The Second Coming by William Butler Yeats | The Second Coming | William Butler Yeats | Explanation | Summary | Key Points | Word Meaning | Critical Appreciation | Questions Answers | Free PDF Download – Easy Literary Lessons
The Second Coming
(William Butler 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?
line-by-line explanation of the poem
Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Explanation: The image of the falcon flying in ever-widening circles and losing touch with its handler symbolizes a loss of control and a breakdown of communication between guiding principles and the world. This reflects the disintegration of societal structures and order.
Poetic devices
Symbolism: The falcon and falconer symbolize order and control. The falcon flying out of hearing range represents the breakdown of this control.
Imagery: The image of the falcon in a widening gyre creates a visual representation of chaos and loss of direction.
Paradox: The falcon’s inability to hear its own master disrupts the natural order.
Enjambment: The line continues without pause, emphasizing the relentless turning.
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Explanation: This line suggests that the core or foundation of society is collapsing. The “centre” represents stability and order, which are now failing, leading to chaos and fragmentation.
Poetic Device
Chiasmus: The reversal of words (“fall apart” and “centre cannot hold”) creates balance and tension.
Metaphor: “Centre” represents stability or societal cohesion. “The centre cannot hold” serves as a metaphor for the collapse of societal and moral structures.
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
Explanation: Anarchy, characterized by disorder and violence, is spreading globally. The “blood-dimmed tide” indicates widespread bloodshed and destruction. The “ceremony of innocence” being drowned symbolizes the loss of purity, morality, and civilized behavior.
Poetic Device
Visual Imagery: The “blood-dimmed tide” evokes violence and destruction.
Symbolism: “Ceremony of innocence” represents purity or order.
Enjambment: The lines flow together, emphasizing the relentless upheaval.
The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity.
Explanation: In this chaotic world, those who are morally good or wise are uncertain and inactive, whereas those who are wicked or fanatical are fervent and forceful. This contrast underscores the dangers of moral apathy and the rise of dangerous ideologies.
Poetic Device
Antithesis: The contrast between “the best” who lack conviction and “the worst” who are intensely passionate highlights the moral imbalance in the world.
Irony: The best lack conviction despite their virtues.
Surely some revelation is at hand;
Surely the Second Coming is at hand.
Explanation: The speaker anticipates a significant revelation or divine intervention, specifically the “Second Coming,” a reference to the return of Christ as prophesied in Christian eschatology. This suggests a moment of profound change or judgment is imminent.
Poetic Device
Symploce: The combination of anaphora and epiphora (that is, the repetition of words or phrases at both the beginning and end of successive clauses) is called symploce.
Allusion: “The Second Coming” alludes to Christian eschatology, specifically the anticipated return of Christ.
The Second Coming!
Explanation: The exclamation emphasizes the urgency and magnitude of this anticipated event. It marks a turning point in the poem, shifting from describing chaos to contemplating what will emerge from it.
Poetic Device
Exclamation: The use of an exclamation mark adds emphasis and urgency to the declaration, indicating a significant and dramatic event.
Biblical Allusion: Refers to the return of Christ.
Hardly are those words out
When a vast image out of Spiritus Mundi
Troubles my sight:
Explanation: As soon as the speaker mentions the Second Coming, a troubling vision appears from “Spiritus Mundi,” the collective spirit or world soul. This vision suggests a profound, possibly ominous, collective experience or revelation.
Poetic Device
Caesura: The pause after “out” creates a dramatic effect, marking a sudden shift to the visionary experience.
Allusion: “Spiritus Mundi” refers to the collective soul of the world, suggesting a universal, shared vision or archetype.
Imagery: The “vast image” evokes a strong visual impression, preparing the reader for the coming description.
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.
Explanation: The speaker describes a monstrous figure with a lion’s body and a man’s head in a desert, symbolizing a powerful and inhuman force. Its “blank and pitiless” gaze suggests a lack of compassion. The slow movement and the circling birds create a sense of dread and impending doom.
Poetic Device
Imagery: The detailed description of the beast with a lion’s body and a man’s head creates a vivid and unsettling picture.
Simile: “A gaze blank and pitiless as the sun” compares the creature’s gaze to the sun, emphasizing its merciless nature.
