Easter 1916 --Poem Summary&Explanation
Although Yeats was a national poet yet he did not like violence as a means to save Ireland from British Rule but the execution of Irish Republican by the British disturbed his mind strongly. He was very sad on the death of Irish Republicans. Because they were the people of his country. Even ordinary people were also very sad about the death of his countryman. In this poem, the poet expresses his feelings related to the events of the Easter Rising occurred in Ireland against British Rule. But revolt had failed for some reasons. The most of the Irish Republicans who were active in the revolt were killed during this revolt. It was a great tragedy for the country.
The poem is the description of the poet's inner feelings about revolutionary moments in Ireland. The revolt lasted for six days.
After six days, the rebels surrendered to the British Army. Yeats composed this poem to pay tribute to the Irish Rebellions for their sacrifices done for the country. He expresses his thinking for this revolt and its result. Mainly this revolt occurred in Dublin, the capital of the Republic of Ireland. The poem is divided into four stanzas.
Poem explanation
Stanza--1
In the first stanza, the poet talks about the man whom he used to meet at evening while they're returning from their job. Here poet wanted to say that he used to see people daily when they returned from their jobs or meetings at evening. He mostly used to see a smile on their face. they seemed satisfied with their works. The poet also nodded his face with a smile while meeting with them on the street. The poet further told that they often gathered in a club or sometimes in another place around the fire. That time he often made fun of them by saying some mocking stories on them to please his friends. He used polite but meaningless words or sometimes made jokes on them without knowing their meaning. But now after the failure of The Easter Rising (Irish Revolt), everything had changed. he was living in the place where motley was worn still. but now everything had changed with the failure of revolt and as a result, a terrible beauty was born with it.
Here the phrase A Terrible Beauty means that British rulers killed Irish rebellions but after it, a strong desire of independence had born among the people of Ireland which resulted in the Irish war for independence a few years later. The sacrifices of Irish rebellion did not waste but it helped in the independence of Ireland.
Stanza--2
In this stanza, the poet describes four persons who took an active part in the revolt of 1916. They fought for the country. One of them was a young and beautiful woman. Her name was Countess Markievicz. The poet knew her very well. In fact, she was his a long time friend. That woman spent her days in ignorant goodwill and nights in arguments. Here poet means to say that the woman took an active part in the revolt, therefore, she always argued with others in a loud voice like a man. Her sweet voice also had become like a man. Here poet uses the phrase 'Rode to harriers' for that woman. It meant that the woman used to ride on a horse in her young age during a hunt for rabbits. Her horse passed through a beautiful green forest.
The poet further describes the second man who was an owner of the school. He was also a teacher of that school. He was also involved in the revolt actively. His name was Patrick Pearse. Here the poet uses the phrase 'rode our winged horse' for Pearse. (In Greek mythology winged horse is a symbol of high flying imagination. It is said that everywhere the winged horse struck his hoof to the earth, water spring burst forth. It means wherever that horse goes the inspiration comes out from there. Here poet wants to say that the man who kept a school, rode a winged horse. It means his imagination was very high and sublime.
He gave inspiration to all countryman. Now the poet describes the third person who was also involved in the revolt. That person was his friend and helper. He always helped the poet. He was a strong supporter of revolt. He was very active in the revolt to make it successful. His nature was very much emotional. He had true emotions for his country. He was very brave in his thought. He was a heroic man interested in adventure. If the revolt had been successful, he might have get name and fame after the revolt definitely. After it, The poet describes the fourth person who also took an active part in the revolt. The poet tells his qualities to his readers.
He was frantic in his nature. He drank over mostly. Sometimes he became violent. The poet did not like him because he seemed him vulgar and haughty. That man had done wrong with the poet's friends and relatives. His behaviour was not good for the poet and his close friends. The poet further says that although he did not like him yet mentioned him in my poem because he also sacrificed his life for the sake of the country. He also was killed during Rising Easter. Now everything had changed. He was now no more in this world. He had changed his part in this world. He had gone to another world to play his part. He had changed completely. After the death of these important persons, a horrible beauty was born. Here poet wants to say that after sacrificing the Irish Rebellions a good thing happened in the result of the war. The word terrible means sacrifices done by the Irish leader and beauty is the war which was fought after some years to get freedom.
