Yeats demonstrates his divided loyalties to the two nations in his poem “Easter, 1916.” 
The Easter Rising of 1916 in Ireland which lasted only six days before the British quelled it is the subject of David Butler Yeats’s “Easter 1916.” In the beginning, many laughed at the Irish soldiers fighting such an unbeatable cause, not knowing that this was to be the catalyst for Irish patriotism that would eventually win Irish independence. In his poem, Yeats reveals that he is not entirely an Irish or English loyalist. He recognizes both the shortcomings and merits of the uprising, believing that is was not entirely beneficial to the Irish people yet also understood the reasoning of the rebels. The refrain, “A terrible beauty is born” embodies Yeats’ feelings for the uprising and its placement at the end of the stanzas signifies that it is essential to the poem. This oxymoron is a manifestation of the contradictory thoughts and feelings Yeats has over the events of the Easter uprising. The terrible beauty he describes is the fighting spirit and patriotism of Ireland and is indicative of a bittersweet quality: something great that was born out of sacrifice and violence. He both admired and despised it, it was terrible due to the losses and potential consequences it would have for Ireland yet simultaneously he found the audacity of Ireland standing up to England beautiful.
Here, Yeats mentions a stream, which I feel is his way of describing peace time and life going on without trouble, a gentle and consistent flow. The Irish rebels, then, are the stubborn stone in the river that resist its flow and cause discord. I liked this metaphor very much, because it acutely describes what the Irish were doing: standing firm against a strong current (England) knowing their efforts may be futile. 
The repetition of “terrible beauty” is a reflection of Yeats’ conflicting feelings over the uprising. 
I don’t hold Yeats accountable for being a traitor to either country. He maintains his neutrality consistently in the poem, only really questioning the timing and execution of the rebellion. Despite his time in England, Yeats was still an Irishman and surely did not want the actions of these few rebels to endanger or condemn more Irish people and had faith that England would give Ireland its independence.
