William Butler Yeats has often been described as the greatest poet in the history of Ireland and probably the greatest poet to write in Great Britain during the 20th Century. His themes, symbols, images, metaphors and ability to evoke an emotional response were all directly influenced by his tremendous personal experiences, as well as, his nation's experience during one of its most turbulent times. Yeats' poetic vision was to embody his own life, including his …showed first 75 words of 1818 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1818 total…upon its audience, although different to that of its day, his poems have been able to transcend time and context. We are able to gain a greater understanding of Yeats' ideas and underlying themes by analysing his poems through other perspectives and in different contexts. Evidently, the works' ability to be socially and culturally accepted over such a period of time exemplifies that Yeats was indeed one of the best poets of the 20th Century.