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
This is shown by the way the soldiers were “coughing like hags”. He would have seen many people die in distress and, having experienced one of the most destructive wars in history, he has a very unfavourable view of war. He was involved in the First World War, so he knows the realities of warfare. I can see that his poem is aimed at poets who wrote about glory, honour and patriotism (such as Tennyson) by the use of the word “you” in the poem. He wants to clearly show the realities of conflict behind the heroism and splendour, and this is shown by the vivid language and imagery used.
When Yeats moved back to London to pursue his interest in Arts, he met famous writers like Maud Gonne. The Poem “To Ireland in the Coming Times” is one of the poems Yeats wrote in 1892 and was published in The Countess Kathleen and Various Legends. “Know, that I would accounted
During World War I, a collection of poems were written by soldiers serving in the war. The poems include If I Should Die by Rupert Brooke, In Flanders Fields by John MacRae, Dulce Et Decorum Est by Wilfred Owen, and On Passing the New Menin Gate by Siegfried Sassoon. The poetry differs in opinion on the war and dying for one’s country from soldier to soldier, with If I Should Die and In Flanders Fields romanticizing heroic death and glory, and Dulce Et Decorum Est and On Passing the New Menin Gate showcasing the gritty truth of war and the feelings of the soldiers who experience it.
In the poem “The Second Coming”, by William Butler Yeats. He writes this poem after World War I, around 1919. Yeats is a Irish poet, who came from Protestant parentage. The over all theme of the poem is that God will come back again. There are many versions to how God will appear, but in this poem bad things happen first in order for God to come. In “The Second Coming,” Yeats uses symbolism to unfold the meaning of the poem.
Thornhill, Rodger. "World War I and Wilfred Owen's Poetry." Yahoo! Contributor Network. Yahoo Voices, 30 July 2009. Web. 04 May 2013.
William Butler Yeats is one of the most esteemed poets in 20th century literature and is well known for his Irish poetry. While Yeats was born in Ireland, he spent most of his adolescent years in London with his family. It wasn’t until he was a teenager that he later moved back to Ireland. He attended the Metropolitan School of Art in Dublin and joined the Theosophical Society soon after moving back. He was surrounded by Irish influences most of his life, but it was his commitment to those influences and his heritage that truly affected his poetry. William Butler Yeats’s poetry exemplifies how an author’s Irish identity can help create and influence his work.
William Butler Yeats's poems "Easter 1916" and "The Second Coming" each portray the theme of rebellion. However, rebellion is not always heroic and these two poems clash with one another to prove this point. "Easter 1916" contains text which presents rebellion as a positive action; whereas, "The Second Coming" makes the reader believe rebellion only leads to pure chaos and disorder until the end of time. In addition, Claude McKay's poem "If We Must Die" supports the idea of rebellion as a positive, honorable movement with examples throughout the text. Tales of rebelliousness and heroism have been used throughout history to inspire and give
As Yeats (1918) stated, “those that I fight do not hate, those that I guard I do not love,”here Ireland did not feel threaten by WWI and the Germans and he explains that he is not in both side because he is just a recruited British army but he belongs to his place Kilkartan. Moreover, he says that whether he is defeated or wins the war it has no any significance to his people or the place and he was fighting for Britain, who had oppressed the Irish for centuries. He is not on both sides, still he knows he will die as he is forced to fight although he is not on either side. This means, he joined the war without any feeling the sense of patriotism or hatred to any country. Gregory did not fight for any reason or cause because he comprehended the futility of war ushered by few politician and patriotic people for their own beneficiary without looking the goodness at large. Yeats (1918) wrote, “no likely end could bring them loss / or live them happier than before.” He also contemplated that the people will remain as it is without changes in their living standards whether the war comes to end or not.He knew that the outcome of the war is not going to have any impact on his
