The Second Coming is a very famous poem written by W.B. Yeats in 1919, shortly after World War I ended. The poem talks about a world that is full of chaos, confusion, and suffering. Yeats describes a powerful and mysterious vision of the future, but it’s not like the traditional Christian idea of Jesus coming back to bring peace and save humanity. Instead of Jesus’s return, the poet imagines the arrival of a strange and frightening creature.
In the first part of the poem, Yeats shows how everything is falling apart in the world, with people feeling lost and out of control. In the second part, he has a vision of what might happen in the future. However, instead of hope, this vision feels scary, as a beast-like creature seems to be coming.
With its clear and strong imagery of a world collapsing, The Second Coming has become one of Yeats’s most famous and often-quoted poems.
The Second Coming: Yeats’s Stunning Vision of Chaos – Dive into our analysis of Yeats’s powerful depiction of disorder and transformation.
Table of Contents
About W.B. Yeats
William Butler Yeats, known as W.B. Yeats, was a famous poet from Ireland. He was born on June 13, 1865, in Dublin, Ireland, and he started writing poems when he was a teenager. Yeats is one of the most important poets of the 20th century.
Yeats loved stories and legends from Irish history and myths. These stories inspired many of his poems. He also liked learning about magical things and was very interested in the supernatural. This means he thought a lot about things like magic and dreams.
Yeats wrote poems that talk about dreams, history, and even things that might happen in the future. He often used symbols and special images in his poems to help readers think deeply about different ideas.
He wrote two famous collections of poems. One is called “The Tower,” and another is “The Second Coming.” “The Second Coming” is a very famous poem that talks about big changes and things that might come in the future.
W.B. Yeats won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1923. This prize is given to writers who have done great work in literature. Yeats died on January 28, 1939, but his poems are still read and loved by many people today.
Setting:
In W.B. Yeats’s poem “The Second Coming,” the setting is strange and hard to understand, especially in the first part of the poem. It doesn’t take place in one specific location like a park or a house. Instead, it starts with an idea, not a place. Yeats uses the image of a falcon flying away from its falconer (the person controlling it) in a “widening gyre.” A gyre is like a big spiral or circle, but here, it’s not something you can see in real life. It’s more of a symbol for how the world feels out of control and confused.
The poem doesn’t tell us exactly where or when this is happening. The gyre is a symbol Yeats believed in that shows how history moves in big circles, with each time period slowly turning into the next one. The poem talks about chaos and anarchy, which means everything is falling apart. This part of the poem feels like it could be describing the whole world, not just one place, and there’s no specific time mentioned either. It could be happening any time when the world feels broken.
However, the poem was written right after World War I, a time when the world was recovering from a lot of violence and destruction. So, we can guess that Yeats might be thinking about that time in history.
In the second part of the poem, things get even weirder. The speaker of the poem has a vision, which means they see something in their mind. This vision comes from Spiritus Mundi, which means the “spirit of the world” or the shared thoughts of all people. In the vision, the speaker sees a desert, which is dry and empty, not a place where life grows easily. Then, the speaker imagines a strange creature, like a beast, moving toward Bethlehem, the town where Jesus was born. This adds a connection to Christianity, and it makes the reader think about big changes coming to the world, just like when Jesus was born 2,000 years ago.
So, even though the setting is not one real place, the poem makes us imagine the world in chaos, with strange visions in a desert, and hints of a big, mysterious change coming soon.
Literary Context:
William Butler Yeats was a famous poet from Ireland, born in 1865. He started writing poems when he was very young, and his poem “The Second Coming” was published in 1921 in a book called Michael Robartes and the Dancer. Yeats was inspired by many different writers. He read English poets like William Wordsworth, William Blake, and John Keats. He also admired French poets such as Stéphane Mallarmé and Arthur Rimbaud. Besides these influences, Yeats was deeply interested in Irish myths and stories. He loved the idea of Ireland becoming independent from England, which often showed up in his poems.
Yeats was also fascinated by mysticism and magical ideas. In this poem, he uses an image called a “gyre,” which comes from his book A Vision. This book is full of Yeats’s unique ideas about how history and the human mind work. Yeats believed that people share a “Spiritus Mundi,” or a collective unconscious, which means we all have a common set of dreams and symbols that poets can tap into. Yeats’s wife, Georgie Hyde-Lees, helped him find these ideas through her psychic abilities, which Yeats thought were important for his poems.
The poem “The Second Coming” also connects to the Bible, especially the Book of Revelation. This book talks about Jesus coming back to Earth in what’s called “The Second Coming.” It’s supposed to bring peace and happiness. But Yeats’s poem gives a twist to this story. Instead of a hero coming back, there’s a scary beast. This change makes the poem feel very different from the happy ending described in the Bible. The Book of Revelation is full of strange images and predictions, and it’s a great example of how the Bible uses mysterious and powerful symbols.
Historical Context:
“The Second Coming” was written right after World War I. This was a time when a lot of people were very upset because many lives were lost during the war, and many more were affected by the aftermath. The poem reflects how people were feeling about the world being in chaos and how things seemed to be falling apart. Some people even think that Yeats’s poem is a spooky prediction of what would happen in World War II because the poem talks about very intense and frightening times, similar to how Adolf Hitler was seen.
Even though the poem doesn’t give many details about when or where things are happening, it talks about what seems like the end of the world. This type of writing is called “eschatology,” which is all about the end of the world or the apocalypse. There have been stories about the end of the world for thousands of years. For example, an old Assyrian tablet from around 2800 BC mentions how the Earth was showing signs of ending.
The poem is also linked to Christian beliefs. The idea of the “Second Coming” is something from Christianity, where it’s believed that Jesus will return to Earth. The poem mentions “twenty centuries,” which means it is talking about the time since Jesus was born, and also refers to Bethlehem, the place where Jesus was born. This shows that the poem is connected to Christian ideas and history.
