An Irish Airman Foresees His Death Analysis

Lines 1-4
WB Yeats 1
I know that I shall meet my fate

Somewhere among the clouds above;

Those that I fight I do not hate

Those that I guard I do not love;

Line by line analysis:-

"I know that I shall meet my fate"

The speaker begins by acknowledging that they are destined to die, but they do not know where
or when it will happen. This suggests a fatalistic attitude, as if the speaker has accepted their fate.

"Somewhere among the clouds above"

The speaker imagines that their death will happen in the sky, possibly as a result of aerial combat
or some other dangerous activity.

"Those that I fight I do not hate"

The speaker reveals that they are involved in some sort of conflict or war, but they do not hold
any personal animosity towards their enemies. This suggests a sense of detachment or impartiality, as if
the speaker sees their role as simply carrying out a duty or responsibility.

"Those that I guard I do not love"

Similarly, the speaker suggests that they are protecting someone or something, but they do not
have any particular attachment or affection towards them. This further emphasizes the speaker's sense
of detachment and impartiality.

Overall, this stanza suggests a sense of fatalism and detachment on the part of the speaker. They
have accepted their fate and their role in the conflict they are involved in, but they do not hold any
particular emotional attachment towards either their enemies or those they are protecting.

Summary

In the opening lines of ‘An Irish Airman Foresees His Death,’ the speaker allows the readers to
understand that he faces certain death. He acknowledges that he will meet his fate. He expresses no
hope of making it through the war. Perhaps his particular position merited such hopelessness. The
speaker says his belief that he will die “somewhere among the clouds”. This gives the reader the first hint
concerning the speaker’s personality. He is somewhere in the clouds, doing something dangerous
enough to be considered a certain death.
 True, the title reveals that the speaker is an Irish Airman, but the poem itself is slow to disclose
this information. The speaker seeks to first identify with the reader by expressing his own knowledge
that he will die. Then, the speaker claims that he is fighting people, even though he does not hate them.
He also says that he is guarding people, even though he does not love them. This reveals that he is
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fighting in a war, protecting a land he doesn’t love, and fighting a people he doesn’t hate. The reader can
then conclude that the speaker is fighting in the air, and is certain of his death.

Lines 5-8

My country is Kiltartan Cross,

My countrymen Kiltartan’s poor,
No likely end could bring them loss
Or leave them happier than before.

Line by line explanation :-

"My country is Kiltartan Cross"

The speaker identifies their country as Kiltartan Cross, which is a specific location in Ireland. This
line establishes the speaker's connection to their homeland and suggests a sense of loyalty or patriotism.

"My countrymen Kiltartan’s poor"

The speaker identifies the people of Kiltartan as poor, which suggests that they may be
struggling economically or socially. By referring to them as "my countrymen", the speaker suggests a
sense of responsibility or duty towards their fellow citizens.

"No likely end could bring them loss"

The speaker suggests that even if their conflict were to end in defeat, it would not necessarily
bring any additional harm or suffering to the people of Kiltartan. This suggests a sense of resilience on
the part of the community, as if they have already experienced hardship and are capable of enduring
more.

"Or leave them happier than before"

Similarly, the speaker suggests that even if their conflict were to end in victory, it would not
necessarily bring any additional happiness or prosperity to the people of Kiltartan. This suggests a sense
of realism on the part of the speaker, as if they recognize that their involvement in the conflict may not
necessarily result in significant change or improvement for their community.

Overall, this stanza emphasizes the speaker's sense of duty and responsibility towards their
community, as well as their recognition that the conflict they are involved in may not necessarily have a
significant impact on the people they are fighting for.

Summary
 With these lines of ‘An Irish Airman Foresees His Death,’ the speaker reveals why his heart is not
in his service in the war. He acknowledges that his people, the Irish people, could not be made better or
worse by the loss or victory of the war. He implies that he is fighting in a war that is not his own. At this
point, the readers begin to question why the speaker is fighting in the first place. The Irish were not
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drafted into this war but went as volunteers (Gerry White). The speaker has yet to offer his explanation,
especially if he did not hate the enemy nor love the ones he was fighting to defend.