Stanza--3
In the third stanza of this poem, the poet expresses his feelings about Irish Republicans. The poet told that they had only one strong aim in his life. That aim was to end British Rule in Ireland. The poet told that they never changed their aim whether it was summer or winter. It meant that they had the same aim in every situation of their life. Their purpose seemed like a magical and confirmed stone that never disturbed by shaking water in the river. Like this stone, Irish fighters were devoted to a single purpose. Yeats compares the hearts of these people to a stone lying in the river. Here the poet means that these people's sense of purpose is confirmed and definite. It is unmovable and unchanging.
Now further the poet expresses the unmovable passions of leaders with the example of objects of nature as birds, horse, cloud. He gives the example of things that change time to time. The poet says that someone riding on the horse changes; the birds that fly above him change and the clouds keep floating one place to another change every minute.
It means that things change every minute. But the passion of Irish fighters did not change even after death. Now they can not change things more because they are no more. Still, they died with the desire of free Ireland in their mind. This desire makes their passion stay the same forever. The poet further says that Evan a shadow on the river changes minute by minute. It means it changes every second. Here the poet gives an example of a horse that slides into the water and splashes around it. The poet wants to say that although the freedom fighters have died yet they are alive like a stone in the river. their passion is still here in the heart of all human beings.
The poet has given many examples s from nature in this poem. Here he gives one more example of moorhens and more cocks. They are medium-sized water birds. They like to dive into the water and call out others birds. The enjoy every minute of their life. The life in the present only. These birds do not take stress for past and future like human beings. Here poet says that the people who have died in the revolt are like a stone that exists at one place without moving here and there. It exists in the midst of all and remains unmoved but other things around it change. Same like this the purpose of people who have died in the revolt, never change not even after death. They were confirmed in his purpose even after their death.
Stanza--4
Here in the last stanza, the poet wants to talk about nightfall. He asks himself by saying if it is nightfall or death. He replies immediately that it is not nightfall but death. He explains that he is not talking about the night that is dark but he is talking about the death of his friends who were freedom fighters. But very soon a question arises in his mind if the death of Irish rebellions was really compulsory or not. Were there need for their death for the freedom of Ireland. Here the poet is confused to think over the death of Irish freedom fighters for the sake of the country. Because after Easter Rising England did not give them the freedom to Ireland. England promised to give freedom after world war-1. The people of Ireland might keep faith in England for their freedom.
Here the poet further says that people know the dream of freedom fighters are not active now. Everyone knows why they sacrificed their lives. Poet says that they saw a dream for the freedom of Ireland but they died before to complete his dream. They did all this for their love for the country. They were willing to die for the freedom of Ireland. Here yeats are confused about his feelings for the freedom fighter of Ireland. But he describes them in his poem with their name. He says that these people have changed now both in the present and in the future.
He mentioned the name of his friends who were the freedom fighters. Those were Macdonagh, MacBride, Connolly and Pearse. Here the line "Wherever green is worn" is said by the poet for official colour of Ireland. Because green is the official colour Ireland. The poet again defines that these Irish freedom fighters will be remembered for their sacrifices done by them for the freedom of Ireland. Whenever people wear a green official dress they will think about the freedom of Ireland. and whenever the history of Ireland will be revised, the will be remembered as the great freedom fighters of the country.
The poet says that he does not know how he should think about it because he is not the part of it. According to the poet the freedom fighters have lived a meaningful life but his life has no meaning. Here poet finishes his poem with the line-- "A terrible beauty was born."He repeats this line many times in the poem. Actually, this line exposes both the positive and negative aspects of the Easter Rising Event. He considers the event important but he does not want to say their sacrifices useless. He wants to give a tribute to the freedom fighters through his poem.
