Easter 1916 Flashcards
1
Q
What is the context of ‘Easter 1916’?
A
written in response to the failed uprising of Irish Nationalists against British rule in the week of Easter Sunday 1916. Members of the Irish Republican Brotherhood attempted to take a number of government buildings in Dublin, including the Post Office buildings. The British army defeated the rebels who barricaded the Post Office and executed the leaders.
2
Q
How does WBY shows his distaste and disregard for those that became rebels in ‘Easter 1916’? [5]
A
- “I have met them at close of day” - separates Yeats from them through using first person. “I” is repeated 7 times in the poem - the majority in the first stanza - where he is presented as being distant from the Irish rebels.
- “I have passed with a nod of the head/ Or polite meaningless words” - shows their insignificance to Yeats and how he doesn’t want much to do with them. Creates a dull and displeasing image of the Irish.
- repetition of “meaningless words” highlights the repetitive and unchanging days. Indicates that nothing is changing as these lines make the poem feel like it isn’t progressing. It also emphasises Yeats’ disregard for them - they’re not worth his time.
- “Of a mocking tale of gibe/ To please a companion” - he laughed and mocked the rebels showing the reader his distaste. However it also seems to imply that Yeats couldn’t do anything about them, so all he could do was mock them and the sincerity of the line shows up his discontent.
- “But lived where motley is worn:” - clothes of the jester/fool. Suggests that he lives among foolish people. Caesura separates this line form the proceeding refrain, in order to highlight the refrains importance to the reader.
3
Q
How does WBY create a dull and displeasing image in “Easter 1916”?
A
- “From counter or desk among grey/ Eighteenth century houses” - suggests that the Irish have been influenced too heavily by the English; they have lost all their Irish personality. The colour “grey” helps to enhance this dull image and the urbanisation of Ireland.
4
Q
What effects does the refrain in ‘Easter 1916’ create? And how does it create ambiguity? [2]
A
- “All changed, changed utterly/ A terrible beauty is born”
Ambiguity is created through the antithesis “terrible beauty” refers to the birth of a new Ireland, which will be painful due to the rebels’ violent actions against British rule. Although the people of Ireland are coming together to fight for independence, it’s being done in a violent way; going against Yeats’ wishes. - The refrain also acts as an epitaph for the dead rebels and promises a painful birth for new Ireland because of the rebels.
5
Q
How does perceive Con Markievicz in ‘Easter 1916’? [6]
A
- “That women’s days were spent/ In ignorant good-will” - suggests she had a superficiality
- “Her nights in argument/ Until her voice grew shrill” - suggests her political activism was unattractive, which could be a sexist remark
- Rhyming “good-will” and “shrill” is an antithesis showing the change she has undergone - also shown through “days” and “nights”.
- “Her nights in argument” could also suggest that her revolutionary ideas weren’t coming into effect and that in the end they didn’t really make a difference; Irish independence is just a dream.
- “What voice more sweet than hers/ When, young and beautiful” - semantic field of innocence emphasises the current change she has undergone through the becoming politically active and that she is no longer “beautiful” and “sweet”
- “She rode to harriers?” - rhetorical question shows Yeats’ disbelief and desire for her to be what she once was.
[“harriers” are people who engage with persistent attacks on others]
6
Q
Who is “This man” and what is his relevance in ‘Easter 1916’? [4]
A
- Patrick Pearce who “had kept a school/ And rode our winged horse”. The “winged horse” refers to Pegasus whom became a symbol of poetry in the Renaissance.
- “winged horse” is a fitting image for Pearce because he wrote poetry and founded a school. Having “winged” before “horse” emphasises the power and can therefore emphasise Pearce’s power of poetry and gives him a sensitivity to show that even people like him can be violent.
- The repetition of “rode” shows that Con Markiewicz and Patrick Pearce were the driving forces of the uprising
- “our” shows a gradual connection to the rebels
7
Q
Who does “This other his helper and friend” refer to in ‘Easter 1916’? [3]
A
- refers to Thomas MacDonogh who was a playwright and a leader of the uprising.
- “He might have won fame in the end” – shows Yeats’ admiration for him as a playwright and promising poet.
- “So sensitive his nature seemed,/ So daring and sweet his thought” – emphasising Yeats disbelief of his actions of violence. Shows he was willing to go to such great lengths despite his benevolent nature and also emphasised the good intentions behind his actions. Sibilance reflects his gentle and soft nature. Repetition of “So” emphasises Yeats respect and admiration for him and helps the reader to be empathetic towards Thomas MacDonough.