Summary:
The Second Coming by W.B. Yeats talks about a world that is falling apart. At the beginning of the poem, a falcon flies in circles, but it can no longer hear its owner calling it back. This shows how everything is getting out of control. The world seems to be collapsing, and destruction is spreading everywhere. There is so much violence and bloodshed that innocence is being destroyed. The good people are doing nothing, while the bad people are full of energy and causing trouble.
The speaker feels that something big must happen soon, and he believes the “Second Coming” is near. But as he thinks about this, he gets a strange vision. He sees a desert where a strange creature is coming to life. This creature has the head of a man and the body of a lion. Its face is emotionless, like the sun, and it shows no kindness or mercy. The creature moves slowly, and strange birds fly around it. Then, everything turns dark, but the speaker understands that the peace that lasted for two thousand years is now over.
At the end of the poem, the speaker wonders what kind of terrifying beast is coming to be born in Bethlehem, where it will bring more chaos to the world.
This poem uses strong imagery to show the breakdown of society and hints at a dark future ahead.
Line by line analysis:
1. “Turning and turning in the widening gyre”
Meaning of words:
Turning: Repeatedly moving in a circle.
Gyre: A spiral or vortex that grows wider, symbolizing the cycle of history or time.
Meaning of the line:
The falcon (civilization) is spiraling in an ever-widening circle, out of control and moving away from its center.
Literary Devices:
Repetition (diacope): “Turning and turning” creates a sense of motion and endlessness.
Symbolism: The gyre symbolizes chaos and the breakdown of order, a recurring image in Yeats’ work representing historical cycles.
Metaphor: The widening gyre is a metaphor for increasing chaos in the world.
2. “The falcon cannot hear the falconer;”
Meaning of words:
Falcon: A trained bird; symbolizing humanity, logic, or civilization.
Falconer: The one who trains the falcon; symbolizing God, reason, or authority.
Meaning of the line:
The falcon (civilization or humanity) has gone too far from the falconer (its moral or spiritual guide), losing control and order.
Literary Devices:
Symbolism: The falcon and falconer symbolize the relationship between civilization and spiritual authority.
Metaphor: The falcon’s inability to hear the falconer suggests the loss of moral direction in society.
Alliteration: “Falcon” and “falconer” add a rhythmic connection, reinforcing the symbolic link between them.
3. “Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;”
Meaning of words:
Things fall apart: Society is disintegrating.
Centre: The core that holds everything together (moral, spiritual, or political stability).
Cannot hold: Unable to maintain order.
Meaning of the line:
Civilization is breaking down because its core principles are no longer strong enough to keep things together.
Literary Devices:
Paradox: “The centre cannot hold” conveys an internal contradiction, as the core is expected to hold things together but can’t.
Imagery: The image of things falling apart creates a visual sense of chaos and destruction.
Anaphora: The repetition of “cannot” in this and subsequent lines emphasizes loss and failure.
4. “Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,”
Meaning of words:
Mere anarchy: Total disorder and chaos.
Loosed: Released or unleashed.
Meaning of the line:
Absolute chaos and anarchy are spreading unchecked across the world.
Literary Devices:
Personification: Anarchy is described as something that can be “loosed,” as if it were an entity or force.
Hyperbole: The line suggests the world is completely overrun by chaos, an exaggeration to highlight the magnitude of the disaster.
Metonymy: “Anarchy” represents broader societal collapse and moral disorder.
5. “The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere”
Meaning of words:
Blood-dimmed tide: A wave or flood of blood, symbolizing violence or war.
Loosed: Unleashed, let loose.
Meaning of the line:
A violent tide of blood (representing war or destruction) is spreading everywhere in the world.
Literary Devices:
Metaphor: The blood-dimmed tide is a metaphor for violence and destruction.
Imagery: The image of a tide of blood creates a vivid, horrifying picture of violence overtaking the world.
Alliteration: “Blood-dimmed” draws attention to the dark and violent imagery, reinforcing its impact.
6. “The ceremony of innocence is drowned;”
Meaning of words:
Ceremony of innocence: Rituals or acts representing purity and goodness.
Drowned: Submerged or destroyed.
Meaning of the line:
The innocence and purity that once existed in the world have been overwhelmed by violence and chaos.
Literary Devices:
Personification: Innocence is described as something that can be drowned, giving it human-like qualities.
Metaphor: The ceremony of innocence being drowned suggests that goodness and morality are being washed away by evil forces.
Symbolism: “Drowning” symbolizes the overwhelming destruction of innocence.
7. “The best lack all conviction, while the worst”
Meaning of words:
The best: Good, moral people.
Lack all conviction: Have no strong beliefs or will to act.
The worst: Evil or corrupt people.
Meaning of the line:
The good people in society have become passive and uncertain, while the bad people are filled with dangerous, extreme beliefs.
Literary Devices:
Juxtaposition: “The best” and “the worst” are set in contrast to emphasize the moral imbalance.
Irony: It is ironic that those who are good lack the conviction to act, while those who are corrupt are the ones with intense passion.
Antithesis: The opposition between the best and the worst highlights the chaotic state of the world.
8. “Are full of passionate intensity.”
Meaning of words:
Passionate intensity: Strong emotions and extreme dedication.
Meaning of the line:
The worst people in society are filled with dangerous energy and strong beliefs, driving them to destructive actions.
Literary Devices:
Hyperbole: “Full of passionate intensity” emphasizes the overwhelming, almost dangerous level of enthusiasm among the worst people.
Alliteration: The repeated “p” sounds in “passionate” and “intensity” create a sense of forcefulness, reflecting the intensity itself.
Symbolism: Passion here symbolizes the destructive force of misguided energy and conviction.
9. “Surely some revelation is at hand;”
Meaning of words:
Revelation: A dramatic or important event, often related to divine prophecy.
