When my friends Karen and Lori visited Ireland recently, they soaked up as much culture, cuisine, music, and magnificent scenery as they could. Premium on the tour were sites pertaining to my favorite poet, William Butler Yeats. Last week’s post featured his verse, and this week we’ll take a brief glimpse into his private life, specifically, his love life because — passion inspires a writer.
Three women figured prominently in Yeats’ life: 1) Maude Gonne, his great amore; 2) Lady Augusta Gregory, his altruistic patron and literary colleague; and 3) his wife, George Hyde-Lees.
Irish revolutionary Maude Gonne, considered one of the most beautiful women of her time, kindled obsession in Yeats for many years. Although they became lovers, she refused his numerous marriage proposals, finally wedding someone she considered the ultimate man of action. Her husband John MacBride later suffered execution as part of the Easter Uprising. Maud Gonne functioned as Yeats’ muse, and he often portrayed her as a goddess or the Greek Helen. “She who had brought great Hector down and put all Troy to wreck.”
With Lady Augusta Gregory, Yeats maintained a profound friendship. She helped him and John Synge found the Irish National Theatre and Abbey Theatre. A playwright herself, both she and Yeats loved Celtic mythology and the old stories of Ireland. They spent long hours collaborating on areas of mutual interest, and both were driving forces of the Irish literary revival.
After Maud Gonne refused Yeats’ final marriage proposal AND subsequently so did her daughter, Iseult (don’t ask), 52 year old Yeats proposed to 25 year old Georgie Hyde-Lees. She accepted and thus was born an interesting relationship highlighted by a mutual passion for spiritualism and the occult. He soon changed her nickname to George, and she became instrumental in his work by taking up automatic
writing. Next week we’ll look at A Vision, a wonderful and astonishing work assisted by his wife’s helpful endeavors.
Thanks, Karen and Lori, for sharing your fabulous Irish adventure!
great post.