General Introduction
The Second Coming is one of the most remembered poems of William Butler Yeats. The poem, at first, appeared in The Dial in November 1920. Yeats initially used the title of "The Second Birth" but later changed it to broaden the scope of interpretation of this poem.
The poem is written to showcase the anarchy caused by the aftermaths of World War First. The poem also features the independence of Ireland from England. Although the title of this poem may give it a clear Christian outlook, but the poet has added political meanings to it.
Development of Situation
The poem takes its shape from the announcement of the lost falcon which has no idea about its master. In the fourth line, the scene changes at once to the prevailing anarchy of the time Yeats was writing about:
The ceremony of innocence is drowned
The good ones have lost their passion while the bad people have been using their enthusiasm to carry out their bad work.
Keeping the chaotic account of his day, the poet is hopeful that The Second Coming is on the horizon somewhere. But his vision is troubled by the monarchy of darkness. Then in the third stanza, the addressor asks a rhetorical question that is a beast on the way to Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus.
Themes
The poem mostly contains the religious theme of (sham) salvation through the second coming of Jesus but this religious theme is wrapped in the political and social theme of the decline of values and control over it. The poem gives a bleak impression upon the progress of the human civilization. Rather the progress has resulted in utter anarchy due to the mass murder of humans in the global catastrophe of World War First. Yeats suggests that the time for humans is up. Their progress is nothing but an illusion. Things have really "fallen apart".
The second prominent theme of this poem is the rejection of Christian morality. In Christianity, it is written that when humanity shall reach to the level of utter anarchy, Jesus will come to save them. But this did not happen when almost the whole world was in utter devastation and they had crossed all possible moral boundaries in the World War. The poet saw no Christ but darkness approaching at a faster pace.
Figurative Analysis
Although the poem is short. But the figurative beauty it contains is significant. The poet has utilized a handful of metaphors to make this poem more appealing to the readers. The metaphor of "falcon" is used for the world while the "falconer" is used for the force(s) controlling it. While the "rough beast" is a metaphor of the second coming. The poet has also used hyperbole or exaggeration to give emphasis on the sudden arrival of the beast (of darkness) by saying,
Surely the Second Coming is at hand,
The poem also contains symbols and allusions. "Desert birds" is the symbol of approaching death. While The Second Coming symbolizes the upcoming indifference and even the World War Second. While the allusion of "Spiritus Mundi" refers to World's Soul in Latin. While The Second Coming is a biblical allusion to the Return of Christ.
Setting and Imagery
The setting of this poem is the whole world. While the time indirectly hints at the post-war period. The images used in this poem fill us, the readers, with the horror of something deadly approaching in a few moments. The images may include like, "A shape with lion body and the head of a man", "somewhere in sands of the desert", "Is moving its slow thighs", "The falcon cannot hear the falconer", and "The darkness drops again".
Structural Analysis
The poem is made of twenty-two lines. Divided into two stanzas of eight and fourteen lines. The rhyme scheme of this poem is ABBA CDDC that is repeated throughout the poem. While the rhythmic pattern of this lyrical poem is iambic pentameter.
Conclusion
The Second Coming is truly a modernist poem, reflecting on the dismal atmosphere characterized by the disbelieve in religious morality.