Meaning of the line:
The speaker believes that something significant, like a prophecy or divine event, is about to happen, given the state of the world.
Literary Devices:
Foreshadowing: The mention of “revelation” hints at the coming of a major event.
Anaphora: The repetition of “Surely” in the next line emphasizes the speaker’s certainty that something significant is imminent.
10. “Surely the Second Coming is at hand.”
Meaning of words:
Second Coming: Refers to the return of Jesus Christ, as prophesied in Christian belief.
Meaning of the line:
The speaker believes that the chaotic state of the world means that the Second Coming of Christ, an event of divine judgment, is near.
Literary Devices:
Allusion: This line alludes to Christian theology, specifically the Second Coming of Christ.
Repetition: The word “Surely” emphasizes the speaker’s conviction that a major event is about to happen.
11. “The Second Coming! Hardly are those words out”
Meaning of words:
Hardly are those words out: The moment the words are spoken.
Meaning of the line:
As soon as the speaker mentions the Second Coming, something strange and disturbing begins to appear.
Literary Devices:
Exclamation: The exclamation point after “The Second Coming!” conveys the speaker’s intense emotion or revelation.
Foreshadowing: The phrase hints at something ominous that is about to be revealed.
12. “When a vast image out of Spiritus Mundi”
Meaning of words:
Vast image: A large and ominous vision.
Spiritus Mundi: Latin for “World Spirit,” referring to the collective unconscious or shared knowledge of all humanity, often used by Yeats to describe a reservoir of universal images and ideas.
Meaning of the line:
The speaker begins to see a powerful vision that emerges from the shared consciousness of humanity, suggesting a symbolic or prophetic image that affects the whole world.
Literary Devices:
Allusion: “Spiritus Mundi” refers to Yeats’ belief in a mystical, collective world spirit that stores humanity’s experiences and archetypes.
Symbolism: The “vast image” symbolizes an impending change or revelation.
Imagery: Yeats paints a vivid image of a mystical vision, giving it an epic and universal significance.
13. “Troubles my sight: somewhere in sands of the desert”
Meaning of words:
Troubles my sight: Disturbs or worries the speaker.
Sands of the desert: A barren, lifeless, and desolate place.
Meaning of the line:
The speaker is disturbed by the vision, which takes place in a desert, a symbol of spiritual emptiness or desolation.
Literary Devices:
Imagery: “Sands of the desert” creates a stark, bleak setting that symbolizes barrenness and spiritual desolation.
Symbolism: The desert often represents isolation, death, or the loss of life and vitality, highlighting the ominous nature of the vision.
Foreshadowing: The troubled sight and the desert hint at the arrival of something threatening or destructive.
14. “A shape with lion body and the head of a man,”
Meaning of words:
Shape: A form or figure, not fully described but mysterious.
Lion body and head of a man: A combination of animal strength and human intellect, similar to the Sphinx in mythology.
Meaning of the line:
The speaker sees a terrifying creature with the body of a lion (symbolizing power and violence) and the head of a man (symbolizing intellect), suggesting a blend of raw power and cold reason.
Literary Devices:
Symbolism: The creature is symbolic of a new, destructive force or era, combining human and animal traits to represent a dangerous and uncontrolled force.
Allusion: The shape resembles the Sphinx from ancient Egyptian mythology, which adds a layer of mystery and foreboding.
Imagery: This description creates a vivid, eerie picture of a hybrid creature, unsettling and unnatural.
15. “A gaze blank and pitiless as the sun,”
Meaning of words:
Gaze blank: An empty, emotionless stare.
Pitiless: Without compassion.
As the sun: As harsh and unfeeling as the sun, which shines on all, indifferent to suffering.
Meaning of the line:
The creature’s gaze is cold and emotionless, just like the sun, which is impartial and indifferent to life or death.
Literary Devices:
Simile: The comparison of the gaze to the sun highlights its coldness and detachment.
Symbolism: The blank gaze suggests a lack of morality or empathy, making the creature even more terrifying.
Personification: The “pitiless” sun gives it human traits, making it seem like a force of uncaring destruction.
16. “Is moving its slow thighs, while all about it”
Meaning of words:
Slow thighs: The creature moves slowly and deliberately, suggesting great strength or lethargy.
Meaning of the line:
The creature moves slowly, indicating its powerful but steady approach, which creates a sense of looming danger.
Literary Devices:
Imagery: The slow movement adds to the ominous nature of the creature, as though it is unstoppable and inevitable.
Metaphor: The slow, deliberate movement of the thighs could symbolize the gradual but inevitable approach of a new and dangerous era.
17. “Reel shadows of the indignant desert birds.”
Meaning of words:
Reel: To spin or whirl.
Indignant: Angry or offended.
Desert birds: Birds in the desert, possibly scavengers like vultures.
Meaning of the line:
The shadows of angry desert birds circle around the creature, possibly foreshadowing death and destruction.
Literary Devices:
Personification: The “indignant” birds are given human-like emotions, making them seem as if they are reacting to the presence of the creature.
Symbolism: The birds may symbolize death or decay, as scavengers often appear in scenes of death.
Imagery: The circling birds contribute to the eerie and apocalyptic atmosphere.
18. “The darkness drops again; but now I know”
Meaning of words:
Darkness drops: Darkness returns, suggesting a return to chaos or confusion.
Meaning of the line:
The speaker experiences darkness again but now understands the true nature of the vision, implying a moment of realization or clarity amidst the chaos.
Literary Devices:
Metaphor: Darkness could represent ignorance or confusion, which falls over the world again.
Symbolism: “Darkness” symbolizes the return of chaotic or destructive forces in the world.
Enjambment: The continuation of the sentence into the next line creates a sense of fluidity and urgency.
19. “That twenty centuries of stony sleep”
Meaning of words:
Twenty centuries: Two thousand years, likely referring to the time since the birth of Christ.
