W.B. Yeats
William Butler Yeats: A Life of Poetry and Politics
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Full Name and Common Aliases
William Butler Yeats was born on June 13, 1865, in Dublin, Ireland, to John Butler Yeats, an artist, and Susan Mary Pollexfen Yeats. He is commonly referred to as W.B. Yeats or William Yeats.
Birth and Death Dates
June 13, 1865 – January 28, 1939
Nationality and Profession(s)
Irish poet, playwright, and politician. Yeats was a key figure in the Irish Literary Revival of the late 19th and early 20th centuries and played a significant role in Ireland's struggle for independence from Britain.
Early Life and Background
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Yeats spent his childhood between Dublin and Sligo, where he developed a deep connection to Irish folklore and mythology. His father was an Anglo-Irish artist and lawyer who encouraged his children's creative pursuits. Yeats' mother, Susan Mary Pollexfen Yeats, came from a wealthy family of shipowners and was known for her strong will and independence.
Major Accomplishments
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Yeats is widely regarded as one of the greatest poets of the 20th century. His work had a profound impact on Irish literature and culture. He was instrumental in promoting Irish heritage and identity through his poetry, which often explored themes of spirituality, mysticism, and Irish nationalism.
Notable Works or Actions
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Some of Yeats' most notable works include:
The Wind Among the Reeds (1899) – a collection of poems that showcase his interest in Irish mythology and folklore.
The Second Coming (1921) – a poem that explores themes of chaos, destruction, and renewal.
Parnell's Funeral (1902) – a poem that captures the mood and atmosphere of Charles Stewart Parnell's funeral procession.
Yeats was also an accomplished playwright and wrote several plays, including:
Cathleen ni Houlihan (1902)
The Countess Cathleen (1892)
In addition to his literary work, Yeats played a significant role in Irish politics. He was elected as a senator of the Irish Free State in 1922 and served until his death in 1939.
Impact and Legacy
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Yeats' impact on literature is immeasurable. His poetry has been translated into over 20 languages, and he has influenced countless writers and poets around the world. In Ireland, Yeats is remembered as a national poet and a key figure in the country's struggle for independence.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
Yeats' quotes are widely used because they capture the essence of his poetic vision – a synthesis of Irish mythology, mysticism, and nationalism. His words continue to inspire readers and writers today, offering insights into the human condition and the complexities of life.
"Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire."
"The world is full of magical things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper."
"I will be one with the great who have gone before me."
In conclusion, William Butler Yeats was a poet, playwright, and politician whose impact on literature and Irish culture is still felt today. His quotes continue to inspire and captivate readers worldwide, offering glimpses into his poetic vision – a world of wonder, magic, and mysticism that remains timeless and universal.
Quotes by W.B. Yeats
W.B. Yeats's insights on:
I spit upon the dancers painted by Degas. I spit upon their short bodies, their stiff stays, their toes whereupon they spin like peg-tops, above all upon that chambermaid face. They might have looked timeless, Remeses the Great, but not the chambermaid, that old maid history. I spit! I spit! I spit!
To A Squirrel At Kyle-Na-NoCome play with me;Why should you runThrough the shaking treeAs though I'd a gunTo strike you dead?When all I would doIs to scratch your headAnd let you go.
Things fall apart; the centre cannot holdMere anarchy is loosed upon the world,The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere the ceremony of innocence is lostThe best lack all conviction, while the worst are filled with passionate intensity.
O bid me mount and sail up thereAmid the cloudy wrack,For Peg and Meg and Paris' loveThat had so straight a back,Are gone away, and some that stayHave changed their silk for sack.
He had many strange sights to keep him cheerful or to make him sad. I asked him had he ever seen the faeries, and got the reply, 'Am I not annoyed with them?' I asked too if he had ever seen the banshee. 'I have seen it,' he said, 'down there by the water, batting the river with its hands.' ("A Teller of Tales")
On November Eve they are at their gloomiest, for according to the old Gaelic reckoning, this is the first night of winter. This night they dance with the ghosts, and the pooka is abroad, and witches make their spells, and girls set a table with food in the name of the devil, that the fetch of their future lover may come through the window and eat of the food. After November Eve the blackberries are no longer wholesome, for the pooka has spoiled them.
I made my song a coatCovered with embroideriesOut of old mythologiesFrom heel to throat;But the fools caught it,Wore it in the world's eyesAs though they'd wrought it.Song, let them take it,For there's more enterpriseIn walking naked
I have just read a long novel by Henry James. Much of it made me think of the priest condemned for a long space to confess nuns.
The WheelThrough winter-time we call on spring,And through the spring on summer call,And when abounding hedges ringDeclare that winter's best of all;And after that there's nothing goodBecause the spring-time has not come --Nor know what disturbs our bloodIs but its longing for the tomb.