In Memory of Eva Gore-Booth and Constance Markiewicz – W.B Yeats.

‘In Memory of Eva Gore-Booth and Constance Markiewicz’ is a poem written by W.B Yeats in 1927 and was later published in 1933. This poem discusses the theme of disillusionment through the ideas that are drawn up for an independent Ireland which has not happened and has a result left the people of Ireland feeling melancholic and left with a dream that they are still hoping to one day become a reality. He writes of his two childhood friends who have fallen victims of time; however, both women as well as many others will of course be left with the dream of a lost Ireland and lost youth which was caught up in the Easter Rising which is described in Yeats’ other poem ‘Easter 1916’.

Constance Markievicz (left) was the very first woman to be elected to the house of commons in the election after world war one. However, she refused to take her seat in parliament. Eva and Constance are both remembered in Yeats’ writing for their beauty and principles and how they are victims of time. Yeats creates a sense of time with the title of the poem “In Memory” in which the past is greater, more noble than Yeats’ present. Constance helped organise the Easter rising and was sentenced to death, but reprieved and was sent to Holloway prison.

When the poem begins it alliterates a dreamy evening “The light of evening, Lissadell”. This alliteration helps show the beauty. Also, throughout the poem there is the tone of memory. Yeats seems to enjoy recalling “pictures of the mind” of the past. Yeats shows that he is constantly thinking of the past, “talk of youth”. Yeats contrasts the ideal past with the women and how they are today – which could link to the way he compares ‘Romantic Ireland’ with current Ireland in ‘September 1913’.

Yeats describes both the women as “beautiful” and we can see that Yeats had great respect for both. Yeats describes a lot of grandure which seems to be associated with them: “silk komonos”, “Great windows”, “gazebo” which highlights that they could have built this new world. The comparison of a ‘gazebo’ attached to a house shows the way that Ireland is attached to Great Britain. He reflects on the old days of the Easter Rising: “Conspiring amongst the ignorant”. This highlights the womens’ political beauty.

Yeats suggests that he believes in some sort of afterlife or supernatural when he says “Dear shadows”, and furthermore once again shows the ignorance of the thoughts of youthful people by saying “now you know it all.” This highlights that they didn’t know or understand much before they died, however, now in death they can have the ultimate knowledge of all.

In the poem, Yeats laments the loss, not only of their physical beauty, but of their spiritual beauty –”Two girls in silk kimonos, both // Beautiful, one a gazelle.” Yeats relates the sisters to Asian/African themes to show how they did not ‘fit in’ to their aristocratic lives: ‘silk kimonos’ and ‘one a gazelle’ illustrate this point, and also shows the elegance of Eva Gore-Booth.

The final line of the poem shows how he played a part in what happened: ‘Bid me strike a match and blow.’ This could either mean: that he should have let them run their course and face the consequences; that it’s a metaphor for violent change; a metaphor for the revolutionary action; that it is a sign to God that man will not accept fate etc . This depends upon whether he is giving the metaphorical match oxygen to burn, or blowing it out. Instead of Yeats leaving us with a physical question, this last phrase still leaves us with a question as to whether he regrets it, and if so what does he regret? Although a match is temporary, it can lead to bigger things that have the potential to destroy.

Throughout this poem overall he includes the themes of time; innocence and beauty, which will be found out and disapproved by time and political fanaticism. It describes Yeats’ frustration at what time has done to beauty and idealism and that it spurs him into defiance and not acceptance. Yeats describes how they are stripped of their beauty by age by writing “autumn shears blossom from the summer’s wreath.” He uses this example of his childhood friends – which gives the effect of it being easier to understand and relate to your very own personal experiences as everyone grows old in time, and unfortunately nobody can prevent this from happening.