The Second Coming Analysis PDF

The Second Coming Outline 75262, 75358, 76270 I.​ Religious allusions/connections A.​ “The Second Coming” 1.​ The title shows immense significance because “The Second Comi...

The Second Coming Outline 75262, 75358, 76270 I.​ Religious allusions/connections A.​ “The Second Coming” 1.​ The title shows immense significance because “The Second Coming” refers to the return of Jesus in the bible. In the bible, Jesus states that he will come back and save his people from dark times in the unforeseeable future. The fact that the author uses this title foreshadows the idea that a significant world ending event may take place marking the end of the old world and the beginning of a new era. B. “Turning and turning in the widening gyre/ The falcon cannot hear the falconer,”(1-2). 1.​ The falcon is a domesticated bird meaning it is dependent on the person who trained it which is the falconer. There is a mutual relationship between the two where the falconer provides safety in return for loyalty and hunting from the falcon. a.​ If the falcon loses its falconer, it becomes confused and flies around in circles until it can hear or see the falconer’s call. b.​ This relationship between the falcon and falconer is a direct allusion to the relationship between a person and God. Without the word of God, humans are essentially lost and do not know the correct values and path that allow them to build their faith and prosper. If a human becomes a follower of Christ, they are expected to stay loyal to God by following His  commandments and in return He offers the peace, safety, and happiness that is needed to become truly faithful. c.​ This may be a warning to humans that without following the path of God and devoting yourself to his principles, it may lead to you becoming lost and losing out on the benefits of faith. In addition, it also describes that faith is a two way street and if you do not completely devote yourself to this relationship, you will not reap the benefits of it. C. “Things fall apart; the center cannot hold;/ Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world/ The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere/ The ceremony of innocence is drowned;”(3-6). 1.​ These lines are referring directly to “The Second Coming” of Jesus. It is expected that this event would invoke a sense of happiness and thankfulness but instead, the tone depicted in these lines is desolate because the soldiers have realized they are sinners and have not followed the commandments of God, meaning they will not be saved. a.​ The “ceremony of innocence” refers to the loss of all innocence in society because the darkness has now ensued on everyone leaving no true followers of God left. D. “The best lack all conviction, while the worst/ Are full of passionate intensity” (7-8). 1.​ What this means is God’s most devoted and righteous followers lack courage in their convictions which ultimately leads to them being trampled by the sinners. a.​ The lesson that is taught is that essentially the bad will always overtake the good. However, when time comes to face judgement, those who stick  to their convictions and beliefs will face the mercy of God, while the sinners will face the punishments of their sins in their past lives. E. “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/ Spirituous Mundi/ Troubles my sight:”(9-13). 1.​ The author is again referring to “The Second Coming” but this time in a more hopeful and nervous tone which could imply a different biblical perspective. 2.​ The “Spirituous Mundi” alludes to the prophecy in the Book of Revelation because it was the idea that good Christian people would be rewarded with a paradise after death, while all those who rejected Christ would face suffering. F. “Somewhere in the sands of the desert/ A shape with a lion body and the head of a man,/ Ag gaze blank and pitiless as the sun,/ Is moving its slow thighs, while all about it/ Reel shadows of the indignant desert birds” (13-17). 1.​ There is a mention of the sun, which is commonly connected to Jesus, because of his rise from the dead and new beginning. However, the sun is referred to as “pitless” which alludes to the fact that society itself has collapsed because of this unaccepting of their savior Jesus. This leads to feelings of despair because they feel it is useless to try to teach/save humans with Christian messages if they are not willing to change their ways and instead live in sin. 2.​ The last two lines refer to desert birds which can most likely be linked to vultures, which adds to the recurring idea of death throughout the poem. In the bible vultures are a symbol of God’s judgement of shame, as well as an indication of a diseased spiritual condition. The idea that the vultures are surrounding the  creature suggests the idea that an era of death and destruction is surrounding the men in the area. G. “The darkness drops again; but now I know/ That twenty centuries of stony sleep/were vexed to nightmare by a rocking cradle” (18-20). 1.​ The twenty centuries alludes to the prediction that twenty centuries after the crucifixion, it was believed that Jesus would return to Earth (The Second Coming). It also refers to the fact that the calendar system begins the year with Christ’s birth. H. “And what rough beast, its hour come round at last,/ Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?” (21-22). 