Student Presentations Key contextual information Key Figures: What or who are the bourgeoisie in Ireland in 1913? Why was Yeats critical of them? Who was John O’Leary and what does Yeats glorify him? Who were Edward Fitzgerald, Robert Emmet and Wolfe Tone? Key Events: What was the 1913 Lockout in Dublin? Why was Yeats concerned with this? What was the Hugh Lane art collection and why was Yeats concerned about this?

‘September 1913’ LO: To explore the historical and social contexts of the poem and discuss how they develop meaning.

Contextual Overview Read through the additional contextual information. Consolidate your understanding of the contextual influences in this poem into 10 key bullet points.

A Reading https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xeGe5guvSeY&safe=active

This poem takes as its central theme the contrast between the Ireland of 1913 and the Ireland of the past: ‘Romantic Ireland’ that is ‘dead and gone’. 1) Outline the contemporary controversy that Yeats alludes to in the poem. Explain why it was so significant to him. 2) Why is the name John O’Leary given such prominence? 2) Who are the targets of Yeats’s criticism? Explain why and how he conveys his disapproval. 3) What does Yeats mean when he writes, ‘Romantic Ireland’s dead and gone’? 4) How suitable is this line as a balladic refrain? Discuss Yeats’s adaptation of the street ballad.

Review: Go back to your contextual points. Highlight the most relevant and important ones for understanding ‘September 1913’ Are there any more you can add or found any further significance in the poem?

Essay: How does Yeats present Ireland in either ‘The Stolen Child’ or ‘September 1913’ Celebration of the natural and mythical worlds (language and poetic techniques used to do this) Glorification of nature Celebrating and resurrecting traditional Irish folktales as part of national identity Desire to escape reality September 1913: Anger about Ireland’s materialistic middle classes Glorification of Ireland’s past heroes Lamenting the loss of a typically Romantic Ireland of the past