Curated set · answers marked
Which refrain, repeated throughout "Easter 1916," shows Yeats's acknowledgment that the Irish rebels' sacrifice has elevated them from ordinary individuals to figures of historical and mythic importance?
Rationale
Yeats concludes each of the poem's four stanzas with the refrain "A terrible beauty is born," capturing the central paradox of the Easter Rising — that an act of violence and death simultaneously led to the emergence of something both awe-inspiring and lasting. Option B is from Yeats's "The Second Coming," Option C is the poem's opening line (not a refrain), and Option D is a line from within the poem but does not serve as the repeated refrain.
What refrain is repeated throughout "Easter 1916," highlighting the poem's main theme of transformation?
Rationale
Yeats employs the refrain "A terrible beauty is born" at the end of each of the poem’s four stanzas (with slight variations). This phrase captures the poem's central paradox — that the violent and tragic events of the Easter Rising in 1916 gave rise to something both awe-inspiring and horrifying, transforming ordinary individuals into martyrs and legends.
What refrain is repeated throughout "Easter 1916" to signify the transformation of the Irish rebels?
Rationale
Yeats repeats the line "A terrible beauty is born" at the end of each stanza to highlight the complex and paradoxical change resulting from the Easter Rising — recognizing both the brutality of violent rebellion and the inspiring heroism of those who gave their lives for Irish independence.