The foreboding tone of Irishman William Butler Yeats’ poem “The Second Coming” — a vision of social upheaval — can make
a reader feel moody and worried
.
What is the main theme of the Second Coming?
The basic theme of the poem is
the death of the old world, to be followed by the rebirth of a new one
. It draws upon Biblical symbolism of the apocalypse and the second coming of Christ to make its point. However, Yeats poses the question of what will be born out of this overwhelming chaos.
How would you describe the poem The Second Coming?
Written in 1919 soon after the end of World War I, it describes a deeply mysterious and powerful alternative to the Christian idea of the Second Coming—
Jesus’s prophesied return to the Earth as a savior announcing the Kingdom of Heaven
. The poem’s first stanza describes a world of chaos, confusion, and pain.
What is the setting of the Second Coming?
But, from the perspective of the speaker, the setting is
post-WWI Europe, circa 1919
. He’s taking an overview of the devastation wrecked on the continent. In the second stanza, the setting abruptly shifts to Spiritus Mundi, as the speaker has a vision of a desert with a sphinx-like creature and some birds.
What does the second coming symbolize?
Yet for all its metaphorical complexity, “The Second Coming” actually has a relatively simple message: it basically
predicts that time is up for humanity, and that civilization as we know it is about to be undone
. Yeats wrote this poem right after World War I, a global catastrophe that killed millions of people.
Is the second coming a metaphor?
Metaphor: There are several metaphors used in this poem such as, “the Falcon” and “the falconer,” which stands for the world and the controlling force that directs humanity. Similarly, “the blood-dimmed tide” stands for waves of violence, while “
the rough beast
” stands for “the Second Coming.”
What does the falcon symbolize in The Second Coming?
The falcon, separated from the falconer, is lost: without reason, without ruler, without larger cause. It is a
symbol for a lost humanity, at the mercy of uncontrollable forces
. The falcon, in short, is all of us, wandering around the earth, trying to find meaning.
What does the rough beast symbolize in The Second Coming?
The “rough beast” is
the Anti-Christ
. The scene is set for the final showdown and the Second Coming. Thus, with its unremitting pessimistic tone notwithstanding, the poem at least gives humankind the possibility of redemption.
What does gyre mean in The Second Coming?
A gyre in “The Second Coming” refers to
a spiral or a circular motion
, but it also stands for the larger cycles of history. Yeats believed that an orderly gyre or cycle of history that began with the birth of Christ was ending, about to be replaced with a new historical cycle of chaos and cruelty.
What does Spiritus Mundi mean in The Second Coming?
The term “spiritus mundi” in the second stanza of W. B. Yeats’s “The Second Coming” means “
spirit of the world
” and refers to the collective spirit or consciousness of humanity.
Which city is the beast in The Second Coming approaching?
Answer: William Butler Yeats was born in Dublin, Ireland, on June 13, 1865. Question: Why does the rough beast appear after “…twenty centuries of stony sleep…” in the Yeats poem, “The Second Coming”? Answer: According the speaker of the poem, the rough beast appears and “slouches towards
Bethlehem
to be born.”
How does The Second Coming use mythology?
His seminal poetic work, The Second Coming, can be read in the light of the
ancient Indian myth of Narasimha avatar, the hum-animal hybrid incarnation of Lord Vishnu
. The idea of the second coming of Christ sounds very much like the concept of reincarnation, which lies at the heart of Hinduism.
How is The Second Coming a prophetic poem?
As the title of the poem suggests, Yeats poem is a prophetic poem that clearly shows Christ’s second return to the earth after the world has been engulfed in sin and sorrow. The writer uses imagery to create a sense of waiting and arouse the readers interest in what is the second coming. …
What is the irony in the Second Coming?
Irony:
A sphinx isn’t a Christian symbol
. Seems to be pitiless and malevolent , the Second coming is supposed to be benevolent! Desert Landscape: signifies that new era is one that is lifeless and dry.
What is the point of view of the Second Coming?
Yeats wrote “The Second Coming” in 1919 during a transitory period after World War I. … “The Second Coming,” zooms in on the chaos and “mere anarchy [that] is loosed upon the world” (4). The speaker’s involvement begins as objective, detailing the narrative, then shifts to
a subjective point of view
.
What images can be found in the Second Coming?
Two important images that occur early in William Butler Yeats ‘s poem concern the falcon and the gyre.
The bird is in flight but separated from its handler
. Later in the poem, another bird is reeling through the skies; the desert bird is “indignant,” perhaps referring to the sound of…