Symbolism: The beast symbolizes a new, ominous force emerging from chaos.
Personification: The shadows of the desert birds are described as “indignant,” attributing human emotions to them.
The darkness drops again; but now I know
That twenty centuries of stony sleep
Were vexed to nightmare by a rocking cradle,
Explanation: As darkness returns, the speaker realizes that two thousand years of relative stability (since the birth of Christ) have been disturbed by this new, nightmarish force. The “rocking cradle” signifies the birth of something new and terrible, disrupting the long period of calm.
Poetic Device
Alliteration: The repetition of the “d” sound in “darkness drops” adds a rhythmic quality to the line.
Metaphor: “Twenty centuries of stony sleep” metaphorically describes a long period of dormancy or stability.
Paradox: The juxtaposition of “stony sleep” and “rocking cradle” contrasts the inert past with the disturbing present.
Personification: The centuries are described as being “vexed to nightmare,” attributing them human-like reactions.
And what rough beast, its hour come round at last,
Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?
Explanation: The “rough beast” represents this new, malevolent force whose time has come. Its slow, deliberate movement towards Bethlehem (the birthplace of Christ) suggests the birth of a new era, one that is dark and foreboding, in contrast to the hopeful promise of the original nativity.
Poetic Device
Rhetorical Question: The question invites the reader to ponder the nature of the emerging force.
Symbolism: The “rough beast” symbolizes a new and troubling era.
Personification: The beast “slouches,” giving it a human-like movement that conveys a sense of inevitability and menace.
Allusion: “Bethlehem” alludes to the birthplace of Christ, creating a contrast between the hope of the first nativity and the dread of this new birth.
Summary
“The Second Coming” by William Butler Yeats was first published in 1920 in the journal The Dial. It later appeared in his collection The Tower, published in 1928. The poem reflects the post-World War I atmosphere of disillusionment and uncertainty, capturing the sense of a world in upheaval and transition.
“The Second Coming” opens with a powerful image of a falcon flying in widening circles, losing contact with its falconer. This symbolizes the breakdown of order and control, suggesting that society is spiraling into chaos. The central idea is emphasized with the line “Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold,” indicating the collapse of traditional structures and norms. Yeats uses the metaphor of a “widening gyre” to illustrate the expanding chaos and the disintegration of the stable world order.
As the poem progresses, Yeats describes a world where “mere anarchy is loosed” and “the blood-dimmed tide is loosed,” evoking a sense of pervasive violence and disorder. Innocence is overwhelmed by this chaos, as “the ceremony of innocence is drowned.” The contrast between “the best” who lack conviction and “the worst” who are “full of passionate intensity” underscores the moral and ethical inversion occurring in society. Those who should be guiding and protecting society are passive, while those who are destructive are fervent and active.
The poem takes a prophetic turn with the mention of the “Second Coming.” Yeats envisions a revelation that is not a return of Christ, but the birth of a monstrous force from the “Spiritus Mundi,” a collective soul or universal consciousness. The imagery shifts to a desert where a “shape with lion body and the head of a man” is seen, symbolizing a new era that is both terrifying and inevitable. This beast, with its “gaze blank and pitiless as the sun,” represents a formidable and indifferent force moving inexorably towards Bethlehem, the birthplace of Christ.
In the concluding lines, Yeats reflects on the “twenty centuries of stony sleep” since Christ’s birth, now disturbed by a “rocking cradle.” The poem ends with a chilling rhetorical question: “And what rough beast, its hour come round at last, slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?” This suggests that a new, ominous epoch is dawning, marked by uncertainty and dread. Yeats’s vision of the future is one of impending doom, where the old world order is replaced by a monstrous new force, heralding a period of darkness and turmoil.
Key Points
Author:
William Butler Yeats: An Irish poet, playwright, and Nobel laureate (1865–1939).
Yeats was deeply influenced by Irish mythology, mysticism, and historical events.
Form (Rhyme Scheme):
The poem is written in blank verse, which means it has a consistent meter (iambic pentameter) but no rhyme scheme.
It consists of 22 lines divided into two stanzas.
The second stanza has 14 lines, making it the same length as a sonnet.
Speaker:
The speaker is an unnamed first-person narrator who observes the world and speculates on what’s to come.
