W.B. Yeats

WB Yeats came from a problem family. His father's efforts to become an artist left the family in genteel poverty. Willie was a strange boy who grew up to become a great poet and a great Irish patriot. After the Rising of Easter 1916 he threw in his lot with the new movement for Irish freedom from England. When the new State was set up in1922 he became a Senator. As a person Willie was lacking in empathy for others, especially women like his mother and his sister Lollie. He saw himself as a great tragic poet not bound by the common moral guidelines but free to do as he choose. He was freeloader with Lady Gregory and took over the Abbey Theatre from those who initated it, using money from his Englsih admirer Annie Hornman. Yeats tried to marry his muse Maud Gonne but was regulalry rebuffed. When she married Major john MacBride Willie was grievously wounded and hated MacBride. When the marriage ended and Maud wrote to Yeats about her husband Willie was ready to believe her accusations and propounded these in his poetry. The author regards the words written by Yeats of MacBride 'Vainglorious lout' as more appropriate to the poet. MacBride was a brave soldier who fought the British in South Africa and did so again in Dublin 1916, payig then ultimea price with his life. The Yeats industry is only interested in promoting his poetry and is reluctant to see the man as he was.