“The Second Coming.” [NU: 2018, 22] ★★★
W. B. Yeats (1865-1939) was a great Irish poet. He saw the world changing fast. He believed that history moves in circles. In his poem “The Second Coming” (1920), Yeats talks about a dark future. He saw that war and violence were breaking the world. This poem is full of fear and mystery. Yeats wrote this poem just after World War I. People were shocked and lost. Yeats felt that something terrible was coming. In this poem, he shows that old values are dying and a new dark age is beginning.
Central Idea of the Poem: The main idea of the poem is the fall of the old world and the coming of a new, terrible power. Yeats believed that when one age ends, a new one begins. But the new one may not be good. At the start of the poem, Yeats writes:
“Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold.”
This means the world is breaking. Rules and order are gone. People have lost control. Then he says:
“The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity.”
Good people are silent. Bad people are loud and strong. This is dangerous. Yeats thinks something new is coming. But it is not the second coming of Jesus Christ. It is something dark and strange. He writes:
“And what rough beast, its hour come round at last,
Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?”
This line is very famous. It means that a new beast-like power is coming. It will be born in Bethlehem, the same place as Christ. But it is not a saviour. It brings fear, not hope. So, the poem shows the end of peace and the start of chaos. It is about fear of the unknown future.
Form, Meter, Rhyme Scheme: The poem has 2 stanzas. The lines do not follow a fixed rhyme scheme. The meter is mostly iambic, but not regular. This free form matches the poem’s theme. The world has lost order. So the poem has a broken structure too.
Symbols & Imagery: Yeats uses powerful symbols and images. His symbols and images naked the poem evergreen and masterpiece. His iconic symbols and images are,
- Falcon and falconer: The falcon flying far from the falconer shows loss of control. Yeats says,
“The falcon cannot hear the falconer;”
This means people are not listening to rules or leaders. Everyone is doing what they want.
- Blood-dimmed tide: This image shows violence and war.
- Spiritus Mundi: It means world spirit. It gives Yeats a vision of the future.
- Rough beast: This beast is a symbol of a new, wild power coming into the world. It is scary and unknown. It may bring destruction or a new era.
These images help us feel the fear and confusion of the time.
Language and Tone: The language of the poem is rich, poetic, and full of emotion. Yeats uses big ideas in short lines. His tone is:
- Dark – He sees a bad future.
- Worried – He feels the world is falling apart.
- Mysterious – He gives strange images and doesn’t explain them clearly.
- Words like “darkness,” “anarchy,” “blood,” “beast” show fear and danger.
“The Second Coming” is a powerful poem. Yeats shows how the world is losing its balance. He sees the end of the old and the birth of a new dark age. The poem warns us that when good people stay silent, evil rises. It tells us to be careful, because the future may not bring peace – it may bring something worse. Yeats mixes history, religion, and fear to give us a deep and unforgettable message.
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