예이츠는 혼란스럽던 당대 아일랜드의 현실에서 영웅적 기상을 지닌 엘리트적 인물의 역할에 주목한다. 니체의 초인사상, 창조적 예술정신과 새로운 가치관, 삶에 대한 관점 등은 예이츠의 시세계에 더 넓은 지평을 열어주었다. 니체에 영향을 받은 예이츠의 귀족주의는 귀족주의적 삶의 양식을 실천함으로써 정치적 이데올로기와 물질적 인 속박에서 벗어나 내면의 자율성을 키워나가게 한다. 그의 귀족주의를 재산과 혈통으로 결정되는 위계질서가 아닌 개개인의 내면을 고양할 수 있는 하나의 가치체계로 이해할 때 더 나은 인간의 자유와 다양성을 이룰 수 있는 계기가 된다. 그것은 하나의 인위적인 예술적 이상향으로 마련된 것이 아니라 현실적 삶 속에 귀족주의적 삶의 영역을 마련하여 예술과 학문의 가치를 공동체의 구성원 모두가 나누어 갖자는 의도를 지닌다.

It is noticeable that the critics of William Butler Yeats has recently tried to elucidate the poet's aristocratic disposition in relation with his political identity. Some critics have disparaged Yeats' works of art in the light of his seeming conservative political position as an advocate of aristocracy. Other critics who disagreed with this excessive blame have insisted that Yeats' aristocratic disposition only shows his self-deceptive idealism. As the poet's inclination toward aristocracy seems to suggest his conservatism or elitism, it has hindered the critics from understanding and appreciating his poetry wholeheartedly. In this paper I intend to examine the established points of the critics concerning Yeats' political identity and demonstrate that his inclination towards aristocracy could be understood as an attempt to cultivate united national identity among the Irish. Inflamed as the working condition of the artists in Dublin deteriorated and the social position of the Anglo-Irish Protestant fell in Irish society, the aristocratic disposition of Yeats ultimately contributed to contrive a poetic vision for national integration. From the point of time when Yeats decided to pursue his own poetic principle, "Unity of Being," his vision of aristocracy assumed the mental and moral characteristic and became an ideal plan for achieving cultural nationalism among the Irish. Yeats' vision of aristocracy includes the ceremony of tradition and spiritual attitudes such as magnanimity and liberty which can be cultivated in the aristocratic society. According to the poet's vision, the ideal society consists of three major groups: the aristocrats who would lead an affluent life and support the artists, the artists and scholars who would concentrate on creating great works, and the populace who would appreciate their arts without any prejudice. All member of these groups will form a horizontal solidarity based on shared culture, which will give each member of them joyful peace and affirmative ability to embrace life.