Lines 9-12

Nor law, nor duty bade me fight,

Nor public man, nor cheering crowds,
A lonely impulse of delight
Drove to this tumult in the clouds;

Line by line explaination:-

"Nor law, nor duty bade me fight"

The speaker suggests that they are not fighting because it is their legal or moral duty to do so.
This line suggests that the speaker is not necessarily motivated by a sense of obligation or responsibility.

"Nor public man, nor cheering crowds"

The speaker suggests that they are not motivated by the influence of public figures or the
support of crowds. This line suggests that the speaker is not necessarily motivated by external sources of
validation or support.

"A lonely impulse of delight"

The speaker suggests that they are motivated by a personal sense of joy or satisfaction. This line
suggests that the speaker is driven by an internal desire or impulse, rather than by external forces.

"Drove to this tumult in the clouds"

The speaker describes the conflict they are involved in as a "tumult in the clouds", which
suggests that it is a chaotic and dangerous situation. This line suggests that the speaker has been driven
to participate in this conflict by their personal desire or impulse, even though it may be risky or
challenging.

Overall, this stanza suggests that the speaker is motivated by an internal desire or impulse,
rather than by external forces such as law or duty. The speaker is driven to participate in a dangerous
conflict, even though they are not necessarily obligated or supported by external sources. This suggests a
sense of individualism or personal agency on the part of the speaker.

Summary

It would seem that the speaker is well aware that his audience deserves an explanation. While
most would go to war for the love of their country, or hatred for the enemy, this speaker has already
ruled out both of those reasons for his going to war voluntarily. He claims that there was no law forcing
him to go. Neither did he feel any duty to fight. He was not interested in “cheering crowds” or the honor
and publicity that may have come with fighting. Rather, he claims that it was “a lonely impulse of
delight” which “drove” him to enlist in the air force.

Perhaps in a moment of loneliness, the Irish Airman thought it would be nice to be up in the
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clouds. The speaker reveals that it was an impulse that drove him to fight in a war that he cared nothing
about. He implies that a mere moment of impulse and desire to fly in the clouds cost him his very life.

Lines 13-16
I balanced all, brought all to mind,
The years to come seemed waste of breath,
A waste of breath the years behind
In balance with this life, this death.
Line by line explanation:-

I balanced all, brought all to mind"

The speaker suggests that they have carefully considered their life and their decision to
participate in the conflict. This line suggests that the speaker has weighed the pros and cons of their
actions, and has thought deeply about the consequences of their choices.

"The years to come seemed waste of breath"

The speaker suggests that the future appears to be meaningless or insignificant in comparison to
their current situation. This line suggests that the speaker does not necessarily see a clear or meaningful
path forward beyond their involvement in the conflict.

"A waste of breath the years behind"

Similarly, the speaker suggests that their past appears to be meaningless or insignificant in
comparison to their current situation. This line suggests that the speaker does not necessarily view their
life up until this point as particularly meaningful or significant.

"In balance with this life, this death"

The speaker suggests that their involvement in the conflict is what gives meaning or significance
to their life and their impending death. This line suggests that the speaker feels that their participation in
the conflict is the most important or meaningful aspect of their life, and that their death will be
somehow balanced or justified by their involvement.

Overall, this stanza suggests that the speaker has carefully considered their life and their
involvement in the conflict, and has come to the conclusion that their participation in the conflict is what
gives their life meaning and significance. The speaker does not necessarily see a clear path forward
beyond the conflict, and views their impending death as somehow balanced or justified by their
involvement. 5
Summary

In the final lines of ‘An Irish Airman Foresees His Death,’ the speaker reveals that his thoughts in
the final moments of his life were of his initial reasons for joining in the fight and risking his life. Although
he has already said that he joined the Air Force on impulse, these lines reveal the true source of the
deep-rooted urge to risk his life. After having thought about it all, and “balanced all,” he realizes that the
years behind him and the years in front of him were but a “waste of breath”.

