Easter 1916

 

I have met them at close of day   

Coming with vivid faces

From counter or desk among grey   

Eighteenth-century houses.

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 or a gibe   

To please a companion

Around the fire at the club,   

Being certain that they and I   

But lived where motley is worn:   

All changed, changed utterly:   

A terrible beauty is born.

That woman's days were spent   

In ignorant good-will,

Her nights in argument

Until her voice grew shrill.

What voice more sweet than hers   

When, young and beautiful,   

She rode to harriers?

This man had kept a school   

And rode our wingèd horse;   

This other his helper and friend   

Was coming into his force;

He might have won fame in the end,   

So sensitive his nature seemed,   

So daring and sweet his thought.

This other man I had dreamed

A drunken, vainglorious lout.

He had done most bitter wrong

To some who are near my heart,   

Yet I number him in the song;

He, too, has resigned his part

In the casual comedy;

He, too, has been changed in his turn,   

Transformed utterly:

A terrible beauty is born.

Hearts with one purpose alone   

Through summer and winter seem   

Enchanted to a stone

To trouble the living stream.

The horse that comes from the road,   

The rider, the birds that range   

From cloud to tumbling cloud,   

Minute by minute they change;   

A shadow of cloud on the stream   

Changes minute by minute;   

A horse-hoof slides on the brim,   

And a horse plashes within it;   

The long-legged moor-hens dive,   

And hens to moor-cocks call;   

Minute by minute they live:   

The stone's in the midst of all.

Too long a sacrifice

Can make a stone of the heart.   

O when may it suffice?

That is Heaven's part, our part   

To murmur name upon name,   

As a mother names her child   

When sleep at last has come   

On limbs that had run wild.   

What is it but nightfall?

No, no, not night but death;   

Was it needless death after all?

For England may keep faith   

For all that is done and said.   

We know their dream; enough

To know they dreamed and are dead;   

And what if excess of love   

Bewildered them till they died?   

I write it out in a verse—

MacDonagh and MacBride   

And Connolly and Pearse

Now and in time to be,

Wherever green is worn,

Are changed, changed utterly:   

A terrible beauty is born.

Introduction:

“Easter, 1916” by W.B. Yeats is a reflective and complex poem that captures the poet’s evolving feelings about the Easter Rising, a failed but significant rebellion against British rule in Ireland. Written in the aftermath of the uprising, the poem blends admiration and sorrow as Yeats grapples with the transformation of ordinary people into national martyrs. Initially, he viewed many of the rebels as unremarkable or even foolish, but their willingness to sacrifice everything for Ireland’s freedom forces him to reconsider. Throughout the poem, Yeats explores themes of change, the cost of idealism, and the tension between everyday life and revolutionary action. The refrain, “A terrible beauty is born,” captures the poem’s heart—a mix of awe and grief at how violence can give rise to both tragedy and lasting transformation.

 Historical Background:

"Easter, 1916" reflects on the Easter Uprising, a rebellion against British rule in Ireland during World War I. Many Irish believed that supporting Britain in the war would lead to independence, with approximately 35,000 Irish soldiers dying in the conflict. However, British authorities suppressed Irish aspirations for freedom. The uprising lasted six days, resulting in significant bloodshed and the execution or imprisonment of its leaders. While Yeats criticizes the rebellion’s rashness, he also admires the revolutionaries’ unwavering commitment to Irish independence, immortalizing their sacrifice through this poem.

Analysis:

First Stanza

Yeats begins the poem by describing his encounters with the people of Dublin as they return home at the end of the day. He observes their happy faces as they finish their daily work, reflecting on life's ordinary and peaceful routines before the Easter Uprising. The poet meets these people behind desks, counters, and in the streets, exchanging polite, meaningless words. This phrase emphasizes the superficiality of their interactions and the normalcy of daily life. Yeats linger with them, sharing mocking stories in clubs for entertainment. This setting, where "motley is worn," suggests a world of triviality and jest. The word "motley" is a metonymy, representing their pre-rebellion lives' foolish and aimless nature. However, everything changes with the Easter Uprising. The stanza ends with the refrain, "A terrible beauty is born," an oxymoron reflecting the duality of the event. While the uprising brought terrible bloodshed, it also sparked a profound and lasting change that would eventually lead to Irish independence.

Second Stanza

In the second stanza, Yeats introduces four key figures of the rebellion. First, he mentions a woman, likely Countess Constance Markievicz. Though she displayed great courage, Yeats describes her voice as having grown "shrill" due to her political involvement, implying that her participation in politics diminished her feminine charm. He nostalgically recalls her earlier days when she was youthful and full of grace.

Next, Yeats refers to Padraic Pearse, a schoolmaster and poet, symbolized by the image of Pegasus, the winged horse of Greek mythology. He also mentions Thomas MacDonagh, another poet, lamenting that his intellectual potential was cut short by the uprising.

Finally, Yeats discusses Major John MacBride, someone he personally disliked due to his marriage to Maud Gonne, the poet's unrequited love. Despite his resentment, Yeats acknowledges MacBride's sacrifice, stating that he "resigned his part" in the "casual comedy" of the uprising. This phrase, with its alliteration, conveys Yeats' critical view of the rebellion as a tragic yet somewhat absurd event. The stanza concludes with a repeated refrain, reinforcing the complex and contradictory legacy of the uprising.

Third Stanza

The third stanza shifts in tone and imagery, focusing on the rebels' unwavering dedication. Yeats compares their hearts to a stone, an image symbolizing their unchanging resolve. This metaphor emphasizes how their commitment to Irish freedom remained steadfast despite the passage of time and the natural flow of life.

Yeats contrasts the rebels' constancy with the ever-changing natural world. Birds, clouds, and animals continually move and adapt, while the rebels remain fixed on their purpose. Through these images, Yeats highlights the permanence of their sacrifice in the face of life's transience. The moorhen and moorcock, who live in the present moment, symbolize the ordinary, changeable world. In contrast, the rebels' steadfastness sets them apart as they become eternal figures in the struggle for Irish independence.

Fourth Stanza

In the final stanza, Yeats poses reflective questions about the value and cost of the uprising. He suggests that prolonged sacrifice can harden the heart, using the stone metaphor again—this time to represent the emotional toll of unending conflict. Yeats questions whether these sacrifices were necessary, especially since the British promised Irish independence after World War I.

Despite his doubts, Yeats insists on remembering the rebels. He likens this act of remembrance to a grieving mother gently repeating her child's name. This simile conveys both tenderness and the inevitability of mourning. The poet acknowledges that only those who understand the rebels' dreams can truly honor their legacy.

Yeats concludes by listing the key figures again—Padraic Pearse, Thomas MacDonagh, John MacBride, and James Connolly—following the Irish ballad tradition of naming martyrs. The phrase "wherever green is worn" uses metonymy to symbolize Ireland and its enduring identity. The poem ends with the haunting refrain, "A terrible beauty is born," encapsulating the enduring impact of the uprising—a mixture of tragedy and transformative change.