description The Second Coming Overview
W.B. Yeats’ “The Second Coming” is a seminal modernist poem published in 1919. It explores themes of societal collapse and spiritual uncertainty through vivid imagery, notably the approaching "rough beast." Written during a period of immense global upheaval following World War I and the Irish Revolution, the poem anticipates a profound transformation. It remains relevant for those interested in literature, history, and philosophical reflections on faith and humanity's future.
help The Second Coming FAQ
What historical events inspired W.B. Yeats to write "The Second Coming"?
Yeats wrote the poem in 1919 in the direct aftermath of World War I and the beginning of the Irish War of Independence. The immense violence and political instability of the era heavily influenced his apocalyptic imagery.
What famous phrase from this poem did Chinua Achebe use as a book title?
Chinua Achebe used the phrase "Things fall apart" as the title for his classic 1958 novel. The line reflects the poem's central theme of societal collapse and the breakdown of order.
What is the "rough beast" described in the final lines of the poem?
The rough beast is a terrifying, sphinx-like creature with a lion's body and the head of a man. It symbolizes a terrifying new epoch of violence and chaos slouching toward Bethlehem to be born.
What is the "widening gyre" mentioned at the beginning of the poem?
The gyre refers to Yeats's complex historical and mystical theory that history operates in spiraling cycles of roughly 2,000 years. He believed the Christian era was ending and spinning out of control, making way for a new, darker age.
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