The Second Coming by W.B.Yeats... Summary
Summary
 |
The Second Coming by W.B.Yeats... Summary
|
The poem 'The Second Coming' is composed by William Butler Yeats, an Irish poet. It was written in 1919 and published in 1920. The poet presents the theory of cycling of incarnation in this poem. According to Yeats, the present age will end after two thousand years and the new age would begin. As Jesus Christ is considered the first human incarnation of God on the earth. Like that the second incarnation would come on the earth as a combination of man and animal. The second incarnation would not appear like a man but as a combination of man and animal.
The poem 'The Second Coming' is based on the philosophy of cycling of incarnation. In this poem, the poet tells us about the state of complete disorder in Ireland in 1916. It was the time when there was a state of murder and bloodshed in Ireland. Therefore it was the state of complete disorder of law and rules.
The Second Coming....Poem analysis: Stanza wise
Stanza--1
It is a poem of twenty-two lines expressed the opinion of the second incarnation. In the first stanza of the poem, the poet explains the state of complete disorder in Ireland.
The poet says that the time passes very fast and the wheel of time also moves very fast. It changes rapidly. the poet further says that the falcon does not hear the falconer. Here falcon is a small bird of prey and Falconer is a trainer of the bird who trains the falcon in the art of preying. Or who gives the training of preying to the falcon. But now the falcon is not in the control of his trainer.
Here poet wants to say that the situation is out of control in Ireland. There is a state of anarchy everywhere in the country. Thus it is a state of complete disorder. People do not respect law and rules. The innocent and weak people are destroyed and killed while evil or wicked are worshipped. The good people are losing their faith and confidence while bad people are growing very fast. The poet says that evil people are being stronger and virtuous people are being weaker in the state of disorder in the country. Here the poet tries to show the time of the twentieth century in Ireland. Thus the poet presents the age here in an impressive way.
Here poet wants to say that the situation is out of control in Ireland. There is a state of anarchy everywhere in the country. Thus it is a state of complete disorder. People do not respect law and rules. The innocent and weak people are destroyed and killed while evil or wicked are worshipped. The good people are losing their faith and confidence while bad people are growing very fast. The poet says that evil people are being stronger and virtuous people are being weaker in the state of disorder in the country. Here the poet tries to show the time of the twentieth century in Ireland. Thus the poet presents the age here in an impressive way.
Stanza--2
The poem 'The Second Coming' is a poem of high Imagination. in the first stanza, the poet tells us about the state of anarchy spread in Ireland. Now he imagines the second incarnation. The poet has a strong belief that the second incarnation of God can save this Earth from sin. The poet says that when sins are on its top then God comes on the earth to save mankind. The violence has crossed its limit and it is intolerable for people. So now it is the correct time for the coming of God on the earth. He says that God would appear on the Earth very soon. The poet has a firm belief that a special miracle is about to happen very soon. The second incarnation of God surely would appear on the earth. the poet imagines that the second incarnation of God would have a strange shape. It would have the head of man and body of a lion who would appear first in the desert. His shine would be unbearable like the shine of the sun.
It is a huge shape having an angry and scornful sight. It is like an angry bird of desert who sleeps. The poet gives the name Sphinx to the huge body of the combination of man and beast. According to the poet, the Sphinx remained asleep during the twenty centuries of Christian civilization. The poet says that now there is the state of anarchy everywhere and sin has reached its top and the sphinx now awoke after the sleep of twenty centuries. he is very angry now. Therefore the right time for the coming of the second incarnation of God on earth has come. It seems as the poet is influenced by Hindu philosophy because the incarnation of God Narsimha resembles with the imagination of the poet. It is also in the shape of a huge body with the combination of man and beast. Thus the poet has a firm belief that the second coming of God on earth is very near. As Jesus Christ took birth on the earth to save mankind. Like that the second incarnation of God also would appear on the earth to save mankind.