8
Q
Who does “This other man” refer to in ‘Easter 1916’? What’s his significance? [5]
A
- “A drunken, vainglorious lout” – adjectives show Yeat’s hatred towards him, due to the fact that he married Maud Gonne who Yeats was in love with and inspired by. The plosive sounds reflect his cold nature and Yeats hatred towards him. The comma breaks up the fluidity giving the line a harsh edge.
- “most bitter wrong/ To some who are near my heart” – is referring to the pain he caused Maud Gonne because he beat her during the marriage and how it hurt Yeats because he loved Gonne so much. “near my heart” emphasises Yeats the gradual connection to the rebels in the poem
- “I number him in this song” – because he took part in the Easter rising
- “He, too, has resigned his part/ In the casual comedy” – Yeats appears to have a disapproving view on the rising and mocks it - “the casual comedy”. The word “resigned” refers to his execution but it suggests that he has given up and no more can be done.
9
Q
How does the second refrain in ‘Easter 1916’ differ from the first refrain? And what are its effects?
A
- “Transformed utterly:/ A terrible beauty is born”. “Transformed” is much more definitive and irreversible than changed. Two syllables has much more impact than one (“changed”).
10
Q
How is change represented in the third stanza in ‘Easter 1916’? [5]
A
- “Through summer and winter” - change of season
- “the living stream” - fluidity of water reflects the natural modernisation of Ireland
- “A Shadow of cloud on the stream/ Changes minute by minute” - emphasises the rapidity in which things change and how it’s hard for Irish Nationalists to keep up with the way Ireland is changing
- “Minute by minute they live” - repetition for emphasis
- The abundance of various aspects of nature emphasise changes that happens everyday, “minute by minute”.
11
Q
What’s the significance of the stone in ‘Easter 1916’? [4]
A
- “enchanted to a stone”. This suggests the rebels have emotionally turned cold; have hearts of “stone”. It shows their determined purpose for Irish independence amidst change and that they go about the upraising in a callous way.
- The stone “Trouble[s] the living stream” this shows that the rebels trying to stop the natural fluidity and modernisation of Ireland. The stone has connotations of immobility, inflexibility and unchangeable.
- In stanza 4 “Too long a sacrifice/ Can make a stone of the heart.” – shows the long struggle and continuing sacrifice of the Irish, and how it hardens the heart.
- repetition of the stone (3 times) highlights its importance
12
Q
How does WBY present a change of attitude towards the rebels in ‘Easter 1916’? [2]
A
- “Hearts with one purpose alone” – highlights their fervent will for change in Ireland and the strength in which they feel this. Contrast to the beginning of the poem where Yeats expresses their insignificance. But now they have “hearts” and feeling.
- “Hearts” also emphasises their desire and shows that they were willing to give up their lives for this cause.
13
Q
Whats the significance of nature in the third stanza of ‘Easter 1916’
A
- Shows the natural development of Ireland - it changes like nature and emphasises that it’s a natural process that’s hard to stop
14
Q
How does Yeat’s attitudes change towards the rebels as the poem develops? [4]
A
- In contrast to the beginning of the poem where Yeats disassociates himself from the Irish rebels, he shows a reluctant admiration as the poem progresses. In the last stanza he gives tribute to his friends and others who gave up their lives for the cause of Irish independence. They have been “transformed” into national heroes.
- At first the Irish rebels are anonymous, but later he acknowledges them by naming them - “Mac Donogh and MacBride/ And Connolly and Pearce”
- The Irish rebels once wore “motley” -highlighting Yeats’ mockery towards them, but now they wear “green” making them heroes of Ireland.
- The poem is conflicted through his juxtapositions and antithesis’s e.g. “terrible beauty” and “living stream” revealing that Yeats is confused himself of how he feels.
15
Q
How does Yeats treat rhyme in this poem? [4]
A
- the dull tone and dissatisfaction of the first stanza can be reflected in the rhyme e.g. “day” and “grey” and the repetition of “words” and “words” showing that each day is the same - unchanging.
- comprises of half rhymes and full rhymes reflecting Yeats contradicting and confused state
- third stanza “dive” and “live” are rhymed demonstrating the speed at which things change. However the downward motion of a “dive” could also symbolise death therefore reflecting the life process and how things are constantly changing.
- in the fourth stanza he rhymes “died” and “Macbride” emphasising that he gave his life for the cause of Irish independence. “verse” and “Pearce” are rhymed showing that Yeats is giving tribute to them through his poem.
