Hsc English - Module B - Yeats' Poems
Yeats Conflict Essay
Conflict is the basis of all human interaction and hence is an integral part of human life. Through ambiguous yet comprehensive treatment of conflict W. B. Yeats has ensured that his works stand the test of time and hence have remained ‘classics’ today. Through my critical study I have recognised that Yeats’ poems Easter 1916 and The Second Coming are no exception. Yeats’ poetic form, language and use of poetic techniques; such as juxtaposition, allusion, and extended metaphors, alert audiences to both the inner and physical conflict that are the foundations of both poems. It is through this treatment of conflict that supplies audiences with the ability to individualise the reading and hence engage a broad range of audiences despite their unique contexts throughout time.
Easter 1916 not only gives insight into the obvious physical conflicts between individuals but also focuses on the inner conflicts of the rebels, and further Yeats’ own underlying inner conflicts. One of the main representations of inner conflict throughout the poem is Yeats’ inner conflict concerning the rebels, particularly MacBride, and the worth of the rebellion in itself. In the second stanza Yeats talks of MacBride as a “drunken, vainglorious lout” however soon after comments “Yet I number him in song”. This paradox expresses Yeats’ inner turmoil between his personal opinions of the man, verse his acknowledgment of his patriotic and heroic actions for Ireland. However, by not directly naming MacBride in this stanza the ambiguity of the turmoil remains, allowing audiences to relate to such inner conflict despite their unique contexts. Similarly to Easter 1916, The Second Coming ambiguously explores Yeats’ inner conflicts allowing audiences to connect the poem to the basic components of every human life. Yeats’ inner conflict over the concepts of time and eventual change pervades throughout The Second Coming. The first stanza reveals Yeats’ disdain with current
Conflict is the basis of all human interaction and hence is an integral part of human life. Through ambiguous yet comprehensive treatment of conflict W. B. Yeats has ensured that his works stand the test of time and hence have remained ‘classics’ today. Through my critical study I have recognised that Yeats’ poems Easter 1916 and The Second Coming are no exception. Yeats’ poetic form, language and use of poetic techniques; such as juxtaposition, allusion, and extended metaphors, alert audiences to both the inner and physical conflict that are the foundations of both poems. It is through this treatment of conflict that supplies audiences with the ability to individualise the reading and hence engage a broad range of audiences despite their unique contexts throughout time.
Easter 1916 not only gives insight into the obvious physical conflicts between individuals but also focuses on the inner conflicts of the rebels, and further Yeats’ own underlying inner conflicts. One of the main representations of inner conflict throughout the poem is Yeats’ inner conflict concerning the rebels, particularly MacBride, and the worth of the rebellion in itself. In the second stanza Yeats talks of MacBride as a “drunken, vainglorious lout” however soon after comments “Yet I number him in song”. This paradox expresses Yeats’ inner turmoil between his personal opinions of the man, verse his acknowledgment of his patriotic and heroic actions for Ireland. However, by not directly naming MacBride in this stanza the ambiguity of the turmoil remains, allowing audiences to relate to such inner conflict despite their unique contexts. Similarly to Easter 1916, The Second Coming ambiguously explores Yeats’ inner conflicts allowing audiences to connect the poem to the basic components of every human life. Yeats’ inner conflict over the concepts of time and eventual change pervades throughout The Second Coming. The first stanza reveals Yeats’ disdain with current