Themes and message

In “Easter 1916”, William Butler Yeats combines the theme of sacrifice with the theme of admiration. As a bystander, Yeats tried to grasp the true meaning of the Easter Rising and the worth and value of the revolutionaries’ sacrifice. This is indicated by the fact that he has written the poem in 1919, three years after the bloody events of the Easter Rising, which gave him enough time to think the events over.

Sacrifice

This theme is explored in the poem through the descriptions of some of the people who have fought for Irish independence. Many times, readers are under the impression that Yeats does not think too highly of the revolutionaries, as he calls them “ignorant” (l. 18) or “vainglorious” (l. 32); however, despite his feelings, Yeats appreciates the sacrifice that the revolut...