Yeats during the revolutionary time of Ireland is based on two riots and reveals patriotism. In the poems Yeats admires the sacrifice of the revolutionaries and yearns for a new Ireland.
Revolution!.
Romantic?.
The two poems portray two riots in the recent history of Ireland. "September 1913" was probably inspired by the Dublin Lockout of 1913 in which the workers in Dublin went on strike to stand against their employers as a result of the conflict between the Irish Transport and General Workers' Union (ITGWU) established by James Larkin and the Dublin Employers' Federation led by William Martin Murphy (Dorney). Larkin demanded better wages and working environment for the workers through strikes (Dorney). Murphy and his supporters decided to sack ITGWU members in response to the dispute (Dorney). In late August 1913 Larkin called a strike on a tramway company to fight for the right of the sacked workers. Murphy had his federation sack other workers who refuse to sign a pledge not to join the union. The Dublin Metropolitan Police stepped in with violent disperse which resulted in the failure of the strike (Dorney). However the strike had imposed the idea of labour union on the public and the employers would break up the unions (Dorney).
"Easter 1916" is about the Easter Rising. An underground revolutionary organization, the Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB) was formed in the 1890s ("The background"). Believing in the old principle, "England's difficulty is Ireland's opportunity", the group established the IRB Military Council and planned a rebellion in 1916 before the end of the Second World War to fight for the Irish independence ("The background"). The seven final members included Thomas Clarke, Sean MacDermott, Patrick Pearse, Eamonn Ceannt, Joseph Plunkett, James Connolly, and Thomas MacDonagh ("The background"). On Easter Sunday, 23rd April, supported by weapons from Germany and Irish volunteers, the group took control of the public facilities in Dublin ("The Easter Rising").