Introduction: “The Second Coming” by W.B. Yeats
“The Second Coming” by W.B. Yeats, which first appeared in 1920 as part of his collection The Tower, captures the disintegration of societal and spiritual order, presenting a bleak vision of chaos and transformation. Central to the poem is Yeats’s use of the gyre, a symbol of cyclical history, to illustrate how “Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold,” foretelling the collapse of established norms and the rise of a new, ominous era. Its imagery is striking and apocalyptic, with phrases like “the blood-dimmed tide is loosed” and “what rough beast, its hour come round at last, slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?” invoking powerful visions of societal upheaval and a monstrous rebirth. The poem’s popularity as a textbook staple lies in its timeless exploration of historical cycles, human frailty, and the uncertainty of the future, making it a poignant reflection of modern anxieties across generations.
Text: “The Second Coming” by W.B. Yeats
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,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity.
Surely some revelation is at hand;
Surely the Second Coming is at hand.
The Second Coming! Hardly are those words out
When a vast image out of Spiritus Mundi
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.
The darkness drops again; but now I know
That twenty centuries of stony sleep
Were vexed to nightmare by a rocking cradle,
And what rough beast, its hour come round at last,
Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?
Annotations: “The Second Coming” by W.B. Yeats
| Line | Annotation |
| Turning and turning in the widening gyre | Refers to Yeats’s concept of the gyre, representing historical cycles spiraling outward. The “widening” indicates a loss of control and impending chaos. |
| The falcon cannot hear the falconer; | Symbolizes the breakdown of authority and communication. The falcon, traditionally tethered to its master, is now lost, reflecting societal fragmentation. |
| Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold; | Suggests the collapse of central authority or moral order, a pivotal theme in the poem. This line has become a metaphor for chaos and instability. |
| Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world, | “Mere anarchy” implies a complete dissolution of order, with destructive forces overwhelming civilization. |
| The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere | Evokes violent imagery of war and destruction, possibly referencing the aftermath of World War I or future conflicts. |
| The ceremony of innocence is drowned; | Suggests the loss of innocence and morality, as purity is overtaken by chaos and violence. |
| The best lack all conviction, while the worst | Critiques societal paralysis, where virtuous people are passive, and the wicked act with fervent zeal, exacerbating disorder. |
| Are full of passionate intensity. | Highlights the dangerous fervor of destructive individuals, furthering the sense of an unbalanced and chaotic world. |
| Surely some revelation is at hand; | Reflects the expectation of a prophetic event or divine intervention amid the chaos. |
| Surely the Second Coming is at hand. | Suggests an apocalyptic event reminiscent of Christ’s prophesied return, though the tone foreshadows a darker transformation. |
| The Second Coming! Hardly are those words out | The repetition underscores urgency and inevitability, though the exclamation belies the ominous nature of what is to come. |
| When a vast image out of Spiritus Mundi | Refers to Yeats’s mystical concept of the collective unconscious (“Spiritus Mundi”), which inspires visions of a grim and mysterious figure. |
| Troubles my sight: somewhere in sands of the desert | Introduces a desolate and primal setting for the vision, evoking biblical and mythological connotations. |
| A shape with lion body and the head of a man, | Describes a sphinx-like creature, a monstrous hybrid symbolizing a new, terrifying order. |
| A gaze blank and pitiless as the sun, | The creature’s “blank and pitiless” gaze suggests inhumanity and indifference, intensifying the sense of dread. |
| Is moving its slow thighs, while all about it | The slow movement implies a deliberate, unstoppable force, emphasizing the inevitability of its emergence. |
| Reel shadows of the indignant desert birds. | Describes scavenging birds, possibly symbolizing death and decay, circling around the monstrous figure. |
| The darkness drops again; but now I know | The “darkness” symbolizes ignorance or foreboding, temporarily lifted for the speaker’s revelation. |
| That twenty centuries of stony sleep | Refers to the two millennia since Christ’s birth, during which humanity has been stagnant, as if in a “stony sleep.” |
| Were vexed to nightmare by a rocking cradle, | The “rocking cradle” signifies a new, ominous birth, disturbing the fragile balance of civilization. |
| And what rough beast, its hour come round at last, | The “rough beast” represents a monstrous, destructive force or entity destined to emerge, disrupting the old order. |
| Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born? | Contrasts Christ’s peaceful birth in Bethlehem with the slow, menacing approach of this apocalyptic creature, marking a grim transformation in human history. |
