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What Is The Similarities Between Easter 1916 And An Irish Airman Foresees His Death

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The effects of war as a theme in W.B.Yeats’s Easter 1916 and An Irish Airman Foresees His Death

Easter 1916 and An Irishman Foresees His Death are poems which were written by William Butler Yeats. Easter 1916 was written to relive the Easter Rising, an event which occurred in Ireland during Easter in the year 1916 to confirm its independence and national identity from British. An Irishman Foresees His Death was written as a tribute to Major Robert Gregory who had died while fighting for his country during World War I. Although both the poems focuses on war yet the perception viewed on war is different. Therefore, both of these poems will be compared with the consequences of war as the theme of the poem and based on the patriotic emotions …show more content…

Yeats wrote this poem in respect of Major Robert Gregory, who died in the War. An Irish Airman Foresees His Death is written in the background of the Easter 1916 when the Irish people have demanded the independence from Britain. This poem was written for Gregory’s devoted duty for his countrymen by joining in the British Royal Flying Company (Walsh, 2012). In Easter 1916, Yeats proposed that Ireland had to confirm its independence and states identity through rebellion and the affectionate discovery of change. So, the unwanted bloodshed and sacrifice perpetually change the state of the …show more content…

For the perception of war in Easter 1916 it was a patriotic and collective force especially fighting for their nation. However, in An Irish Airman Foresees His Death, the Irishman though he was patriotic he makes war sound as though they had to go out of compulsion or was forced to go. Moreover the airman flew in the sky not only to fight but also to fulfill his desire. “Those that I fight I do not hate, Those that I guard I do not love” (Yeats, 1918). There is deep irony in this statement because Yeats says that those people who fight for his country and people are the courageous man whom the poet worships and he hates those people who always try to rule and make other people to follow them. This statement signifies Yeats hatred towards British country that conquered and ruled Ireland. Although they had positive thoughts towards Germany they were insisted to revolt against by the British. In Easter 1916, British colonized Ireland and harsh anti-Catholic law were passed upon Irish people, that led to increase in Irish Nationalism and it let to revolt in. So in this context, Yeats is talking about the British for being too offensive and it makes the people wonder how many Irish people suffered and had been killed during World War I. Around thirty five thousand Irish died in the First World War among one hundred forty

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