An Irish Airman Foresees His Death : Quotations
An Irish Airman Foresees His Death is a notable literary work by William Butler Yeats. A complete discussion of this literary work is given, which will help you enhance your literary skills and prepare for the exam. Read the Main texts, Key info, Summary, Themes, Characters, Literary devices, Quotations, Notes, and various study materials of An Irish Airman Foresees His Death.
Quotations
Quotes
“I know that I shall meet my fate / Somewhere among the clouds above.”
Explanation: The speaker calmly accepts his approaching death. He knows he will die in the sky, but he faces it without fear. This line reflects the airman’s courage, self-awareness, and peace with destiny.
“Those that I fight I do not hate, / Those that I guard I do not love.”
Explanation: These lines reveal the airman’s detachment from both sides of the war. He does not hate his enemies or love the people he protects. His fight is not for patriotism but for a personal impulse.
“The years to come seemed waste of breath, / A waste of breath the years behind.”
Explanation: The airman sees both past and future as meaningless. Only the present moment—the balance between life and death—feels real. Yeats shows a deep philosophical calm toward existence.