We don’t know specific details about the speaker’s age, race, class, or gender identity.
The perspective is often attributed to Yeats himself, reflecting his concerns about societal upheaval.
Setting:
The poem doesn’t specify a particular time or place.
However, it captures the post-World War I era, marked by turmoil, disillusionment, and uncertainty.
Theme:
Transformation and Chaos: The poem takes place during a momentous transition from one world order to another.
Tumultuous Change: The widening gyre symbolizes disorientation and collapse.
Fear of the Unknown: The speaker’s dim vision of the future creates urgency and fear.
Metaphysical Unity: Despite chaos, the world is held together by some metaphysical force.
Plot:
The poem describes a world falling apart, where chaos reigns.
The speaker receives a vision of the future, replacing Jesus’s heroic return with a grotesque beast.
The unknown nature of this vision adds to its terror.
Tone:
The tone is ominous, urgent, and unsettling.
It conveys a sense of impending catastrophe and existential anxiety.
Style:
Yeats uses symbolism, drawing from his theory of “gyres” (interpenetrating spirals) representing cycles of history.
The poem blends mysticism, mythology, and social commentary.
The enigmatic ending leaves room for interpretation.
Message:
The poem suggests that the world is undergoing a profound transformation.
The arrival of a mysterious creature replaces traditional religious expectations.
Uncertainty and fear characterize this tumultuous period.
William Butler Yeats
Early Years and Background:
Birth: William Butler Yeats (1865–1939) was born in Sandymount, Dublin, Ireland.
Family: His father, John Butler Yeats, was a successful portrait painter, and his mother, Susan Mary Pollexfen, came from a wealthy merchant family.
Cultural Roots: Yeats belonged to the Protestant, Anglo-Irish minority that had controlled Ireland’s economic, political, social, and cultural life since the 17th century.
Childhood: He spent childhood holidays in County Sligo, where he developed a fascination with Irish legends and the occult.
Literary Career and Irish Literary Revival:
Irish Literary Revival: Yeats was a driving force behind the Irish Literary Revival, which sought to promote Irish culture, folklore, and legends.
Abbey Theatre: Along with Lady Gregory, he founded the Abbey Theatre, serving as its chief during its early years.
Nobel Prize: In 1923, he received the Nobel Prize in Literature for his significant contributions to poetry.
Themes and Style:
National Identity: Yeats celebrated Irish culture, myths, and legends in his works.
Spirituality and Mysticism: His interest in the divine, fate, and historical determinism influenced his poetry.
Art and Politics: Yeats believed art and politics were intertwined, using poetry to critique and educate.
Notable Poems:
“The Lake Isle of Innisfree”: A longing for peace and tranquility on an uninhabited island.
“When You Are Old”: Reflection on lost love and the passage of time.
“Sailing to Byzantium”: A quest for immortality through art.
Unique Spiritual System:
Yeats developed a complex system of spirituality, emphasizing fate and historical determinism.
His interlocking gyres symbolized the development and reincarnation of the soul.
The divine, whether literal or abstract, played a crucial role in his poetry.
Legacy and Impact:
Yeats’s poetry resonates with readers worldwide.
His exploration of love, nature, and history continues to inspire generations.
His influence extends beyond Ireland, making him one of the greatest poets of the 20th century.