Wilfred Owen can be considered as one of the finest war poets of all times. His war poems, a collection of works composed between January 1917, when he was first sent to the Western Front, and November 1918, when he was killed in action, use a variety of poetic techniques to allow the reader to empathise with his world, situation, emotions and thoughts. The sonnet form, para-rhymes, ironic titles, voice, and various imagery used by Owen grasp the prominent central idea of the complete futility of war as well as explore underlying themes such as the massive waste of young lives, the horrors of war, the hopelessness of war and the loss of religion. These can be seen in the three poems, ‘Anthem for Doomed Youth’, ‘Dulce Et Decorum Est’ and
Romantic influences paint a calm and peaceful portrait of Ireland through a tranquil tone. The mood is pleasant in the “nod of the head” and “polite meaningless words” as the reader deduces a positive outlook on society. It explicitly contrasts the repetition of “a terrible beauty is born” when reflecting on the violence in Ireland, shaping a personal response influenced by his perception of a struggle diminishing the essence of a pleasant aforementioned society. The stone to the “troubled living stream” emphasises Yeats’ support for the movement by placing
Yeats implied that Irish freedom fighters, such as O’Leary, have died in vain. He also inferred that there were no longer any people who were willing to fight for Ireland:
Richard Nixon once said, “No event in American history is more misunderstood than the Vietnam War. It was misreported then, and it is misremembered now.” Even though this poem was written during WWI, I feel that the poem and quote are connected because the airman in the poem seems to feel just as disconnected from his war as Nixon is describing people to be from the Vietnam War. In “An Irish Airman Foresees His Death”, W.B. Yeats employs diction to reveal the speaker’s attitude towards the war and to communicate that he feels it is pointless.
This poem is also about Art, and the Irish people's response to it. It is structured around the contrast between the Yeats' dream to write for the Irish people, and the reality.
Yeats works drew heavily on Irish mythology and history, he never fully embraced his Protestant past nor joined the majority or Ireland Roman Catholics but he devoted much of his life to the study in myriad other subjects. The Irish writer’s James O’ Grady and Sir William Ferguson were the most influential. Through his writing Yeats found his voice to speak up against the harsh nationalist policies of the time, his early dramatic works conveyed his respect for Irish legend and fascination with occult. Yeats mother was the first introduce him and his sisters to the Irish folktales he grew to love so much but little did you know that his brother jack and father was also an accomplished artist and they both helped William in his writing and it's the reason he found his own interest in the wonderful arts as he called them. In 1894 Yeats met friend and patron Lady Augusta Gregory and thus began their involvement with The Irish Literary Theatre which was founded in 1899 in Dublin. Along with literature, he also loved the theater and wrote several plays. He collaborated with the likes of Lady Gregory, Edward Martyn and George Moore to establish the Irish Literary Theatre for the purpose of performing Irish and Celtic plays. As a dramatist, his successful works included ‘The Countess Cathleen’ (1892), ‘The Land of Heart’s Desire’ (1894) and ‘The King’s Threshold’
For thousands of years mankind has been obsessed with the subject of war, from the clash of swords to the bitter thunder of artillery mankind has brought upon itself an immense amount of suffering. Good evening teachers and students I am here today with the aim of convincing you on why Wilfred Owens poetry must not be ignored but instead explored to find the deeper meaning of his poems. The poetry of Wilfred Owen was different to that of other war poets of his time as it revealed the horrors and agony of the so-called Great War which were concealed by the Church and British Authorities for the purpose of deceiving the youth. The idea of romanticising war goes strongly against Wilfred Owens moral purpose, thus his Poetry is didactic and condemnatory. Throughout his short life he had first hand experience with the scourge of war. From this he aimed to debunk those romanticised notions of the glorification of war that were present at the time by challenging poets such as John Keats who glorified war. Owen effectively conveys the truth of war through his use of techniques such as imagery, ambiguity and many others in his poems of "Dulce Et Decorum EST" and Anthem For doomed youth.