W.B. Yeats and the Celtic Revival: Mysticism, Myth, and National Identity

This article delves into W.B. Yeats's contribution to the development of a mystical Irish identity through the lens of folklore, myth, and occult practices. In 1893, he released 'The Celtic Twilight,' which intertwined rural Irish folktales with literary creativity and co-established the Abbey Theatre alongside Lady Gregory. His poetry, particularly 'Easter, 1916,' reacted to British colonialism. 'The Celtic Twilight' (1893) features themes of fairies, visions, and supernatural experiences, indicating a turn towards the occult. Yeats became a member of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn in 1890, which influenced his work 'A Vision' (1925). He compiled tales in 'Fairy and Folk Tales of the Irish Peasantry' (1888), including the banshee story. His poems, such as 'A Dialogue of Self and Soul' (1933) and 'Sailing to Byzantium' (1928), reflect on identity and transformation. 'The Second Coming' (1919) employs mystical imagery to comment on the cultural disintegration following World War I and the Irish War of Independence. Yeats's mysticism provided spiritual insight during a time of modern uncertainty.