Literary And Poetic Devices: “The Second Coming” by W.B. Yeats
| Device | Example | Explanation |
| Allusion | “The Second Coming is at hand” | References the biblical concept of Christ’s return, but subverts it to suggest an apocalyptic and destructive force instead. |
| Anaphora | “Surely some revelation is at hand; Surely the Second Coming is at hand.” | The repetition of “Surely” at the start of consecutive lines emphasizes inevitability and builds dramatic tension. |
| Antithesis | “The best lack all conviction, while the worst are full of passionate intensity.” | Contrasts the inaction of the virtuous with the zeal of the wicked, highlighting societal imbalance. |
| Apostrophe | “The Second Coming! Hardly are those words out” | Directly addresses the concept of the Second Coming, personifying it as though it were a being. |
| Consonance | “Turning and turning in the widening gyre” | The repetition of the “n” sound creates a flowing rhythm and mirrors the circular motion of the gyre. |
| Diction | “The blood-dimmed tide is loosed” | The choice of violent and vivid words like “blood-dimmed” creates a grim and apocalyptic tone. |
| Enjambment | “The falcon cannot hear the falconer; Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;” | The continuation of thought across lines without punctuation mimics chaos and disintegration. |
| Epiphany | “But now I know that twenty centuries of stony sleep” | The speaker experiences a moment of realization about the dark forces at play and the inevitability of transformation. |
| Imagery | “A shape with lion body and the head of a man” | Evokes a vivid and terrifying image of the monstrous figure emerging in the vision. |
| Irony | “The Second Coming is at hand” | While the phrase traditionally connotes hope, Yeats uses it to describe a destructive, apocalyptic event, subverting expectations. |
| Metaphor | “The blood-dimmed tide is loosed” | The “tide” metaphorically represents the unstoppable wave of violence and anarchy overwhelming the world. |
| Oxymoron | “Mere anarchy” | The juxtaposition of “mere” (suggesting simplicity) with “anarchy” (chaos) emphasizes the severity of the disorder. |
| Personification | “What rough beast…slouches towards Bethlehem” | The “rough beast” is personified with human traits like slouching, symbolizing an emerging apocalyptic force. |
| Symbolism | “The falcon cannot hear the falconer” | The falcon and falconer symbolize the breakdown of control and authority, representing societal disintegration. |
| Synecdoche | “The centre cannot hold” | The “centre” represents central authority or core values of society, whose collapse causes chaos. |
| Tone | “The best lack all conviction, while the worst are full of passionate intensity” | The tone is foreboding and critical, highlighting the speaker’s despair over societal collapse. |
| Understatement | “Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world” | The word “mere” understates the gravity of the chaos being described, adding irony. |
| Visionary Imagery | “Spiritus Mundi…a gaze blank and pitiless as the sun” | The poem uses mystical and prophetic imagery to convey an otherworldly, apocalyptic vision. |
| Widening Gyre | “Turning and turning in the widening gyre” | A recurring motif in Yeats’s work, the gyre symbolizes historical cycles and the inevitable collapse of current systems. |
| Zeugma | “The darkness drops again; but now I know” | Combines a literal and metaphorical meaning of “darkness,” signifying both physical and intellectual obscurity. |
Themes: “The Second Coming” by W.B. Yeats
1. Chaos and Societal Disintegration: One of the central themes in “The Second Coming” is the breakdown of societal and moral order, encapsulated in the line, “Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold; Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world.” Yeats uses vivid imagery to depict a world spiraling out of control, with no central authority or moral compass to maintain balance. The metaphor of the falcon, which “cannot hear the falconer,” symbolizes the loss of control and direction, both individually and collectively. The phrase “the ceremony of innocence is drowned” suggests the destruction of purity and values, as chaos overtakes civilization. This theme resonates with the post-World War I context of the poem, reflecting Yeats’s perception of a world crumbling under the weight of violence, instability, and fragmentation.
2. Historical Cycles and Inevitable Change: Yeats’s concept of the gyre—a spiral representing the cyclical nature of history—is crucial to the poem’s exploration of inevitable change and transformation. The “widening gyre” reflects the expansion of historical cycles to a breaking point, suggesting that one era is ending while another begins. The line “Surely some revelation is at hand; Surely the Second Coming is at hand” underscores Yeats’s belief in an impending transformative event, but instead of a hopeful renewal, he anticipates a darker, more destructive force. This cyclical vision of history is reinforced by the “Spiritus Mundi,” a collective unconscious that foretells the emergence of “what rough beast, its hour come round at last.” Yeats views these cycles as inevitable, driven by forces beyond human control.
