In “The Second Coming,” what does Yeats mean when he writes “The falcon cannot hear the falconer” (line 2)? How does this relate to “the centre cannot hold” (line 3)?
In “The Second Coming” there is a footnote at the end of the first line explaining what Yeats envisioned for the word gyre. It mentions that it was meant to represent the age of Christians and how it was spiraling downwards to an end. With this in mind, the second line that reads, “The falcon cannot hear the falconer” it paints a picture of a falcon being distracted from the spiral motion to where it “cannot hear the falconer” (1.2). The falcon represents “The best” that are mentioned in line 7, the falconer represents the second coming of Jesus and the spiraling end of the Christian age is also represented by “the worst” in people (1.7). This relates to “the centre cannot hold” because the centre or the foundation of the Christian age is crumbling with an uprising of anarchy during the first World War (1.3).
How does “Araby” convey a sense of …show more content…
The poem begins with the words, “Once I am sure there is nothing going on /I step inside, letting the door thud shut” (1.1,2). This is definitely what someone who is uncomfortable would do if they to a place of some type of gathering. The speaker clearly establishes his feeling of discomfort by saying he makes sure that nothing is going on before he enters. He also has an attitude of being bored while attending the church, he then sits there wondering what purpose it would serve once people stop attending.in lines 50 and 51 he mentions what he feels is its only real perpose. “Only in separation—marriage, and birth, /and death, and thoughts of these—for which was built” (6.50,51). He begins to feel that he does not recognize it like he use to with the line that reads, “A shape less recognizable each week” (5.37) this further adds to his
In “The Second Coming” there is a footnote at the end of the first line explaining what Yeats envisioned for the word gyre. It mentions that it was meant to represent the age of Christians and how it was spiraling downwards to an end. With this in mind, the second line that reads, “The falcon cannot hear the falconer” it paints a picture of a falcon being distracted from the spiral motion to where it “cannot hear the falconer” (1.2). The falcon represents “The best” that are mentioned in line 7, the falconer represents the second coming of Jesus and the spiraling end of the Christian age is also represented by “the worst” in people (1.7). This relates to “the centre cannot hold” because the centre or the foundation of the Christian age is crumbling with an uprising of anarchy during the first World War (1.3).
How does “Araby” convey a sense of …show more content…
The poem begins with the words, “Once I am sure there is nothing going on /I step inside, letting the door thud shut” (1.1,2). This is definitely what someone who is uncomfortable would do if they to a place of some type of gathering. The speaker clearly establishes his feeling of discomfort by saying he makes sure that nothing is going on before he enters. He also has an attitude of being bored while attending the church, he then sits there wondering what purpose it would serve once people stop attending.in lines 50 and 51 he mentions what he feels is its only real perpose. “Only in separation—marriage, and birth, /and death, and thoughts of these—for which was built” (6.50,51). He begins to feel that he does not recognize it like he use to with the line that reads, “A shape less recognizable each week” (5.37) this further adds to his