Stony sleep: A long, hard, and lifeless slumber.
Meaning of the line:
Two thousand years of history, possibly since the time of Christ, have been like a hard, lifeless sleep, implying that a new awakening (perhaps a destructive one) is coming.
Literary Devices:
Allusion: This refers to the two thousand years of Christianity and the long “sleep” since the birth of Christ.
Metaphor: “Stony sleep” represents an inactive, hardened state of civilization, which is about to end.
Personification: Sleep is described as “stony,” giving it a lifeless, heavy quality.
20. “Were vexed to nightmare by a rocking cradle,”
Meaning of words:
Vexed: Troubled or disturbed.
Nightmare: A bad dream, symbolic of horror or terror.
Rocking cradle: A cradle moving, suggesting the birth of something new.
Meaning of the line:
The long period of history has been disturbed and turned into a nightmare by the arrival of something new, symbolized by the rocking cradle, possibly the birth of a new, dangerous force.
Literary Devices:
Symbolism: The “rocking cradle” represents the birth of a new era, while the “nightmare” suggests that this new era will bring chaos and horror.
Juxtaposition: The peaceful image of a cradle is contrasted with the idea of a nightmare, highlighting the ominous nature of the change.
Metaphor: The nightmare suggests that the world is about to face something terrifying.
21. “And what rough beast, its hour come round at last,”
Meaning of words:
Rough beast: A crude, violent creature.
Its hour come round at last: The time for its arrival has finally come.
Meaning of the line:
A powerful and violent creature, symbolizing a new force or era, is finally about to be born after a long wait.
Literary Devices:
Metaphor: The “rough beast” represents a destructive new age or force that is about to rise.
Personification: The phrase “its hour come round” gives time human qualities, as if destiny has finally arrived.
Symbolism: The beast symbolizes the end of the old world and the beginning of something dangerous and unknown.
22. “Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?”
Meaning of words:
Slouches: Moves slowly and lazily.
Bethlehem: The birthplace of Jesus Christ, a symbol of spiritual birth and renewal.
Meaning of the line:
The creature, described as a “rough beast,” is slowly and ominously heading toward Bethlehem, where it will be born. This contrasts sharply with the peaceful, hopeful birth of Jesus Christ. Instead of representing salvation, this new birth represents chaos, destruction, and perhaps the end of the world as we know it.
Themes:
Disillusionment with Human Progress:
In the poem “The Second Coming” by W.B. Yeats, the theme of disillusionment with human progress means that people are losing hope in the idea that human progress and achievements will lead to a better world. Yeats expresses a feeling that despite all the advancements and efforts, things are getting worse rather than better.
“The best lack all conviction, while the worst / Are full of passionate intensity.”
This line highlights that the people who are good and capable are unsure and lack strong beliefs, while those who are harmful and negative are full of energy and determination. It suggests that the progress made by people is not leading to positive results, making it clear that there is disappointment in how human progress has turned out.
Civilization’s Collapse and the Rise of Chaos:
In the poem The Second Coming by W.B. Yeats, the poet describes a scary, apocalyptic situation where humans seem to be losing control over the world. Everything feels like it’s spinning out of order, and people are heading towards violence and chaos. The poem is filled with strange images that give us a feeling that the world is about to be destroyed. Even though the poem uses complex ideas and pictures, its main message is quite clear: civilization is falling apart, and humanity is running out of time.
Yeats wrote this poem after World War I, which was a terrible conflict that killed millions of people. It’s no wonder that he wrote about the world in such a dark and sad way. He believed that the idea of progress and order, which people thought was guiding humanity, was really just an illusion. In other words, humans thought they were moving forward and making things better, but the reality was that they were on a path to destruction.
In the first part of the poem, Yeats talks about a “falconer” who has lost control of his “falcon.” A falconer is someone who trains falcons to fly and hunt, but in this case, the falcon (which symbolizes humans or civilization) has flown so far away that it can’t hear the falconer anymore. The falcon represents how humans are spinning out of control, just like the world is turning in a big spiral. Yeats uses the word “gyre” to describe this spiral, which he often used to talk about big changes in history.
These first lines suggest that humans have lost their connection with the natural world, or that they are losing control over themselves and their surroundings. Things are falling apart, and chaos is taking over. Yeats hints that while humans thought they were making progress over the past 2,000 years (since the birth of Christ), the horrors of World War I showed that people are still capable of causing terrible destruction.
The poem also says that “anarchy” (complete disorder) has been unleashed on the world, and it’s as if a “blood-dimmed tide” is flooding everywhere. This likely refers to the massive loss of life during the war. The poem says that “innocence” was just a “ceremony,” something people pretended to believe in, but now even that illusion is gone. The “best” people, who might have been able to stop this chaos, don’t have the courage or conviction to act, while the “worst” people are full of intense, destructive energy. According to Yeats, this shows that the “centre,” or the foundation of society, has collapsed.
In other words, the poem tells us that the idea that humanity was constantly improving and moving forward was never really true. Whether people have lost their way, or never knew it to begin with, is unclear. But what is clear is that all the promises of modern society—like safety, peace, and dignity for all—have proven to be false.
As we move toward the end of the poem, a terrifying image of a “rough beast” emerges. This creature is not the gentle, kind figure of Jesus Christ, who in Christian belief is supposed to return to Earth in the Second Coming to save the world. Instead, it is a frightening, rough figure that is slowly slouching towards Bethlehem, the birthplace of Christ. This beast is not coming to bring salvation, but something much darker.
Yeats suggests that this beast has been woken up by humanity itself, maybe because of the many wars and destruction caused by people. Instead of moving toward a future of peace, humanity has been creating the conditions for its own downfall.
