William Butler Yeats is one of my favorite Irish poets because I find his poems to be superb and very absorbing. When reading his works you can see that he wrote with passion and great love for his country, Ireland. He was inspired by modern poetry but he never lost tradition in his poems. So let me explain who Yeats was and his works.
Who is Yeats?
William Butler Yeats was born in Dublin, Ireland in 1865; he was a son of the Irish painter and lawyer, John Butler. Yeats spent his childhood in the county of Sligo, where his parents were raised, and he also lived in London. But by age 15, he returned to Dublin where he was going to be a painter but decided to be a poet which became a good decision for him.
Yeats had married Georgie Hyde Lees though Irish Revolutionary, Maud Gonne whom he met in 1889 was his true love. If she hadn’t been married she probably would have been his wife. She even influenced some of his poems. Not only did he write poetry, but he also wrote some plays, he was one of the founders of the Abbey Theater in Dublin.
He was deeply involved in politics in Ireland and was elected senator of the Irish Free Republic in 1922. In 1923 he was awarded the Nobel Prize and in 1939 died at the age of 73.
His Poetry:
While his works were influenced by Maud Gonne they were also quite influenced by Irish mythology and folklore. Also his works after 1910 were strongly influenced by the American poet Ezra Pound. Below are some of his poems that are listed, read them and see for yourself on why he is a great Irish poet.
Easter 1916
The Fisherman
On a personal level when I read this poem I almost think about my late grandfather, who worked all his life as fisherman, so this has to be one of my favorites of Yeats works.
When You are Old
The Player Queen
Adam’s Curse
Why his works are so important and how to they contribute to poetry:
I believe that his works are important because he was a poet around when Ireland was seeing much unrest and they were rebelling. Like for instance his poem Easter 1916 is a perfect example of Ireland’s unrest and how it affected Yeats. I also believe that he made a direct impact on Irish culture with his poems and plays.
I think it’s quite important that people read his works because they are cultural and even historical important.
Conclusion:
For those who weren’t quite sure on who Yeats was now you know and I hope that you pick up one of his poetry books and be swept away, I know I am whenever I read his poetry.
Source:
Poets.org