Thrashing Tides: Misguided and Misdirected Intentions in "The Wanderings of Oisin" and "The Fishermen" Leeann Yacoub Nasrallah College

A phantasmagoria of implicit messages, morals, and meanings, William B. Yeats grapples with the chaotic Irish society of the 19th and 20th century in his works. At first, Yeats is full of optimism and affection partly due to meeting his first love, Maud Gonne, in 1889 (Dwyer). With decades passing, however, the wars he had witnessed caused him to advocate an enthusiasm for peace, while simultaneously criticizing those who go against that ideal. A pacifist at heart, Yeats seeks to provoke the unaware denizens of Ireland of the violent nature of the time. Throughout his works of poetry, he propels the image of a downward spiraling civilization which is evident in the numerous literary tactics he cleverly employs. The hope for society that blossomed in his heart quickly withered away when tying his beliefs together with the vicious actions in accordance to the Irish Republican Army (IRA). His dogmatic ideology becomes increasingly evident in his creations as decades pass as his distaste for Ireland’s society intensifies.

The 19th century is a fundamental time not only in Irish history, but also to Yeats’s beliefs. It was a tumultuous time with not one, but five rebellions. The Irish Rebellion of 1803, the Tithe War of 1831, the...