In the end, the poem tells us that while people may have seemed more civilized over the past 2,000 years, they have really been creating a world filled with chaos and destruction. This “rough beast” is a symbol of the new, darker age that’s coming, and it is heading towards Bethlehem to start this new age of nightmare.
In simple terms, Yeats is warning us that the world is out of control, and the future may not be bright. Instead of continuing to progress and grow, humanity may be heading for a time of great darkness.
Yeats: Weaving Politics into Poetry:
Yeats thought art and politics were closely connected. He used his poems to share his ideas about Irish politics and teach people about Irish history and culture. Yeats loved Ireland and felt that British rule was hurting the country. He wrote poems about the beauty of Ireland and its myths, like stories of Oisin and Cuchulain.
As Yeats got more involved in Irish politics, his poems started to focus more on political issues. He wrote about Ireland’s role in World War I and important Irish events like the Easter Rebellion. Yeats believed that poems could both talk about political problems and help people learn about their country.
Here is a line from one of Yeats’s poems that shows his political theme:
“Easter 1916: All changed, changed utterly”
This line shows how Yeats felt that the events of the Easter Rebellion had dramatically changed Ireland.
The End of Christian Morality:
In “The Second Coming,” the poem looks at Christian morality in a very troubling way. It suggests that Christian values and beliefs might not be as strong or real as people think. Instead, it paints a picture of a world falling apart and losing all sense of right and wrong.
- Christian Beliefs and the End Times: The poem talks about the end of the world, similar to the Bible’s story about the Second Coming of Jesus. According to the Bible, this would be a time of great trouble, and Jesus would return to save the good people. The poem suggests that this terrible time is already happening because people have lost their sense of morality. It questions whether Christian morality was ever truly solid or just an illusion.
- First Stanza – Chaos and Confusion: The poem starts by describing a world full of chaos. Good and evil seem to have turned upside down. The best people lack strong beliefs, while the worst people are eager for trouble. The poem uses strong images to show that humanity is drenched in blood and moral decay. It suggests that morality was just a show, and people were never really innocent.
- Second Stanza – A New Revelation: The poem hints that something divine or revealing is about to happen. However, instead of bringing peace, it shows a horrible creature coming towards Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus. This beast symbolizes a new era of chaos and destruction. Unlike Jesus, who was seen as a figure of hope and morality, this beast represents a world where moral values have failed.
- Christian Morality and the New Beast: The new creature in the poem has a human head but lacks any moral sense. It is described as “pitiless,” suggesting that the new world will be harsh and cruel. The poem contrasts this beast with Christian imagery, showing that Christian morals are being replaced by a new, frightening force.
- Spiritus Mundi – Collective Unconscious: Yeats talks about “Spiritus Mundi,” which he thought of as the collective unconscious of all humanity. The vision of the beast comes from this shared unconscious mind, indicating a worldwide shift away from morality.
The Breakdown of Order and Control:
In the poem “The Second Coming,” one of the big ideas is how everything that once kept the world in order is falling apart. Yeats shows that the world is becoming very chaotic and confusing because the things that used to control and guide us are no longer working.
- Lost Control: The poem starts by saying that things are spinning out of control. Imagine a falcon, which is a bird trained to hunt, flying around in circles. Normally, the falcon listens to its trainer, called the falconer. But in the poem, the falcon can’t hear the falconer anymore. This means that the falcon (which stands for civilization or our society) is getting lost and cannot follow its guide. This shows that we have lost control over our world.
“Turning and turning in the widening gyre / The falcon cannot hear the falconer;”
- Everything Falling Apart: Yeats tells us that the very center of our world is collapsing. The things that used to hold everything together are breaking down, and chaos is taking over. It’s like a building whose foundation is crumbling, causing everything on top to fall apart.
“Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;”
- Rise of Anarchy: Anarchy means a state where there is no order or rules. Yeats describes how anarchy is being set loose upon the world. This means that there is no one in charge and no rules to follow, which makes everything very messy and disorganized.
“Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,”
Overall, the theme of “The Breakdown of Order and Control” shows how the world is losing its sense of order. The poem uses powerful images to show that the things that used to keep society together are no longer effective. This leads to chaos and confusion, suggesting that the world is heading into a period of great disorder and instability.
Yeats: From Romantic Dreams to Modern Realities:
Yeats started writing poetry in the 1880s with a romantic style. His early poems were about love, dreams, and Irish myths, using traditional rhyme and patterns. They were beautiful but also complex.
As he grew older, Yeats’s poetry changed. He became interested in mystical and spiritual ideas, which made his poems more thoughtful and serious. His complicated feelings about a romantic relationship with Maud Gonne also made him see the world in a more cynical way.
Yeats’s poems also began to reflect his concerns about Irish politics and the changes happening in the world. He linked his poems to political issues and used new modernist styles. This means his poetry became more direct, experimental, and sometimes darker.
Here’s a line from his poem “The Second Coming” that shows this change:
“Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold”
This line shows how Yeats’s poetry shifted to reflect a sense of chaos and uncertainty, different from his earlier romantic and idealistic style.
Failure of Traditional Morality:
The poem “The Second Coming” by W.B. Yeats explores the theme of the failure of traditional morality in a very straightforward way.
In the poem, Yeats describes a world that is falling apart because old moral rules and values are no longer working. It feels like everything is becoming chaotic and messy. The poem suggests that the traditional ways of thinking and behaving, which people once trusted, are no longer helping to make sense of the world. Instead, these old moral values are failing, leading to confusion and disorder.
Yeats uses images of a world in turmoil and a new, frightening force emerging to show that the old moral standards can no longer control or guide people. The poem reflects a sense of crisis and a shift away from old beliefs, indicating that something new and unknown might be coming to take their place.
“Turning and turning in the widening gyre / The falcon cannot hear the falconer;”
The Arrival of a New Threatening Era:
In the poem “The Second Coming” by W.B. Yeats, the theme of the arrival of a new, threatening era is shown through the idea that something dangerous and powerful is coming into the world. Yeats describes a sense of change and foreboding, suggesting that a new era is beginning, but it’s not a positive one.