1.​ Antichrist is alluded to when the beast is slouching toward Bethlehem to begin the spread of evil. Biblically the antichrist has desired to take the place of Jesus and he does so in the same place Jesus is born. II. Connection to Things Fall Apart A.​ Synopsis- The novel chronicles the life of Okonkwo, the leader of the Igbo community, from the events leading up to his banishment from the community for accidentally killing a clansman, through the seven years of his exile, to his return, and it addresses a particular problem of emergent Africa---the intrusion in the 1890s of white missionaries and colonial government into tribal Igbo society. Traditionally structured, and peppered with Igbo proverbs, it describes the simultaneous disintegration of its protagonist Okonkwo, and his village. The novel was praised for its intelligent and realistic treatment of tribal beliefs and psychological disintegration coincided with social unraveling.  1.​ In the novel, Okonkwo’s seven year banishment represents the biblical interpretation of the seven year trial when Satan will make his final attempt to steal God’s throne before he is forever defeated. This time before Satan makes his attempt is filled with great troubles and trials for people accentuating the idea that things need to get worse before they can become better. 2.​ Okonkwo’s exile from his tribe is biblically connected to how exile in God’s kingdom represents they are no longer God’s people and therefore, do not have the protections from it. a.​ Okonkwo’s tribe practiced Christianity and those beliefs were the foundation of their tribe. However, because he was exiled from the tribe, he needs to maintain the Christian values in order to stay in connection with God so that Satan can not see him in a vulnerable state. B. The connection between both The Second Coming and Things Fall Apart is the fact that both texts focus on the destruction and chaos that are ultimately caused by the beliefs they have and practice. 1.​ The Second Coming highlights a chaotic world that is corrupt because of its inner conflict and lack of faith. This is connected to Okonkwo because he is faced with exile from his community which ultimately leads to his demise. 2.​ Similarly, within the poem, the world is facing isolation from God’s word which is causing the death and destruction of all. a.​ Both are highlighting struggles relating to religion and the difficulties that come from feeling isolated and losing your faith to God. C. Another significant connection between the book and poem is Things Fall Apart was the first book to borrow a line from the poem and invert it into the story. 1.​ “Here African civilization is the one under threat, and the rough beast is the West” a.​ This describes how the African civilization felt threatened and ultimately was faced with a bigger power that’s main goal was to control and diminish the traditional values of the African civilization. b.​ They treated African religions as evil and did everything possible to ensure that the Igbo beliefs and culture was ousted. The western missionaries believed that traditional religious beliefs and practices were inferior, and together with the traditional customs, had to be done away with before the acceptance of Christianity. III. Occultism A.​ Theosophical Society is an occult movement founded in the late 19th century, emphasizing the exploration of spiritual and hidden truths beyond conventional religious doctrine. 1.​ By joining in 1885, Yeats profoundly influenced his understanding of metaphysics and the cyclical nature of history, as Theosophy was a forerunner of [Yeat’s] contemporary interpretation (Mann). 2. Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn was a secret society devoted to the study and practice of the occult. The society's teachings focused on spiritual enlightenment and the development of personal power through mystical practices. a.​ By the time the Golden Dawn was in its final decline, Yeats had made a major breakthrough in his quest for communication with  the spirit world, which took precedence over ritual magic and experimentation. He described this turning point in his life and art (James). IV. Egyptian Mythology A.​ Yeats has always shown a certain interest in Egyptian mythology/ culture and this interest has been proven to be prevalent in several of his works throughout his life. 1.​ The use of Egyptian art with his costumes as well as the influence of Egyptian mythology within his works allow for the assumption that Yeats was curious and open to more than just Christianity. He was interested in several other religions and mythologies which were not fully culturally acceptable for the time. 2.​ Not only does he explicitly connect Isis here with the “Flower of Life,” a symbol so vital to his thought throughout his career; he also demonstrates his belief that such symbolism is shared across a wide range of cultures, such as those of Egypt and Ireland. a.