3. The Loss of Faith and Morality: The poem explores the erosion of faith, morality, and human conviction in a time of crisis. The line “The best lack all conviction, while the worst are full of passionate intensity” highlights this moral vacuum, where those with virtuous intentions are paralyzed by doubt, while destructive forces rise with fervent zeal. This contrast paints a bleak picture of a world where traditional moral structures are collapsing, leaving a void filled by chaos and extremism. The reference to “Mere anarchy” further underscores this loss, as it signifies not only political disorder but also the collapse of ethical and spiritual foundations. Yeats’s lamentation reflects his concern about humanity’s inability to uphold values in the face of modern challenges.
4. Apocalypse and the Birth of a New Era: The apocalyptic imagery in “The Second Coming” reflects Yeats’s vision of a catastrophic end to the current order, giving way to an ominous new era. The poem’s title and recurring references to the Second Coming evoke the biblical prophecy of Christ’s return, but Yeats subverts this expectation with the arrival of a “rough beast”—a symbol of primal, destructive forces. The beast, described as having “a gaze blank and pitiless as the sun” and “slouching towards Bethlehem to be born,” signifies the birth of a monstrous, apocalyptic age. The poem’s final image, where “twenty centuries of stony sleep were vexed to nightmare,” reinforces the idea of history culminating in a dreadful transformation, marking the end of an old world and the emergence of a dark, uncertain future.
Literary Theories and “The Second Coming” by W.B. Yeats
| Literary Theory | Application to “The Second Coming” | References from the Poem |
| Modernism | Reflects the fragmented and chaotic worldview of post-World War I society. The breakdown of traditional structures aligns with Modernist themes. | “Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;” encapsulates the disintegration of societal norms, a key concern in Modernism. |
| Postcolonial Theory | Explores the collapse of imperial power and the consequences of colonialism, as global structures falter and new, unsettling forces rise. | “Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world;” can symbolize the destabilization of colonial empires and the ensuing disorder. |
| Psychoanalytic Theory | Examines the collective unconscious, represented by Yeats’s “Spiritus Mundi,” and humanity’s fears of transformation and destruction. | “A vast image out of Spiritus Mundi troubles my sight” reflects Jungian archetypes and the fears embedded in the psyche. |
| Apocalyptic Criticism | Analyzes the eschatological and prophetic elements, focusing on the end of an era and the birth of a monstrous new order. | “What rough beast, its hour come round at last, slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?” depicts an apocalyptic new beginning. |
Critical Questions about “The Second Coming” by W.B. Yeats
1. How does “The Second Coming” reflect Yeats’s view of historical cycles?
Yeats’s concept of the gyre, a spiral symbolizing historical cycles, is central to understanding “The Second Coming.” The opening line, “Turning and turning in the widening gyre,” suggests a spiraling out of control, with history reaching a breaking point. For Yeats, history is not linear but cyclical, with each era destined to collapse and give way to a new one. The “widening gyre” indicates that the forces holding the current world order together are disintegrating, creating space for an inevitable transformation. This cyclical vision is reinforced by the prophetic tone in “Surely the Second Coming is at hand,” where Yeats anticipates a moment of profound upheaval. The final image of the “rough beast, its hour come round at last, slouches towards Bethlehem to be born,” encapsulates the poet’s belief in the emergence of a new, ominous age, driven by the collapse of the old order.
2. How does Yeats portray the collapse of morality and order in “The Second Coming”?
Yeats portrays the collapse of morality and order through vivid and unsettling imagery. The line “Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;” symbolizes the disintegration of societal structures, with the “centre” representing authority, morality, or a guiding principle. The subsequent “Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,” evokes a world overrun by chaos, where established norms and values have given way to disorder. This moral breakdown is further emphasized in “The best lack all conviction, while the worst are full of passionate intensity,” contrasting the paralysis of virtuous individuals with the destructive zeal of those who thrive on chaos. Yeats’s apocalyptic vision reflects his fear that humanity has lost its ethical compass, leaving the world vulnerable to the rise of destructive forces.
3. What role does symbolism play in “The Second Coming”?
Symbolism is a powerful tool in “The Second Coming,” used to convey complex ideas about change, destruction, and rebirth. The falcon and falconer in the line “The falcon cannot hear the falconer;” symbolize the breakdown of control, whether personal, societal, or spiritual. The “blood-dimmed tide” represents the overwhelming violence and chaos engulfing the world. Perhaps the most potent symbol is the “rough beast” with “lion body and the head of a man,” evoking a sphinx-like figure that represents a terrifying new order. Its “blank and pitiless” gaze suggests an inhuman force devoid of compassion. These symbols collectively create an apocalyptic atmosphere, emphasizing Yeats’s vision of an inevitable and unsettling transformation.
