Irish Identity: Symbols of Nationalism in W.B. Yeats’s K/Cathleen Plays

William Butler Yeats was one of the leading figures of the Irish Literary Renaissance. Two of his plays, The Countess Kathleen (1892) and Cathleen ni Houlihan (1902) portrayed themes of nationalism and revivalism in strikingly different ways. Each play uses figures from folklore and mythology to establish a sense of national identity: the tale of the Countess Kathleen O’Shea inspired The Countess Kathleen, and the Irish Sovereignty goddess inspired the figure of legendary Cathleen ni Houlihan. The Countess Kathleen was met with harsh criticism and accusations of blasphemy, while Cathleen ni Houlihan is still widely regarded as Yeats’s theatrical magnum opus. The political and historical context of each play shaped the development of each K/Cathleen character and influenced how the play was received by contemporary audiences. I explore Yeats’s relationships with the revolutionary Maud Gonne and folklorist Lady Isabella Augusta Gregory, along with his upbringing in Victorian Ireland, to relate his personal context to the development of these two plays. I explore the impacts of revivalism on cultural symbology in late Victorian Ireland and its lasting impact on Irish politics and culture.