Fun Facts Friday: William Butler Yeats

William Butler Yeats (13 June, 1865- 28 January, 1939) was an Irish poet, dramatist, and prose writer. He is considered one of the greatest English-language poets of the 20th century.

1. Even though his family lived in London, as a boy Yeats spent much of his time with his grandparents in Sligo which gave him ideas about the supernatural for future works.
2. Yeats attended the Metropolitan School of Art in Dublin where he met poets and artists.
3. Yeats first publication, two lyrics, appeared in 1885 at the University Review.
4. Trying to become a professional writer, Yeats joined the Theosphical Society.
5. Yeats did not like the age of science and insisted on surrounding himself with poetic images.
6. At the time, Yeats was known to be spiritually arrogant.
7. The reason Yeats joined the Irish nationalist cause was conviction, but mainly for the love a woman, Maud Gonne.
8. In 1922, Yeats served as a member of the new Irish Senate for six years.
9. Yeats received the for Literature in 1923.
10. The poet died in France, but his body could not be brought back to Ireland until 1948 because of World War II.

Zohar – Man of la Book