“And what rough beast, its hour come round at last, / Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?”
This line describes a scary and unknown creature that is coming into the world, symbolizing a new era that is arriving. The “rough beast” represents something threatening and unsettling that is taking over, hinting that the world is about to face a difficult and troubling time.
How Yeats Believed Fate and the Divine Shape History:
Yeats was very interested in mystical ideas and believed that fate, or the idea that things are meant to happen a certain way, plays a big role in history. He didn’t follow Christianity but studied many spiritual and mystical ideas. He created his own system to explain how souls are reborn and how history unfolds.
Yeats thought that fate guides history and that we see this in special moments when people and divine forces interact. His poems often talk about this idea. Sometimes the divine shows up clearly, like in “Leda and the Swan,” and sometimes it’s more abstract, like in “The Second Coming.” Even when the divine isn’t directly shown, Yeats hints at it, like in “Sailing to Byzantium.”
Here’s a line from Yeats’s poem “The Second Coming” that shows his belief in fate:
“Turning and turning in the widening gyre”
This line suggests that history is spinning in a certain direction, showing how fate controls the flow of events.
The Second Coming: Yeats’s Stunning Vision of Chaos – A critical analysis that explores Yeats’s dramatic portrayal of a world in turmoil.
Symbol:
The Falcon:
In the poem “The Second Coming” by W.B. Yeats, the falcon symbolizes humanity’s control over the world. The falcon represents people using their intelligence to manage and control nature. In falconry, people train birds of prey like falcons to follow their commands, showing their ability to control these powerful creatures.
A key line from the poem that shows this symbol is:
“Turning and turning in the widening gyre / The falcon cannot hear the falconer;”
This line means that the falcon, which should be listening to its trainer (the falconer), is not hearing or following anymore. This shows that the connection between humanity and control is broken, leading to chaos and confusion.
The Beast:
In the poem “The Second Coming” by W.B. Yeats, the beast symbolizes the scary and chaotic new era that is coming. The beast is described as having a lion’s body and a human’s head, which makes it look both strange and frightening. This mix of animal and human features represents how human civilization might be hiding its darker, more dangerous side.
A line from the poem that shows this symbol is:
“And what rough beast, its hour come round at last, / Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?”
This line describes a frightening and unknown beast that is coming into the world. It suggests that despite humans trying to build a better world, there is a new, threatening force that is emerging, reflecting the darker aspects of human nature.
The Widening Gyre:
In the poem The Second Coming by W.B. Yeats, “The Widening Gyre” is a symbol for the way things are getting more chaotic and out of control in the world. Imagine a spinning top or a whirlpool that is getting bigger and faster. This symbol shows how the world is becoming more confused and unstable.
Here is a line from the poem that uses this symbol:
“Turning and turning in the widening gyre”
This line means that everything is spinning out of control and the situation is getting worse.
The “Spiritus Mundi”:
In the poem The Second Coming by W.B. Yeats, “Spiritus Mundi” is a symbol that represents the world’s collective spirit or memory. It’s like a big, invisible place where everyone’s thoughts, ideas, and memories from all of history are stored. Yeats believed that this “Spiritus Mundi” sends images to people’s minds, especially during important or changing times in the world.
In the poem, Yeats talks about seeing a strange and scary image that comes from “Spiritus Mundi.” He describes a creature with the body of a lion and the head of a man. This creature represents the idea of something dangerous or unknown that is coming into the world. The image doesn’t come from the poet’s own imagination but from the “Spiritus Mundi,” meaning it comes from the world’s collective thoughts and memories.
Here is a line from the poem:
“A shape with lion body and the head of a man,
A gaze blank and pitiless as the sun”
This line shows that the image from “Spiritus Mundi” is strange and frightening. It suggests that something powerful and dangerous is happening, and it comes from the deep, shared memories of the world.
In simple terms, “Spiritus Mundi” is like a giant storehouse of all the world’s ideas and memories. Yeats used this idea to explain how people can sometimes feel connected to something much bigger than themselves, especially during important moments in history.
The Desert:
In the poem The Second Coming by W.B. Yeats, “The Desert” is a symbol that represents emptiness, loneliness, and the lack of life. A desert is a place where almost nothing grows, and it is often dry, hot, and barren. Yeats uses “The Desert” to show how the world is becoming a place where hope and goodness are disappearing, and everything seems lifeless and empty.
In the poem, Yeats talks about a strange creature, and he imagines it walking through the desert. The desert in this poem is not just a physical place; it also stands for a time of great trouble and confusion in the world. It’s a place where things are falling apart, and no new growth or happiness is happening. The desert shows how bleak and hopeless the future seems to Yeats.
Here is a line from the poem that mentions the desert:
“Troubles my sight: somewhere in sands of the desert”
This line tells us that something scary and troubling is happening in the desert, making the poet feel worried. The desert adds to the feeling that the world is becoming a harsh and empty place, with no comfort or life.
In simple terms, “The Desert” in the poem stands for a world that feels cold and empty, where nothing good is growing. It shows how Yeats thought the world was moving into a time of trouble, where people might feel lost, lonely, and without hope. The desert is a powerful symbol of the difficult and uncertain times that Yeats believed were coming.
The Darkness:
In the poem The Second Coming by W.B. Yeats, “The Darkness” is a symbol that represents confusion, fear, and the unknown. Darkness usually makes it hard to see or understand what is happening, and in this poem, it stands for a time when people don’t know what is going on in the world. Yeats uses “The Darkness” to show that the world is going through a scary and confusing time, where everything feels uncertain.
When there is darkness, people often feel lost because they can’t find their way. In the poem, Yeats talks about how things are falling apart, and nobody seems to know what will happen next. The darkness makes people feel worried and unsure about the future. It’s as if the world is moving into a time where there is no light or hope, and people feel trapped in fear and confusion.
