence from british rule. Although the choices in the composition of the book might be controversial, to some extent, the political poems, more specifically, easter 1916 deserves special. The poem was taken at face value, with little critical questioning of yeatss true intent. In the years following the publication of easter, 1916 most audiences viewed it as a political poem honoring the rebels for their sacrifice. Mar 27, 2016 since today is easter, i decided to reread yeats great poem regarding the irish uprising against england on easter in 1916. There are 16 lines in the first and third stanzas, and there are 24 lines in the second. Pdf yeats ambivalence towards irish nationalism in.
It isnt the most amazing poem ever written but it is a very impressive effort. In these poems, a sense of cultural crisis and conflict seeps through, even. William butler yeats did support and sympathize with the rebels who sacrifice a lot for the cause. Then under british rule, ireland had been promised. For a sensitive man to attempt to deal with the doomed and futile events that saw friends executed as terrorists and remember, thats what the english saw them as and to express that balance between admiration and despair in a phrase like a terrible beauty or recognise the. It commemorates the martyrs of the easter rising, an insurrection against the british government in ireland in 1916, which resulted in the execution of several irish nationalists whom yeats knew personally. Easter, 1916 by william butler yeats i have met them at close of day coming with vivid faces from counter or desk among grey eighteenthcentury houses. Since today is easter, i decided to reread yeats great poem regarding the irish uprising against england on easter in 1916. It is fairly long, so i am not going to include the entire text, but here is a link to the poem online should you want to read it in its entirety. How can the poet pay attention to politics when he can see a young girl standing at a little distance.
Moral and aesthetic in yeasts easter 1916 a paper submitted to. Although yeats completed the poem in september of 1916, he elected not to share it publicly at that time, mindful of irelands political uncertainties and inflamed emotions. The structure of easter, 1916 spells out the date the rebellion began, april 24, 1916. The poem easter 1916 holds true to yeats quote found in his essay symbolism of poetry that certain colors and forms evokes precise emotions through either their long associations or their. It commemorates the martyrs of the easter rising, an insurrection against the british government in ireland in 1916, which resulted in the execution of several irish nationalists whom yeats knew personally the poem examines the nature of heroism and its incongruity. One of the most important political poems of the twentieth century is w. A small number of labor leaders and political revolutionaries occupied government buildings and factories, proclaiming a new. Yeats ambivalence towards irish nationalism in september. Yeatss easter, 1916 is all about a historical event called the easter uprising, which happened in ireland on easter of you got it 1916. About this poem easter, 1916 captures yeatss reaction to the easter rising in ireland, which took place one hundred years ago today. This poem in particular dealt with the issues surrounding the easter rising of 1916 when rebels.
An armed revolution held by teachers, poets, and writers, among others. Whats your favorite poem from the 1916 easter rising. Easter, 1916 poem by william butler yeats poem hunter. The poem was written to praise the irish nationalists that were executed after the easter rising, a bloodshed memory in history. We read it because it is, in the strange way poems are, alive. The easter uprising of 1916 the easter uprising of 1916 was an event that happened at the tail end of a long list of events that would forever change ireland. Her devotion to extreme political positions was reflected in her endless. Yeats ambivalence towards irish nationalism in september 19 and easter 1916. Critical analysis of poem easter 1916 critical analysis of poem easter 1916 introduction this assignment is a critical analysis of a poem easter 1916 written w. Two more were from the inspirational leaders of the easter rising padraig pearse and james connolly. Easter, 1916 is a reflection on the events surrounding the easter rising, an armed insurrection which began in dublin, ireland on easter monday, april 24, 1916. At once a personal and a political meditation, yeatss poem easter, 1916 is among the bestknown literary works to address the easter rising and its aftermath.
Irish identity politics and the image of the stone in yeatss poetry ub. Easter 1916is written to commemorate the irish rebellion against england. Younger yeats heres a picture of yeats in his younger years. The leaders of the rising were ultimately executed, and yeatss poem balances critique of the rebellion and its political extremism with admiration for the rebels. The poem, easter 1916, expresses yeatss grief and horror at the events of easter week. Irish grievances were many, varied and longstanding. To make it so is to be enchanted to a stone and fix it in one moment. This poem in particular dealt with the issues surrounding the easter rising of 1916 when rebels revolt against the british government demanding their independence. He opens the poem with talk if the modern day, passing on the nameless faces on the street, only to then mirror that with the brave. Easter 1916, poem by william butler yeats, published separately in 1916 and collected in michael robartes and the dancer 1921. There is a politician who is having much knowledge regarding the political world and on the other hand there is a traveler who has gained a lot of knowledge after having experiences in life but the poet does not seem interested in politics and tourism, for him. Easter 1916 is a poem of four stanzas, with sixteen lines in the first and third, and twentyfour lines in the second and fourth. The author initially withheld broad publication, only sharing the poem with a close circle of friends until 1920.