W.B. Yeats (1865-1939)W.B. Yeats (1865-1939)

►Poet, dramatist, mystic, essayist, critic.Poet, dramatist, mystic, essayist, critic.►Widely considered to be one of the Widely considered to be one of the

greatest English-language poets of the greatest English-language poets of the 20th century.20th century.

►Founded the Irish Literary Theatre.Founded the Irish Literary Theatre.►Received the Nobel Prize for Literature in Received the Nobel Prize for Literature in

1923. 1923.

Overview of YeatsOverview of Yeats

► Important member of the Abbey theater Important member of the Abbey theater group, Gaelic Revival, and Celtic Twilight. group, Gaelic Revival, and Celtic Twilight.

►Pretty political at one point in his life but Pretty political at one point in his life but later rejects most political causes to follow later rejects most political causes to follow a more aesthetic and philosophical path.a more aesthetic and philosophical path.

►Poems touch on desire for Irish Identity, Poems touch on desire for Irish Identity, Irish Mythology, Culture, Irish Politics, and a Irish Mythology, Culture, Irish Politics, and a healthy distrust of man-made systems.healthy distrust of man-made systems.

A Family of ArtistsA Family of Artists

►William Butler Yeats was born on June William Butler Yeats was born on June 13, 1865 in Dublin. His father was a 13, 1865 in Dublin. His father was a lawyer of sorts who turned Pre-lawyer of sorts who turned Pre-Raphaelite painter. In 1867 the family Raphaelite painter. In 1867 the family followed him to London and settled in followed him to London and settled in Bedford Park. In 1881 (Yeats = 16) Bedford Park. In 1881 (Yeats = 16) they returned to Dublin, where Yeats they returned to Dublin, where Yeats studied at the Metropolitan School of studied at the Metropolitan School of Art. Art.

Father, Son, and BrotherFather, Son, and Brother

A portriat of W.B. Yeats (painted by his

father)

A painting by Jack B Yeats (W.B. Yeats’s brother)

Identity Crisis – or -- Contrasts and Identity Crisis – or -- Contrasts and BalanceBalance

►While Yeats was born in Ireland’s East, While Yeats was born in Ireland’s East, some of his early days and later family some of his early days and later family jaunts were spent in Sligo (Which he jaunts were spent in Sligo (Which he sees as his home).sees as his home).

►While he is part of the Protestant While he is part of the Protestant Ascendancy, he and his family support Ascendancy, he and his family support the Irish Nationalist movements.the Irish Nationalist movements.

Sligo

London

Dublin

Coole Park

Changing InterestsChanging Interests

►As a student at the Metropolitan As a student at the Metropolitan School of Art, Yeats was uninspired. School of Art, Yeats was uninspired. While there he met the poet, While there he met the poet, dramatist, and painter George Russell dramatist, and painter George Russell (1867-1935). Russell was interested in (1867-1935). Russell was interested in mysticism, and his search inspired mysticism, and his search inspired Yeats to explore reincarnation, the Yeats to explore reincarnation, the supernatural, and Oriental mysticism.supernatural, and Oriental mysticism.

A Writer is BornA Writer is Born

►Yeats made his literary debut in 1885, Yeats made his literary debut in 1885, when his first poems were published in when his first poems were published in The Dublin University ReviewThe Dublin University Review. In 1887 . In 1887 the family returned to Bedford Park the family returned to Bedford Park (London), and Yeats devoted himself (London), and Yeats devoted himself to writing the poetry that would fill his to writing the poetry that would fill his first few volumes.first few volumes.

Maud GonneMaud Gonne

►Yeats met the love of his life, Maud Yeats met the love of his life, Maud Gonne, in 1889. She was an actress Gonne, in 1889. She was an actress who was financially independent and who was financially independent and she was also an Irish revolutionary who she was also an Irish revolutionary who became a major figure in Yeats’s life and became a major figure in Yeats’s life and work. Yeats wrote poetry for her, asked work. Yeats wrote poetry for her, asked her to marry him multiple times, and her to marry him multiple times, and many biographers claim he worshipped many biographers claim he worshipped her. When she married another in 1903, her. When she married another in 1903, Yeats wrote “No Second Troy.” Yeats wrote “No Second Troy.”

A Different AgendaA Different Agenda

►Maud Gonne influenced Yeats to join Maud Gonne influenced Yeats to join the revolutionary organization the Irish the revolutionary organization the Irish Republican Brotherhood. By 1896 Republican Brotherhood. By 1896 Yeats began work reforming the Irish Yeats began work reforming the Irish Literary Society, and then the National Literary Society, and then the National Literary Society in Dublin, which aimed Literary Society in Dublin, which aimed to promote the New Irish Library. to promote the New Irish Library.

Lady Gregory And the Abbey Lady Gregory And the Abbey Theater Theater

► In 1897, Yeats met Lady Gregory. In 1897, Yeats met Lady Gregory. Yeats, Gregory, Synge, and others Yeats, Gregory, Synge, and others founded the Irish Literary Theatre. founded the Irish Literary Theatre.

Lady Gregory

J.M. SyngeThe Old Abbey Theater

Later LifeLater Life

► In early 1917 Yeats bought In early 1917 Yeats bought Thoor Ballyle, a derelict Thoor Ballyle, a derelict Norman stone tower near Norman stone tower near Coole Park. After restoring Coole Park. After restoring it, the tower became his it, the tower became his summer home and a central summer home and a central symbol in his later poetry. symbol in his later poetry. In 1917 he married GeorgieIn 1917 he married GeorgieHyde-Lees. Hyde-Lees.

Getting Personal Getting Personal and Writing Muchand Writing Much

►Yeats’s later work is more personal Yeats’s later work is more personal and his subjects include his children and his subjects include his children and the experience of growing old. and the experience of growing old. Many suggest his greatest poetry is Many suggest his greatest poetry is written late in his life.written late in his life.

Yeats is buried in SligoYeats is buried in Sligo