Here is a line from the poem that helps show this feeling:
“Surely some revelation is at hand;
Surely the Second Coming is at hand.”
This shows that the darkness is so deep and confusing that it feels like something big and possibly frightening is about to happen.
In simple terms, “The Darkness” in the poem is a symbol of the fear and uncertainty that people feel when they don’t know what is coming next. It shows how Yeats thought the world was heading into a time of chaos, where people would feel scared and lost. Just like being in the dark makes it hard to see, the “darkness” in the poem makes it hard for people to understand what the future holds.
Literary Devices:
1. Alliteration:
Definition: Alliteration is when two or more words in a line start with the same sound.
Example from the poem: “Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?”
Explanation: The repetition of the “b” sound in “Bethlehem”, “be” and “born” is an example of alliteration. It creates a musical quality to the line and makes the words sound connected, helping to show the relationship between the “Bethlehem”, “be” and “born”.
2. Allusion:
Definition: Allusion is when a writer refers to something famous, like a book, story, or historical event, without explaining it.
Example from the poem: “The Second Coming”
Explanation: “The Second Coming” is an allusion to Christian beliefs about Jesus Christ returning to Earth. Yeats uses this phrase to suggest that something huge and important is about to happen, but it may not be good, like people expected.
3. Antithesis:
Definition: Antithesis is when two opposite ideas are put together to show contrast.
Example from the poem: “The best lack all conviction, while the worst are full of passionate intensity.”
Explanation: Here, “the best” (good people) and “the worst” (bad people) are opposites. Yeats uses antithesis to show the difference between good people being quiet and unsure, while bad people are full of energy and loud, making the world more chaotic.
4. Anaphora:
Definition: Anaphora is when the same word or phrase is repeated at the beginning of multiple lines or sentences.
Example from the poem: “Surely some revelation is at hand; Surely the Second Coming is at hand.”
Explanation: The word “Surely” is repeated at the beginning of these lines. This creates emphasis, making the reader feel that something big and important is definitely going to happen soon.
5. Assonance:
Definition: Assonance is when two or more words close to each other have the same vowel sound.
Example from the poem: “Turning and turning in the widening gyre”
Explanation: The repetition of the “i” sound in “turning” and “widening” is an example of assonance. It makes the line flow smoothly and gives a sense of continuous movement, like the spinning gyre Yeats is describing.
6. Caesura:
Definition: Caesura is when there is a pause or break in the middle of a line of poetry.
Example from the poem: “The ceremony of innocence is drowned;”
Explanation: The semicolon in the middle of the line creates a pause. This pause makes the reader stop for a moment, adding emphasis to the drowning of innocence, and makes the message feel heavier and more serious.
7. Consonance:
Definition: Consonance is when two or more words close to each other repeat the same consonant sound.
Example from the poem: “Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world”
Explanation: The repeated “s” sound in “loosed” and “upon” creates consonance. This sound gives the line a smooth flow and makes the chaos of the world feel even more widespread and creeping.
8. Enjambment:
Definition: Enjambment is when a line of poetry continues without a pause to the next line.
Example from the poem: “Turning and turning in the widening gyre / The falcon cannot hear the falconer;”
Explanation: The sentence doesn’t stop at the end of the first line and flows directly into the next. This creates a sense of movement, like the spinning of the gyre that Yeats is describing.
9. Epistrophe:
Definition: Epistrophe is when the same word is repeated at the end of multiple lines or sentences.
Example from the poem: There is no epistrophe in this poem.
Explanation: If a word had been repeated at the end of multiple lines, it would create emphasis, but this device isn’t used in The Second Coming.
10. Metaphor:
Definition: A metaphor is when something is described as being something else, without using “like” or “as.”
Example from the poem: “The blood-dimmed tide is loosed”
Explanation: Yeats compares the chaos in the world to a “blood-dimmed tide.” He doesn’t say the chaos is like a tide; he says it is one, creating a strong image of something powerful, unstoppable, and violent spreading across the world.
11. Rhetorical Question:
Definition: A rhetorical question is a question asked to make a point, not to get an answer.
Example from the poem: “And what rough beast, its hour come round at last, / Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?”
Explanation: Yeats is not expecting an answer to this question. He is making the reader think about the scary creature he imagines. The question makes the idea of something frightening coming feel even more mysterious.
12. Diacope:
Definition: Diacope is when a word or phrase is repeated after a short break.
Example from the poem: There is no clear diacope in this poem.
Explanation: In this poem, there isn’t an example of a word being repeated in a short time for effect, but if there were, it would emphasize the word.
13. Simile:
Definition: A simile is when something is compared to something else using “like” or “as.”
Example from the poem: “A gaze blank and pitiless as the sun”
Explanation: The creature’s gaze is compared to the sun using “as.” This shows that the creature looks uncaring and powerful, just like the bright sun that shines down on everything without feeling.
14. Imagery:
Definition: Imagery is when the poet uses words to create pictures in the reader’s mind.
Example from the poem: “The falcon cannot hear the falconer”
Explanation: Yeats paints a picture of a falcon flying far away from its owner, unable to hear. This image makes us think about how things in the world are out of control and no one is in charge anymore.
Form:
The poem “The Second Coming” by W.B. Yeats has two parts, called stanzas. The first stanza has 8 lines, and the second one has 14 lines. The way the poem is written doesn’t follow any strict rules like a traditional poem. It looks a little bit like a type of poem called a “sonnet” because sonnets usually have 8 lines (an octet) in the first part and 6 lines (a sestet) in the second part. But in The Second Coming, the second stanza has more lines, making it different from a regular sonnet.