​ The connection of different religions and cultures had not been demonstrated much before his time and that is what made his works stand out so uniquely from most writers in his era. b.​ This creativity and openness is what led to some of his best works and his combination of cultures created projects that interested people from all over the world and not just specific groups. B. “Somewhere in the sands of the desert/ A shape with a lion body and the head of a man,/ Ag gaze blank and pitiless as the sun,/ Is moving its slow thighs, while all about it/ Reel shadows of the indignant desert birds” (13-17). 1.​ The description of this beast like creature alludes to a mythological creature named a Sphinx that can be found in ancient Egyption mythology as well as carved into several of the famous pyramids in Egypt. a.​ Sphinx typically symbolize the strengths of a Pharaoh which include power, protection, and royalty. They are built to guard important sites such as tombs and temples and are closely associated with the sun god Ra because they are seen as guardians. b.​ Yeats is combining Egyptian mythology with biblical references and stories in this poem which allows for connections and inferences to be made about the similarities between the two cultures. C. Comparisons/ Differences 1.​ Egyptian Mythology is a polytheistic belief meaning they believe in multiple deities/gods compared to Christianity being a monotheistic religion. 2.​ The bible is the main source of information and stories while Egyptian Mythology stories are mostly based on the translation of ancient texts and passing down of stories. 3.​ Although there are prevalent differences between the two religions, there happen to be close similarities within the core beliefs and ideals within the stories that sparked the interest of Yeats.  Osiris is an Egyptian god that is reborn at dawn and crowned king of Ma’at. He was seen as a savior to the people and was rewarded for his sacrifices in his past life. There are significant connections between Osiris and biblical Jesus. Egyptians also had a pre-existing notion that the world would end and when it did, the god of primordial waters, Nun would reclaim the Earth. This can be closely connected to the biblical version of the end of the world, also known as, “The Second Coming”. It is undeniable that these two religions are definitely different, however, Yeats was perplexed by the connections and differences between these religions and cultures which allowed for him to be creative and write pieces that made people think deeply about new ideas surrounding religion and life itself. V. Line by line interpretation A.​ “Turning and turning in the widening gyre/ The falcon cannot hear the falconer” (1-2). 1.​ Yeats' belief in historical cycles, represented by the gyre, a spiraling cone shape. As the gyre expands, it suggests that society is moving toward an inevitable collapse, where established structures no longer hold. i.​ “Once the gyre reaches its point of maximum expansion it then begins to narrow until it reaches its end-point which is also the origin of the new gyre” (Mann). 2.​ The Russian Revolution of 1917, the Easter Uprising of 1916, the First World War (1914-1918)  a.​ The falcon signifies a loss of control, suggesting that society has become disconnected from its guiding principles. i.​ Every Falcon obeys the rule of his master who trained them 1.​ Humans are moving away from the path shown by their Creator (Rahman). 2.​ Humans need God’s word to guide us. Without it, we miss His promises of peace and faith. As followers of Christ, our duty is to obey His commandments, and in return, He grants us safety, joy, and peace in a troubled world. B.​ “Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold; / Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,” (3-4). 1.​ The centre represents stability and control, but it is no longer strong enough to maintain order, leading to fragmentation and disorder. a.​ Reflection on the catastrophe of World War I i.​ Technology and blind nationalism have wrought the inevitability of an even more destructive war (schmaltalk). ii.​ Loss of collective religious faith, and collective sense of purpose (University of Richmond). C. “The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere / The ceremony of innocence is drowned;” (5-6). 1.​ The tide suggests a loss of purity and goodness in a world where the forces of destruction are in the ascendant (StudyLiterary)  a.​ Innocence itself appears to have been drowned and destroyed by chaos i.​ Alluding to the Russian Revolution and World War I (Dalli). D. “The best lack all convictions, while the worst / Are full of passionate intensity” (7-8). 1.​ The best, most wise and virtuous people are powerless, and aren't motivated to act in the face of chaos, whereas the worst people, those with dangerous destructive beliefs are impassioned and eager (LitCharts). E. “Surely some revelation is at hand; / Surely the Second Coming is at hand” (9-10). 1.​ The poem’s first stanza is very dark and full of despair, whereas the second begins with a hopeful tone, repeating “Surely.” This word reflects uncertainty, as if the speaker is trying to convince themselves things will improve. F. “The Second Coming! Hardly are those words out / When a vast image out of Spiritus Mundi” (11-12). 