As it is prevalent throughout the poem of his personal disagreements towards the Rebellion, his opinion about the Rebellion is changed towards the end as he acknowledges their deeds for the greater good of Ireland. "Our part/ To murmur name upon name" is written to encourage us to recognize their sacrifices and political impacts but also is Yeats acceptance of their deeds.
Yeats mentions John MacBride, Maud's former husband, as a means to further accentuate the personal conflicts that occurred during the political war. The following quote exaggerates his conflict with MacBride as it alludes to an alleged abuse committed by MacBride towards Maud and her daughter. The insertion of this demonstrates Yeats' infusion of personal incidents with the political battles which as a result, creates more chaos within the setting. Although his discontent towards MacBride is stressed upon on a personal level, his martyrdom and heroic sacrifice is expressed, almost forcefully, in the line, "he, too, has been changed in his turn". The tension between Yeats political and personal thoughts towards MacBride, as well as his discouraging personal thoughts about the Rebellion creates a sense of tension with true purpose of the Uprising. This relates to today's society as even till today, we acknowledge and promote the significance of heroic martyrs that fought with their preservation for their nation. This view can be universally appreciated even as of today as nations such as America frequently publicise the deeds of their soldiers in Afghanistan whilst the media occasionally retaliates on these claims; causing conflict.
The tensions of the personal and political within 'Among School Children' extend to the more personal event within his life. The poem explores his reverie for a political gain. The imagery of "Smiling public man" depicts Yeats' blatant facade towards the children as he feels the pressure of upholding his public political image.