Word Meaning
| Tough Word | Meaning in English | Meaning in Hindi |
| Gyre | A spiral or circular motion, often representing cycles of history | सर्पिल या वृत्ताकार गति |
| Falcon | A bird of prey with a long, pointed wings | बाज, शिकारी पक्षी |
| Falconer | A person who trains and hunts with falcons | बाज़ पालने वाला |
| Mere | Pure and simple; nothing more than | मात्र, केवल |
| Anarchy | A state of disorder due to absence of authority | अराजकता, अव्यवस्था |
| Blood-dimmed tide | A metaphor for widespread violence and bloodshed | रक्त से धूमिल ज्वार |
| Ceremony of innocence | Rituals or symbols of purity and moral goodness | मासूमियत का संस्कार |
| Conviction | Firm belief or opinion | दृढ़ विश्वास |
| Passionate intensity | Strong and intense emotion | प्रबल तीव्रता |
| Revelation | A surprising and previously unknown fact | रहस्योद्घाटन, प्रकट |
| Second coming | The anticipated return of Christ to Earth | दूसरा आगमन |
| Spiritus mundi | World spirit or collective unconscious | विश्व आत्मा |
| Gaze | A steady or intent look | टकटकी, दृष्टि |
| Pitiless | Showing no pity; cruel | निर्दयी, निष्ठुर |
| Reel shadows | Unsteady, moving shadows | घूर्णन छायाएँ |
| Indignant | Feeling or showing anger or annoyance at perceived unfairness | क्रोधित, आक्रोशित |
| Stony sleep | Deep, heavy, or prolonged sleep | गहरी नींद |
| Vexed | Annoyed, frustrated, or worried | परेशान, चिंतित |
| Rocking cradle | A metaphor for disturbance from birth | डगमगाने वाला पालना |
| Rough beast | A monstrous or ominous creature | भयानक जानवर |
| Slouches | Moves or walks with a stooping posture | धीमे-धीमे चलता है |
| Bethlehem | The birthplace of Jesus Christ | बेथलहम (ईसा मसीह का जन्मस्थान) |
Very Short Answer Questions
What is the central metaphor of the poem?
The widening gyre.
What does the falcon symbolize?
The human spirit losing control.
What breaks down in the opening lines of the poem?
The connection between the falcon and the falconer.
What does “Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold” signify?
Societal collapse and disorder.
What is loosed upon the world according to the poem?
Mere anarchy and the blood-dimmed tide.
What drowns the ceremony of innocence?
Anarchy and violence.
How are the best and the worst described in the poem?
The best lack conviction, while the worst are full of passionate intensity.
What does the speaker anticipate is at hand?
A revelation and the Second Coming.
What image troubles the speaker’s sight from Spiritus Mundi?
A shape with a lion body and a human head.
What is the gaze of the rough beast described as?
Blank and pitiless as the sun.
Where is the rough beast moving?
Towards Bethlehem.
What period of time is referred to by “twenty centuries of stony sleep”?
The two thousand years since the birth of Christ.
What literary device is used in “the blood-dimmed tide is loosed”?
Metaphor.
What historical context influenced Yeats in writing the poem?
The aftermath of World War I.
What does the rough beast symbolize?
The emergence of a new, ominous era.
What tone dominates the poem?
Ominous and foreboding.
What form of imagery is prevalent in the poem?
Dark and apocalyptic imagery.
What is the poem’s rhyme scheme?
Irregular and varied.
What does the phrase “Spiritus Mundi” refer to?
The world spirit or collective unconscious.
Quotes suggesting resistance to change?
“The center cannot hold.”
Short Answer Questions
What is the significance of the falcon and falconer imagery in the poem?
The falcon and falconer imagery symbolizes the loss of control and the breakdown of communication between guiding principles and the world. As the falcon flies in widening circles and loses contact with the falconer, it represents the chaos and fragmentation of society, indicating that traditional structures and authorities are no longer effective.
How does Yeats use the concept of a “gyre” in the poem?
Yeats uses the concept of a “gyre,” or a spiral, to depict the cyclical nature of history and the expansion of chaos. The widening gyre suggests a world spinning out of control, moving further away from the center, which symbolizes order and stability. This reflects Yeats’s belief in historical cycles and the inevitability of societal collapse and rebirth.
What does the phrase “Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold” imply about the state of the world?
This phrase implies that the foundational structures and principles that hold society together are disintegrating. The center, representing stability and order, can no longer maintain coherence, leading to a breakdown of social and moral order. It suggests a world in chaos, where established norms and values are collapsing.
Explain the significance of the “blood-dimmed tide” and the “ceremony of innocence is drowned” in the poem.
The “blood-dimmed tide” signifies widespread violence and bloodshed, creating a sense of pervasive destruction. The drowning of the “ceremony of innocence” indicates the loss of purity, morality, and civilized behavior. Together, these images highlight the chaotic and violent state of the world, where innocence and order are overwhelmed by anarchy and brutality.
How does Yeats contrast “the best” and “the worst” in the poem?
Yeats contrasts “the best” and “the worst” by describing the best as lacking conviction and the worst as being full of passionate intensity. This contrast underscores a moral imbalance where those who are wise or morally good are uncertain and inactive, while those who are wicked or fanatical are fervent and forceful. It highlights the dangers of moral apathy and the rise of dangerous ideologies.