Some people think Yeats may have started writing the poem like a sonnet but didn’t finish it that way on purpose. He could be showing how the world is falling apart by breaking the traditional structure, just like how in the poem, he says “the centre cannot hold.” This could mean that things are out of control, and even the poem’s form can’t stay together.
In the first stanza, the speaker talks about big problems in the world, like war and chaos, in a calm way, as if they’re reporting news about the end of the world. This part of the poem feels distant, like it’s describing what’s happening without showing any personal feelings.
Then, in the second stanza, the speaker becomes more emotional. They start to hope that something good might happen to fix everything, saying, “Surely, the Second Coming is at hand.” But instead of something good, the speaker suddenly has a vision—a scary picture of a creature coming to life. This creature is described in the lines from 13 to 17 and makes the poem feel much darker and more intense.
By the end of the poem, the vision goes away, but the speaker is left feeling afraid. They don’t know exactly what will happen, but they sense that something bad is coming soon. The poem ends with a feeling of fear and uncertainty, leaving the reader wondering what this “beast” means and what will happen next.
In short, “The Second Coming” is a poem that starts calm and then becomes scary, showing the speaker’s fear of a world that’s falling apart.
Meter:
The poem “The Second Coming” by W.B. Yeats is mostly written in something called blank verse. This means that the lines don’t rhyme, but they follow a special rhythm called iambic pentameter. In iambic pentameter, each line has 10 syllables, and the rhythm goes like this: ba BUM, ba BUM, ba BUM, ba BUM, ba BUM. Each “ba BUM” is called a “foot,” and there are five feet in each line (that’s why it’s called “pentameter”).
But in this poem, Yeats doesn’t stick to the rhythm perfectly all the time. Sometimes, the rhythm feels shaky or uneven. This makes the poem feel like it’s a little out of control, which matches the poem’s message about chaos in the world.
Here are the first two lines:
“Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;”
These lines don’t perfectly follow the ba BUM rhythm. For example, the first word “Turning” starts with a strong beat (Bum ba instead of ba BUM), which makes the lines sound a bit different. The words “widening” and “falconer” also have extra syllables, so the lines feel like they are stretching or spinning. This makes the reader feel like something is unstable, just like the world in the poem.
The second stanza also has some lines that don’t follow the usual rhythm. For example:
“Surely some revelation is at hand;
Surely the Second Coming is at hand.”
The word “Surely” is emphasized at the beginning, which shows the speaker’s frustration. It’s like the speaker is wondering why the world is falling apart, but the Second Coming (a Christian belief that Jesus will return) hasn’t happened yet.
The most chaotic part of the poem is when the speaker describes the strange vision of the beast. Here’s an example of the lines:
“Troubles my sight: somewhere in sands of the desert
A shape with lion body and the head of a man,
A gaze blank and pitiless as the sun,
Is moving its slow thighs, while all about it
Reel shadows of the indignant desert birds.”
These lines don’t follow the regular rhythm at all. The number of syllables in each line changes, and the rhythm feels broken. This adds to the feeling that something frightening and unstoppable is coming, like the strange “beast” in the vision. The way the lines don’t follow the usual pattern shows how the world is becoming wild and out of control.
By using this uneven rhythm, Yeats makes the poem feel like it’s on the edge of chaos, just like the world it describes.
Rhyme Scheme:
In the poem “The Second Coming” by W.B. Yeats, there isn’t a clear rhyme pattern like in some other poems. Usually, poems have rhymes at the ends of lines that follow a pattern, but here, the lines don’t match up in that way.
For example, the first few lines almost sound like they rhyme:
“Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,”
If we look at the words “gyre” and “falconer”, and “hold” and “world”. They sound a little bit similar, but they don’t rhyme perfectly. This makes the poem feel a little bit messy, like the world is falling apart, which matches the poem’s theme of chaos.
The reason Yeats doesn’t use strong rhymes is because he wants to show how the world is breaking down. If the poem had a clear rhyme pattern, it would feel too neat and ordered. But since the world in the poem is full of “anarchy” (meaning things are out of control), the lack of rhymes makes the reader feel that disorder.
Later in the poem, two lines end with the same word:
“Surely some revelation is at hand;
Surely the Second Coming is at hand.”
Both lines end with “at hand.” This is called epistrophe, which means repeating the same word at the end of different lines. It makes the speaker seem very certain or desperate, like they really expect something big to happen soon. The repetition also adds a sense of urgency, as if the Second Coming (the return of Jesus in Christian belief) is almost here because of all the chaos described in the first part of the poem.
So, by not having strong rhymes and using repetition, Yeats helps us feel the disorder and confusion in the world he’s describing.
Resources:
Books on W.B. Yeats and Modernist Poetry
- “W.B. Yeats: The Later Poems” by Richard J. Finneran
- “The Collected Works of W.B. Yeats” edited by Richard J. Finneran
- “Yeats’s Poetry, Drama, and Prose” edited by Richard J. Finneran and George J. firm
Academic Journals and Articles
- JSTOR (www.jstor.org) – Search for articles on Yeats’s poetry and modernist literature.
- Project MUSE (muse.jhu.edu) – Find scholarly articles on Yeats and modernist themes.
- “Modernism/modernity” – A journal focusing on modernist literature and criticism.
Literary Criticism Websites
- The Poetry Foundation (poetryfoundation.org)
- Literary Hub (lithub.com)
University Course Materials
- Open Courseware from universities such as Harvard, Yale, and Stanford – Look for course materials on modernist literature and Yeats’s works.
Books on Literary Theory and Criticism
- “The Cambridge Companion to Modernist Poetry” edited by David Bradshaw and Kevin J.H. Dettmar
- “Literary Theory: An Introduction” by Terry Eagleton – Provides an overview of modernist literary theory and criticism.
Poetry and Literature Encyclopedias
- “The Oxford Companion to English Literature” edited by Dinah Birch
- “The Cambridge Guide to Literature in English” edited by Ian Ousby
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