1.​ The revelation sought by society comes in the form of a sphinx from the Spiritus Mundi (Logan B). a.​ Spiritus Mundi, meaning “world spirit” in Latin, refers to humanity’s collective unconscious. It connects to the Book of Reveleation’s prophecy, where faithful Christians find paradise, while those who reject Christ face suffering (DeYoung).  G. “Troubles my sight: somewhere in sands of the desert / A shape with lion body and the head of a man” (13-14). 1.​ These lines describe a monstrous, sphinx-like figure, representing the birth of a new, brutal era, marked by violence and destruction rather than renewal or salvation H. “A gaze blank and pitiless as the sun, / Is moving its slow thighs, while all about it” (15-16). 1.​ A beast, slouching toward Bethlehem to be born symbolizes a new, darker era emerging, a world in moral decline that is incapable of having empathy with other humans (Dalli). The beast is no hurry, almost enjoying the state of chaos (Harris). a.​ The sun, often symbolizing Jesus, is described as pitiless, suggesting that in a fallen society that rejects its Savior, spreading Christian teachings is useless if people choose to remain in sin. I. “Reel shadows of the indignant desert birds. / The darkness drops again; but now I know” (17-18). 1.​ The desert birds, likely vultures, symbolizes death and decay, reflecting an era of destruction. In the Bible, vultures represent God’s judgement and a spiritual crisis (Mathew 24:28). The creature surrounded by vultures suggests a time of death and ruin. a.​ The falling darkness suggests that the creature has fully arrived in this era, bringing with it an impending sense of doom (Tabor).  J. That twenty centuries of stony sleep / Were vexed to nightmare by a rocking cradle,” (19-20). 1.​ The “twenty centuries” refers to the prophecy that, after the crucifixion, the Second Coming, or the arrival of the Antichrist, will follow. This also alludes to the fact that the calendar begins with Christ’s birthday (Moody Bible). 2.​ The sleep becoming irritated by a nightmare references the cradle of the infant Christ being disturbed during His peace and becoming upset and angered. K. And what rough beast, its hour come round at last, / Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?” (21-22). 1.​ The mention of the hour suggests the beast has been waiting for this moment, and after examining the cold, unsettling tone of the poem, it is clear that this arrival is not a positive one. 2.​ The Antichrist is hinted at as the beast slouches toward Bethlehem to spread evil, seeking to replace Jesus by starting in the same place where He was born (Dwight). VI. W.B. Yeats Background A.​ The Rhymers’ Club 1.​ After returning to London with his family, Yeats co-founded a private poets society called the Rhymers’ club and participated in it with other writers such as Oscar Wilde. It started as just a dining club, but  progressively got more secretive as they started meeting more isolated locations (William Butler Yeats Biography). B.​ Irish Background 1.​ Irish Civil War a.​ In 1922, Yeats witnessed the start of the Irish Civil War, which was soon after the end of WWI and right before he wrote “The Second Coming”. This experience influenced the ominous tone in many of his works (LitCharts). 2.​ The Irish culture Yeats knew and grew up with included a lot of folklore, mythology, and legends that he pulled from in his work (LitCharts). C.​ Georgiana Hyde Lees 1.​ In 1917, Yeats met his wife Georgie while he was 52 years old and she was 26. She inspired a lot of his work because he felt like he could use her as a psychic channel to find “spiritually valid” poetic ideas (LitCharts). D.​ Politics 1.​ Yeats supported the pro-treaty governments during the Irish Civil War, whose goal was to become independent from the British Empire (William Butler Yeats Biography). 2.​ In 1928, he served a term in the Irish Senate after working on a committee to assist in the government's creation of new coinage (William Butler Yeats Biography). 3.​ Fascism  a.​ Being a conservative led to him sympathizing with fascism because he thought it had a greater historical and metaphysical purpose as a source of spiritual rejuvenation. However, he stayed most loyal to his spiritual beliefs rather than his political ones (Coleman). E.​ Religion 1.​ Yeats grew up in a Protestant family, but overall he was a Christian individually. However, he utilized many mystical beliefs in his works (LitCharts). ​  Work Cited “A Comparison of Chaos in Things Fall Apart and the Second Coming.” Bartleby, www.bartleby.com/essay/A-Comparison-of-Chaos-in-Things-Fall-P3JV4USYTC. Accessed 4 Feb. 2025. 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Accessed 3 Feb. 2025. “‘Things Fall Apart’: The Apocalyptic Appeal of WB Yeats’s the Second Coming.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 30 May 2020, www.theguardian.com/books/2020/may/30/things-fall-apart-the-apocalyptic-appeal-of-w b-yeats-the-second-coming. “What Rough Beast Indeed?,” facultystaff.richmond.edu/~dhocutt/yeats/yeats4.html. Accessed 3 Feb. 2025. William Butler Yeats:, norman.hrc.utexas.edu/fasearch/pdf/00248.pdf. Accessed 4 Feb. 2025.