ENG 301 20th Century English Literatures
Student name: Dechen Choden
Student number: 101497
Symbolism in Yeats’ “The Second Coming”
Final Draft
Symbolism in Yeats’ “The Second Coming”
Yeats is accounted for his brilliancy in writing poems that have symbolism either in the form of sounds, colours or forms because of their preordained energies or because of long association, that evoke indefinable and yet precise emotions. One of the most captivating things about W.B. Yeats' poetry in general and The Second Coming in particular is its rich symbolism. The Second Coming truly exposes quite an impressible number of symbols. In other words the significance in The Second Coming is manifold. Thus, this essay will attempt to expose …show more content…
The preceding statement can be best explained with the mention of Yeats’ argument in which he says, “Surely the Second Coming is at hand [...] When a vast image out of Spiritus Mundi troubles my sight[…]Its hour come round at last, slouches towards Bethlehem to be born” (Yeats, 1920). Yeats introduces the idea of the Sphinx to offer his prediction of the future of the world and of humanity which would be flux of sheer anarchy accompanied by absence of religion. He argues that pre-Christian religion has come over again when he says the darkness drops again (Yeats, 1920). Yeats’ mention of darkness drops again seemingly reveals the state of European countries prior to the visit of Jesus Christ when Europeans had supposedly dwelt with no religion then. Therefore, preordained energy has led to the development of this symbolism as a good political situation was at stake and strife seemingly enshrouded the entire Ireland. Consequently, the commencement of an age of oppression and violence was predetermined to transpire. Following the mention of the rough beast slouching towards Bethlehem (Yeats, 1920), Yeats intends to bring forth the escapades that Ireland had encountered post the First World War as a sinister episode supposedly embraced Ireland. According to Ireland and World War One (2014), “Joe Devlin, MP for West Belfast, declared that their fallen comrades had died, but as soldiers of freedom, with their faces toward the fire, and in the belief that their life-blood was poured out in defense of liberty for the world. Unfortunately, the close of the war brought to Ireland no peace and freedom, but strife and repression.” Thus, it argues that Ireland was bound to get engulfed with strife and violence as even the
Student name: Dechen Choden
Student number: 101497
Symbolism in Yeats’ “The Second Coming”
Final Draft
Symbolism in Yeats’ “The Second Coming”
Yeats is accounted for his brilliancy in writing poems that have symbolism either in the form of sounds, colours or forms because of their preordained energies or because of long association, that evoke indefinable and yet precise emotions. One of the most captivating things about W.B. Yeats' poetry in general and The Second Coming in particular is its rich symbolism. The Second Coming truly exposes quite an impressible number of symbols. In other words the significance in The Second Coming is manifold. Thus, this essay will attempt to expose …show more content…
The preceding statement can be best explained with the mention of Yeats’ argument in which he says, “Surely the Second Coming is at hand [...] When a vast image out of Spiritus Mundi troubles my sight[…]Its hour come round at last, slouches towards Bethlehem to be born” (Yeats, 1920). Yeats introduces the idea of the Sphinx to offer his prediction of the future of the world and of humanity which would be flux of sheer anarchy accompanied by absence of religion. He argues that pre-Christian religion has come over again when he says the darkness drops again (Yeats, 1920). Yeats’ mention of darkness drops again seemingly reveals the state of European countries prior to the visit of Jesus Christ when Europeans had supposedly dwelt with no religion then. Therefore, preordained energy has led to the development of this symbolism as a good political situation was at stake and strife seemingly enshrouded the entire Ireland. Consequently, the commencement of an age of oppression and violence was predetermined to transpire. Following the mention of the rough beast slouching towards Bethlehem (Yeats, 1920), Yeats intends to bring forth the escapades that Ireland had encountered post the First World War as a sinister episode supposedly embraced Ireland. According to Ireland and World War One (2014), “Joe Devlin, MP for West Belfast, declared that their fallen comrades had died, but as soldiers of freedom, with their faces toward the fire, and in the belief that their life-blood was poured out in defense of liberty for the world. Unfortunately, the close of the war brought to Ireland no peace and freedom, but strife and repression.” Thus, it argues that Ireland was bound to get engulfed with strife and violence as even the