Easter 1916

Easter 1916 is a poem Yeats wrote about the Irish rebellion against the British on April 24, 1916 known as the Easter Rebellion. The first verse of the poem, Yeats discusses the vivid faces, or the Irish people he see's everyday. The Irish are all united in the fact that they are willing to stand up and fight for independence. The last line of the first verse, "a terrible beauty is born," is a beautifully written line and is repeated throughout the poem. The line refers to both the terrible fight where Irish and British will die; however it also recognizes the beauty of these Irish people standing up and fighting for their homeland.

In the second verse Yeats mentions Patrick Pearse and Thomas MacDonagh, two poets involved in the fight for Irelands independence. He does not mention their political influence, rather their personal attributes, "sensitive his nature" , "daring and sweet his thought". By looking at these characters as regular people and not political leaders, it strengthens his conviction that these Irish commoners can make a difference in their fight for independence.

Another strength in this poem is when Yeats makes reference to Maj. Thomas MacBride because he did not like this man because he "had done most bitter wrong"; however, Yeats does admit that "he, too, has been changed in his turn." Here he is giving respect to the Irish participants that gave their life to change Ireland and take a stand for independence.
Earlier in the second verse Yeats confirms that the Irish, even before the Rebellion, were far from perfect. However, by saying "transformed utterly, a terrible beauty is born" means that although the Irish were your average commoners, they died as heroes for their honorable and courageous contributing to a movement for change in their homeland.

The third stanza mentions a stone that "trouble the living stream." I believe the stone is a reference to the Easter Rebellion martyrs whose story will live on forever like a stone and that their legacy is the constant struggle it gives to the "living stream" which is a reference to the English rule in Ireland. This is a simple translation of going against the grain, I think.

The last stanza in the poem honors MacDonaugh, McBride, Connolly and Pearse for thier contribution to the Easter Rebellion and that the terrible beauty is born, now translates to their sacrafice is terrible because it is tragic, but their beauty is their legacy that the Irish commoner, who gives all of himself to his beloved cause can be a hero even if they do not have heroic characteristics. What is being born here I think is change.