What is the significance of the “Second Coming” in the context of the poem?
The “Second Coming” in the poem refers to a significant and transformative event, drawing on Christian eschatology where it signifies the return of Christ and the end of the world as we know it. However, Yeats uses it to suggest the emergence of a new and ominous force, not as a moment of redemption, but as the birth of something monstrous and terrifying. It represents the upheaval and potential for a new, darker era.
What role does “Spiritus Mundi” play in the poem?
“Spiritus Mundi,” meaning the world spirit or collective soul, represents the source of universal symbols and archetypes. In the poem, it serves as the origin of the troubling vision that the speaker experiences. It suggests that the imagery of the rough beast emerging from the desert is drawn from a shared, collective unconscious, giving the vision a sense of universal significance and inevitability.
Describe the imagery used to depict the “rough beast” in the poem.
The rough beast is depicted with a lion’s body and a man’s head, conveying a sense of power and intelligence combined with brutality. Its gaze is described as “blank and pitiless as the sun,” suggesting a merciless and indifferent nature. The beast moves its slow thighs, creating a sense of ominous inevitability, while indignant desert birds reel around it, enhancing the sense of dread and foreboding.
What does the phrase “twenty centuries of stony sleep” refer to, and what is its significance?
The phrase “twenty centuries of stony sleep” refers to the two thousand years since the birth of Christ, a period marked by relative stability and order. Its significance lies in the contrast between this long period of dormancy and the nightmare that is now being awakened by the birth of the rough beast. It suggests that the world is on the brink of a dramatic and unsettling transformation.
How does Yeats use the allusion to Bethlehem in the final lines of the poem?
The allusion to Bethlehem in the final lines of the poem, the birthplace of Christ, creates a stark contrast between the hopeful promise of the original nativity and the ominous birth of the rough beast. This juxtaposition emphasizes the idea that the new era being born is not one of redemption but one of dread and foreboding. It underscores the theme of a cyclical historical process where periods of stability and order are followed by chaos and destruction.
Essay Type Questions
Write the critical appreciation of the poem.
Introduction
William Butler Yeats’s poem “The Second Coming” is a powerful and enigmatic work that delves into themes of chaos, transformation, and the cyclical nature of history. Written in 1919, shortly after World War I, the poem captures the anxiety and disillusionment of an era marked by upheaval. Through vivid imagery and prophetic language, Yeats explores the collapse of societal norms and the anticipation of a significant event.
Central Idea
The central idea of the poem revolves around the concept of a second coming—an alternative to the Christian notion of Jesus’s return. Yeats envisions a world in turmoil, where traditional certainties crumble, and a mysterious force emerges to reshape humanity’s fate.
Structure & Rhyme Scheme
Form: The poem consists of two stanzas, with irregular line lengths.
Rhyme Scheme: There is no consistent rhyme scheme, emphasizing the chaotic content.
Meter: The poem follows iambic pentameter, maintaining a rhythmic flow.
Theme
Chaos and Disintegration:
The poem vividly portrays a world in turmoil, where established norms crumble.
The widening gyre symbolizes disorientation and societal collapse.
Chaos, fragmentation, and loss of order permeate the poem.
Fear of the Unknown:
The anticipation of a revelation—the Second Coming—adds urgency.
The vision of a grotesque beast replaces traditional religious expectations.
Uncertainty and existential dread characterize the speaker’s perspective.
Spiritual and Historical Cycles:
Yeats’s personal theory of “gyres” reflects alternating cycles of history.
The poem suggests that humanity is caught in a perpetual cycle of rise and fall.
The Second Coming represents a significant turning point in this cyclical pattern.
Violence and Apocalypse:
The blood-dimmed tide symbolizes upheaval, violence, and destruction.
The monstrous figure emerging from the desert embodies impending catastrophe.
The closing question about the “rough beast” hints at an apocalyptic event.
Loss of Faith and Conviction:
The best lack conviction, while the worst are full of passionate intensity.
Society’s polarization and moral confusion are evident.
The collapse of traditional beliefs contributes to the prevailing chaos.
