An Irish Airman Foresees His Death Flashcards
What is the context of ‘An Irish Airman Foresees His Death’? (2)
- From the Wild Swans at Coole, 1919, following the end of WWI in 1918
- Supposedly narrated by Robert Gregory- the son of Lady Gregory, a close friend of WBY- who had died fighting in WWI despite Ireland not being involved in the war
What are the overall messages of ‘An Irish Airman Foresees His Death’?
It is better to die heroically than live an ordinary, yet purposeless life
The balance of life and death, and the seemingly smooth transition between life and death
WBY’s admiration of heroism but dislike for violence (link with Easter 1916)
What are the quotes in ‘An Irish Airman Foresees His Death’ to display the ambiguity of the airman over his decision? (1)
“I know that” vs “somewhere” highlights the contrast in WBY’s emotions and WBY’s confusion at the clarity of his feelings: “I know” is certain whilst “somewhere” is vague
“somewhere among the clouds above;” – “clouds above” implies a movement into the afterlife and “above” emphasises that he is on the ground when narrating this and predicting his own death: it becomes part of his decision making in going to war
This line also has a reversed foot from the 1st line to emphasise the contrast between “somewhere” and “I know” (line above) and the contrast of certainty and ambiguity of his decision
How does WBY emphasise the importance of emotion and the importance of choosing with your heart rather than head in the poem ‘An Irish Airman Foresees His Death’ ? (2 quotes + analysis)
- “Nor law, nor duty bade me fight, / Nor public man, nor cheering crowds” – asyndetic listing emphasises how no external factors influenced his decision in fighting in the war; rather it was purely a personal decision, based on emotion rather than rational thought
- WBY also forces the reader to question what causes him to “fight” and what in fact causes anyone to use violence or actually “fight”
-“Nor public man, nor cheering crowds / a lonely impulse of delight”
The antithesis between “crowds” and “lonely” further adds to the sense of balance felt throughout the poem
-“A lonely impulse of delight/ Drove to this tumult in the clouds; “ – emphasises how the “impulse of delight” is what sent him to the “clouds” and the afterlife: that moment of impulse of emotion is what causes his eventual death
- “Drove to this tumult of the clouds;” – A dactylic line emphasises the change that follows this line: the semi-colon acts as a volta between what happened previous in the poem and what follows
- ->The lack of personal pronouns in this section emphasises this a group of men that WBY idolises: the group of heroic men who die with honour
How does WBY display the airman’s devotion to Ireland in ‘An Irish Airman Foresees His Death’? (2 quotes)
“My country is Kiltartan Cross, / my countrymen Kiltartan’s poor”- Anaphora of “my country” to add balance again
“Kiltartan” can be used as a synechdoche for the whole Ireland to represent how the airman is in support of Ireland over all else.
-“Those that I fight I do not hate/ Those that I guard I do not love”- the use of anaphora of “those that I” and epistrophe in “I do not” helps to balance the two lines as RG again balances his opinions on his future and his beliefs- his only love is pure, assertive and single: that for Ireland.
What quote displays the balance made by the airman in ‘An Irish Airman Foresees His Death’? (1 long quote + analysis)
- “I balanced all, brought all to mind, / The years to come seem waste of breath, / A waste of breath the years behind/ In balance with this life, this death”
- ->“balance” explicitly emphasises the balance searched for throughout the poem
- ->Chiasmus ABCCBA of “balanced” , “years to come”, “waste of breath”, “waste of breath”, “years behind”, “balance” – this chiasmus, with “balance” emphatically positioned at the start and end of the chiasmus emphasises how RG balances everything to come to the decision as whether to fight.
- ->The BCCB of “The years to come seemed waste of breath, / A waste of breath the years behind/ In balance with this life, this death” – emphasises how in balance with the heroic life of a soldier (“this” life” he is choosing, and “this death”), all else is a waste of time.
–>“In balance with this life, this death” – the use of “balance” coupled with the chiasmus ABBA of “this life, this death” nicely completes RG’s thought process of why to go to war: the life and death of a soldier makes any other life seem like a waste of time- WBY also agrees with this in promoting heroism.
How does the rhyme scheme of ‘An Irish Airman Foresees His Death’ illustrate the themes of the poem?
Rhyme Scheme:
Strong and persistent ABAB helps Yeats to get across his message whilst also emphasising the balance between heroism and violence; life and death etc.
How does the rhythm and metre of the poem accentuate the themes of the poem ‘An Irish Airman Foresees His Death?
The constant iambic tetrameter emphasises the two parts (stressed and unstressed, in four feet) and thus the balance, purpose and element of fate within the poem
How does the Form & Structure illustrate the themes of ‘An Irish Airman’?
Form- Stretched sonnet of 14 lines to highlight how Gregory plans to do more and stretch the boundaries of an ordinary life by being heroic
Structure- one continuous stanza displays the lack of thought and moreover the defining presence of emotion in his decision making process.
