Poet · 1865 – 1939
William Butler Yeats
Wrote some of the finest poetry in English, led the Irish Literary Revival, co-founded the Abbey Theatre, served in the Irish Senate and won the 1923 Nobel Prize in Literature.
Major Works
- The Second Coming
- Easter, 1916
- Sailing to Byzantium
Impact Analysis
Yeats bridged Romantic and modern poetry, gave literary voice to Ireland's national awakening, and wrote lines — 'the centre cannot hold' — that have become part of the language.
Historical influence score: 80/100
Accomplishments for William Butler Yeats are being compiled.