Interplay Between Mundane and Divine:
Yeats blends Christian allegory with mystical elements.
The falconer, Spiritus Mundi, and Bethlehem add layers of meaning.
The poem explores the tension between earthly realities and transcendent forces.
Style
Imagery and Symbolism:
Yeats employs vivid imagery: falcon, gyre, blood-dimmed tide, desert, and the rough beast.
Symbolism includes the falconer (authority), Spiritus Mundi (collective consciousness), and Bethlehem (birthplace).
Prophetic Language:
The poem’s tone is urgent and prophetic.
Yeats hints at an impending cataclysmic event.
Poetic Devices
1. Symbolism
Falcon and Falconer: The falcon represents freedom and the human spirit, while the falconer symbolizes control and order. The falcon losing touch with the falconer symbolizes the breakdown of societal and moral order.
Gyre: The gyre is a symbol of cyclical patterns in history. It represents the widening chaos and the cyclical nature of historical and spiritual events.
Rough Beast: This beast symbolizes a new era or force that is both terrifying and inevitable. It could be seen as a symbol of the antichrist or a destructive force that will replace the old order.
2. Imagery
Visual Imagery: The poem is rich with visual imagery, such as “turning and turning in the widening gyre,” “the blood-dimmed tide,” and “a shape with lion body and the head of a man.”
Dark and Foreboding Imagery: Phrases like “the darkness drops again,” “the blood-dimmed tide is loosed,” and “the ceremony of innocence is drowned” evoke a sense of dread and impending doom.
3. Allusion
Christian Eschatology: The poem alludes to the Second Coming of Christ, a concept in Christian eschatology. However, Yeats subverts this by presenting a vision of a monstrous birth rather than a redemptive one.
Spiritus Mundi: This refers to the world soul or collective unconscious, a concept from Yeats’s own mystical system, indicating that the vision he describes comes from a deeper, universal source.
4. Metaphor
Widening Gyre: The gyre is a metaphor for the expanding chaos in the world. It represents the way things are falling apart and spiraling out of control.
Blood-dimmed Tide: This metaphor signifies widespread violence and bloodshed, suggesting that society is being overwhelmed by a tide of destruction.
5. Personification
Anarchy is loosed upon the world: Anarchy is given human attributes, suggesting it is an active force that is being released upon the world.
The darkness drops again: Darkness is personified as if it has the ability to fall like a curtain, emphasizing the return of chaos and uncertainty.
6. Irony
The Second Coming: Traditionally, the Second Coming is associated with hope and salvation. Yeats uses irony by depicting it as a time of terror and the rise of a monstrous entity.
7. Paradox
The centre cannot hold: This paradoxical statement suggests that the central, stabilizing forces in society are no longer effective, leading to widespread chaos.
8. Rhetorical Question
And what rough beast, its hour come round at last, Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?: This rhetorical question at the end of the poem leaves the reader contemplating the nature of the new era that is dawning.
9. Enjambment
Yeats uses enjambment to create a sense of continuity and fluidity, reflecting the unstoppable progression of chaos. For example, “The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere / The ceremony of innocence is drowned” flows from one line to the next without pause.
10. Caesura
The darkness drops again; but now I know: The use of a caesura (a pause) in this line emphasizes the shift from the description of the vision to the speaker’s realization of its significance.
11. Antithesis
The best lack all conviction, while the worst / Are full of passionate intensity: This antithesis contrasts the apathy of the good with the fervor of the wicked, highlighting the poem’s theme of moral disintegration.
12. Symploce
Surely some revelation is at hand; / Surely the Second Coming is at hand: The combination of anaphora and epiphora (that is, the repetition of words or phrases at both the beginning and end of successive clauses) is called symploce.
Critical Commentary
T.S. Eliot: Eliot praised the poem’s “terrifying beauty” and its ability to capture the zeitgeist of the post-war era.
Other Critics: Interpretations vary—some see hope in the chaos, while others emphasize despair.
Message
The world is undergoing profound transformation.
Established norms collapse, and uncertainty prevails.
The poem leaves readers with a sense of foreboding and existential anxiety.
Conclusion
“The Second Coming” remains relevant, resonating with readers across generations. Its haunting language and prophetic vision continue to provoke contemplation about the human condition and the cycles of history.
