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William Butler Yeats, BiographyIrish Poet and Playwright, Known for The Tower
Life and works of Irish poet and playwright William Butler Yeats, one of the most influential 20th century writers. 1923 Nobel Laureate in literature.
Irish poet and playwright W.B. Yeats was one of the most influential writers of the 20th century. He won the Nobel Prize for literature in 1923. He is best known for plays The Land of Heart's Desire and Cathleen Ni Houlihan, and other works, including The Tower, The Winding Stair, and Last Poems and Plays. Early Life of W.B. YeatsWilliam Butler Yeats was born on June 13, 1865 in Sandymount, Dublin. His family was Anglo-Irish, Protestant upper class that felt strong ties to England. His father, John B. Yeats, a painter, moved the family to London when he was three. So, for much of his early life he lived sometimes in London and sometimes in Ireland, but he was always attached to his homeland, especially captivated by the landscape of County Sligo in northwestern Ireland. Yeats was half-blind in one eye; he didn't do well in school. At the age of 15, his family moved back to Ireland, to Howth on Dublin Bay. Five years later, the Dublin University Review published his first two poems. The Young PoetIn London he became increasingly interested in Eastern philosophy and religions, the supernatural and Irish folklore. It was also this time in 1889 that Yeats fell in love with Maud Gonne, a beautiful Irish actress who was involved in the political struggle to end English rule in Ireland. His inability of attaining Maud would haunt him through his life. He proposed in 1891 and again in 1916 but was refused both times. His mystical beliefs and love for Gonne inspired The Wanderings of Oisin and Other Poems, published when he was 24. The poetry is filled with sad longings yet beautiful. Yeats believed that the Anglo-Irish and Irish could be united under a rich although mystical Celtic heritage. Later YearsIn 1896 Yeats returned to live permanently in Ireland. He met a wealthy aristocrat, Lady Gregory, whose interest in Irish traditions matched his own. Together in 1904 they formed the Abbey Theatre group. In a Vision set out his philosophy, his belief in myths and the meanings of the symbols he used. As he aged, his writing became stronger and more solid. His best work is in The Tower, The Winding Stair and Last Poems and Plays. The Tower includes some of his famous works, including "Sailing to Byzantium," "Among School Children," and "Leda and the Swan." Legacy of W.B. YeatsYeats founded the National Literary Society and what would become the Abbey Theatre in Dublin. Yeats received the Nobel Prize in literature in 1923. He also served as an Irish Free State senator for six years. He died on January 28, 1939, aged 73. Works by William Butler Yeats
Sources:Biographical Dictionary, edited by Una McGovern, Chambers, 2002 Dictionary of Writers, edited by Rosemary Goring, Larousse, 1994 The Cambridge Literature in English, New Edition, edited by Ian Ousby,Cambridge, 1993
The copyright of the article William Butler Yeats, Biography in Great Writers is owned by Tel Asiado. Permission to republish William Butler Yeats, Biography in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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