At 8pm I listened to the broadcast about ‘Yeats and Heaney: A Terrible Beauty’ instead of watching ‘The X-Factor’ (which for me is very impressive). This is what I have got out of this experience…
General impressions of Yeats include the fact he was a noble authoritative figure, very dignified, and a country gentleman. This is proven in his sentiment that he portrays in his poems. However, others saw Yeats as a snob and arrogant, although, a few people felt that he needed this characteristic to protect his integrity.
When he was growing up the authority in Ireland was invested in the British state. Thus when he establishes authority in culture throughout his poems he is going back to that period of his life. He is a urban English speaking individual and is respected and known as the voice of Ireland. He also succeeds to alter his voice that speaks for the Irish culture instead of the Irish context.
He was deeply interested in another world, he also had a deep interest in spirituality. This is also portrayed through many of his poems such as: The Cold Heaven and The Fisherman.
Throughout his life he lived between both English and Ireland as he did in fact have an English family. He did not speak Gaelic, but he was still respected as the voice of a new Irish culture. However, some cultural revolutionaries judged him as unauthentic due to these reasons.
He is described as a national poet, however how is he when he identifies so openly with a privileged minority within the nation. Yeats’ newest poetry is full of memories for the old ascendancy and of the content for democracy.
He is very proud of the protestant heritage (as he was protestant) and therefore describes this in ‘September 1913′ when he states “For this Edward Fitzgerald died, And Robert Emmet and Wolfe Tone,”. This is due to them fighting for their freedom in Ireland instead of using their religion as an excuse. However, in ‘Easter 1916′ he refers to those with a Republican background, “I write it out in a verse – MacDonagh and MacBride And Connolly and Pearse”.
Interestingly enough the broadcast had numerous recordings of Yeats himself and also Maud Gonne. It was also interesting to hear and understand Heaney’s description of Yeats himself and how he has inspired him. I personally found this documentary very informative as now I understand Yeats much more than I did previously.
The Room of Requirement. 