4. How does Yeats use language to evoke an apocalyptic tone in “The Second Coming”?
Yeats’s language in “The Second Coming” is rich with imagery and diction that evoke an apocalyptic tone. Words like “anarchy,” “blood-dimmed tide,” and “the ceremony of innocence is drowned” create a sense of destruction and moral decay. The repetition in “Surely some revelation is at hand; Surely the Second Coming is at hand,” emphasizes the inevitability of a transformative event, building tension and foreboding. The description of the “rough beast” with “a gaze blank and pitiless as the sun” further intensifies this tone, presenting a vision of a monstrous, indifferent force. The closing question, “Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?” leaves readers with a chilling sense of dread, suggesting that what is to come will redefine history in dark and unpredictable ways.
Literary Works Similar to “The Second Coming” by W.B. Yeats
- “Ozymandias” by Percy Bysshe Shelley
Similar in its exploration of the impermanence of power and civilization, it depicts the inevitable decay of human achievements. - “Dover Beach” by Matthew Arnold
Shares a tone of existential despair and reflects on the loss of faith and stability in a changing world. - “The Hollow Men” by T.S. Eliot
Resonates with Yeats’s apocalyptic themes and the portrayal of a spiritually and morally disintegrated humanity. - “Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came” by Robert Browning
Similar in its dark and foreboding imagery, it conveys a journey toward an uncertain and ominous destiny. - “Kubla Khan” by Samuel Taylor Coleridge
Both poems delve into visionary and mystical imagery, exploring the tension between creation and destruction in an otherworldly realm.
Representative Quotations of “The Second Coming” by W.B. Yeats
| Quotation | Context | Theoretical Perspective |
| “Turning and turning in the widening gyre” | Introduces Yeats’s concept of the gyre, symbolizing historical cycles spiraling out of control. | Modernism: Reflects the fragmentation and instability of the modern world. |
| “The falcon cannot hear the falconer;” | Symbolizes the breakdown of communication and control between guiding forces and individuals. | Psychoanalytic Theory: Represents a loss of connection to authority or the unconscious self. |
| “Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;” | Suggests societal and moral collapse as structures of stability disintegrate. | Structuralism: Highlights the collapse of central systems, leading to disorder. |
| “Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,” | Evokes a vision of chaotic upheaval overtaking civilization. | Postcolonial Theory: Can symbolize the destabilization of colonial empires and their consequences. |
| “The ceremony of innocence is drowned;” | Depicts the destruction of purity and moral values amidst rising chaos. | Moral Philosophy: Critiques the erosion of ethical and spiritual values. |
| “The best lack all conviction, while the worst are full of passionate intensity.” | Contrasts moral paralysis with destructive zeal, emphasizing societal imbalance. | Political Criticism: Reflects on the failure of leaders and the rise of extremist forces. |
| “Surely some revelation is at hand;” | Expresses the inevitability of a transformative, apocalyptic event. | Religious Criticism: Alludes to biblical prophecy, reframed in a dark, secular context. |
| “A shape with lion body and the head of a man,” | Describes a sphinx-like beast, symbolizing a monstrous and inevitable new era. | Symbolism: Represents the emergence of an apocalyptic and primal force. |
| “A gaze blank and pitiless as the sun,” | Portrays the beast as indifferent and inhuman, devoid of empathy or morality. | Existentialism: Highlights the uncaring and indifferent nature of cosmic forces. |
| “What rough beast, its hour come round at last, slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?” | Concludes the poem with a chilling vision of a destructive new order being born. | Apocalyptic Criticism: Suggests a grim reinterpretation of the Second Coming, marking the end of one era and the birth of another. |
Suggested Readings: “The Second Coming” by W.B. Yeats
- Deane, Seamus. “‘The Second Coming’: Coming Second; Coming in a Second.” Irish University Review, vol. 22, no. 1, 1992, pp. 92–100. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/25484467. Accessed 6 Jan. 2025.
- Winters, Yvor. “The Poetry of W. B. Yeats.” Twentieth Century Literature, vol. 6, no. 1, 1960, pp. 3–24. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/440954. Accessed 6 Jan. 2025.
- Stallworthy, Jon. “The Poet as Archaeologist: W. B. Yeats and Seamus Heaney.” The Review of English Studies, vol. 33, no. 130, 1982, pp. 158–74. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/517203. Accessed 6 Jan. 2025.
- Vannini, Simona. “Echoes of the Ancestors: Literary Reverberations in Yeats’s ‘The Second Coming.'” The Canadian Journal of Irish Studies, vol. 25, no. 1/2, 1999, pp. 323–36. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/25515278. Accessed 6 Jan. 2025.