A heavy toll for beauty

It seems rather ironic for one to refer to something as “A terrible beauty.” Nonetheless, I can see Yeats’ point of view and his reasoning in that particular line. The “terrible beauty” Yeats’ is referring to is Ireland’s fight for independence from England. He feels as if it is beautiful that the people of Ireland plan to unite and work together to achieve something as precious as independence. However, he claims it is a “terrible beauty” because he knows that freedom is not free. In fact, Ireland must pay a heavy toll and the struggle for freedom that will result in war and ultimately death. Yeats’ is basically saying that it is beautiful that people are willing to stand up for what they believe in yet terrible that it could and did cost them their lives. Moreover, the “beauty” could be the change that Ireland is about to encounter, a particular change that Yeats’ believes should be embraced. In lines 49 and 50 he states "A shadow of cloud on the stream / Changes minute by minute" which implies that other countries have declared their independence while Ireland remains reluctant and dependent. Lastly, I think the line “A terrible beauty is born” pays a special tribute to those individuals who sacrificed their lives in the Eastern Rebellion. Not many people would be willing to put their lives on the line for something that they truly believed in, I’m not even sure that I posses that kind of courage.