In essence, he concludes that everything is meaningless. If his life is short anyway, and
everything seems meaningless, then dying for a cause would give his life more meaning than it had
before.

For this reason, he decides to risk his life and join in the fight. Although he does not love the
people he is protecting, nor hate those he is fighting, he does want his life to have a purpose. Therefore,
he risks having a shorter life in order to have a more meaningful life. This is the Airman’s way of
embracing his death in his final moments

Structure

This is a dramatic monologue arranged in 16 lines of iambic tetrameter grouped in

four quatrains.

These quatrains develop the thoughts of the airman as he reflects on his life as a fighter pilot in
the British forces.

Each quatrain has an alternating rhyme scheme.

This structure reflects the sense of balance that is an important part of both the act of flying and
of the airman’s thoughts on his reason for fighting.

This balance is particularly evident in the line "‘Those that I fight I do not hate, / Those that I
guard I do not love"

Critical appreciation of the poem

"An Irishman Foresees His Death" is a deeply reflective and introspective poem by W.B. Yeats
that explores themes of fate, duty, and the meaning of life. The speaker of the poem is a soldier who has
come to terms with his own mortality, and is reflecting on the choices that led him to this moment.

One of the most striking aspects of the poem is the way in which the speaker describes his
relationship with his country and his fellow citizens. Rather than feeling a strong sense of patriotism or
nationalistic fervor, the speaker describes a more nuanced and complex relationship with his homeland.
He acknowledges the poverty and hardship that his fellow citizens face, but does not necessarily feel a
deep connection or love for them. Similarly, he does not hate the people he is fighting against, but rather
sees them as part of a larger conflict that he has been drawn into.

Another important theme in the poem is the idea of choice and agency. The speaker repeatedly
emphasizes that he is not fighting because of duty or obligation, but rather because of a "lonely impulse
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of delight" that has driven him to this moment. This suggests that the speaker sees his involvement in
the conflict as a choice, rather than something that has been forced upon him.

The final stanza of the poem is particularly powerful, as the speaker reflects on the meaning of
his life and his impending death. He suggests that he has carefully considered his life and his involvement
in the conflict, and has come to the conclusion that his participation in the conflict is what gives his life
meaning and significance. This suggests that the speaker has found a sense of purpose and fulfillment in
his involvement in the conflict, despite the fact that it may lead to his own death.

Overall, "An Irishman Foresees His Death" is a powerful and deeply reflective poem that explores
complex themes of fate, duty, and the meaning of life. The speaker's introspective and nuanced
perspective on his own involvement in the conflict gives the poem a sense of depth and complexity that
continues to resonate with readers today.
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Tone of the poem:-

The tone of the poem "An Irishman Foresees His Death" by W.B. Yeats is contemplative and resigned.
The speaker calmly reflects on his fate and the events that have led him to his current situation, without
bitterness or regret. He speaks of his country and his countrymen with a sense of detachment, and
describes his decision to fight in the clouds as a "lonely impulse of delight," indicating a sense of joy or
exhilaration that is tinged with sadness and acceptance. Overall, the tone is one of acceptance and
serenity in the face of inevitable death.

Mood of the poet:-

The mood of the poet in "An Irishman Foresees His Death" by W.B. Yeats is reflective and resigned. The
speaker is aware of his impending fate, but he does not express fear or anxiety. Instead, he reflects on
his life and his country, and considers the circumstances that have brought him to this point. There is a
sense of sadness and acceptance in the poem, but also a feeling of peace and serenity. The poet's mood
is contemplative and introspective, as he reflects on the meaning of his life and his impending death.
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