Blake and Yeats's Vision of the ApocalypseBoth William Blake and William Butler Yeats reflected on the apocalypse and the second coming of Christ in their art and poetry. Yeats takes a darker look at the Second Coming, comparing the Christian era he found himself in to a “widening gyre” where “the center cannot hold” (lines 1, 3, 1073). The world in “The Second Coming” collapses with “anarchy unleashed upon the world” and a “blood-darkened tide” (4-5). Yeats believes that "the Second Coming is near" and that a "rough beast" (the antichrist or perhaps the new savior) is "heading towards Bethlehem to be born" (21-22). Yeats believes that the apocalypse is near because of the bloodshed (caused by World War I) and injustices that were taking place at that time. Blake, however, drew inspiration from the Romantic movement of his time which emphasized spirituality, emotions, and the natural world as close to God. Blake writes and paints about a day of judgment, but his version includes salvation through Jesus. In Blake's painting, sinners are seen diving into the fiery lake of hell, while those who stood by God are seen at his right hand, in heaven. Both poets drew inspiration from their respective literary movements, major events of their times, and the general attitude of their audiences when constructing their art. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why violent video games should not be banned"? Get an original essay Some symbols in Yeats's poem "The Second Coming" are the gyre (a common symbol in Yeats's poetry), the sphinx and the Spiritus Mundi. The gyre is a recurring symbol of Yeats. It symbolizes the end of one historical cycle, while another begins (Abrams & Greenblatt, 1073). These two historical cycles are classified by both order and growth, as well as chaos and decadence. Yeats made an example of the end of the world in his time and paved the way for a new cycle – the second coming. The sphinx is a “common archetype of royalty” (Winston). The sphinx, which can also be called the “brute beast,” symbolizes the spiritual being that heralds the second coming – that of heavenly (or infernal) kingship (line 22, 1074). The Spiritus Mundi is a “universal subconscious where the human race stores all past memories” (Abrams & Greenblatt, 1074). Yeats uses the Spiritus Mundi to predict the second coming of the “brute beast” (22). These symbols, particularly the gyre, were a current concern among those in the early and mid-1900s. The gyre, expected to see a new beginning/end in less than 100 years, tormented those who believed in its existence. The wild beast (the sphinx) is the creature needed to show people in the modern world their misdeeds. Many symbols are influenced by the actions of those around Yeats and the beliefs/fears of the time. Yeats's "The Second Coming" deals with several themes, including blurred lines between good and evil, spiritual and earthly warfare, and lack of salvation. Many lines in “The Second Coming” demonstrate the ambiguity of good and evil, leaving the reader wondering what is good and what is evil. In the sixth line, Yeats writes that “the ceremony of innocence is drowned,” meaning that the rituals of the world before the Second Coming no longer mean anything; the ceremonies that made the world “civilized” are now destroyed. The inclusion of crumbling traditions also comes with a movement sparked by Freud questioning why man has specific roles in society and why these social constructs exist. In lines seven to eight, Yeats saysthat “the best lack all conviction, while the worst are full of passionate intensity” (lines 7-8, 1073). This attitude that good and evil are not absolute was a common theme in modern literature, particularly after World War I. People believed that there was no real "right or wrong" when it came to war, as many countries simply sent soldiers to die.(Rhe). A symbol in “The Second Coming” that displays the theme of ambiguity is the mysterious “brute beast” – neither good nor evil in the poem. Although it is presented as menacing at first glance, the "brute beast" is never described as evil (or good for that matter). It is described as "rude", which is theorized (as Yeats never stated) is because the world will receive a "rude" awakening (22). Another theme of “The Second Coming” is spiritual and earthly warfare. The entire poem is a countdown to the second coming, or as described in Revelation 12:7, "a war in heaven" (New American Standard Bible). The poem describes the land war as "twenty centuries of stone sleep" that is "thwarted to nightmare by a rocking cradle" (lines 19-20, 1074). Yeats refers to the last gyre (or historical cycle) which appeared at the birth of Christ (2000 years ago) and which now reappears as the Second Coming approaches. Finally, Yeats takes the position in “The Second Coming” that there will be no salvation during the apocalypse. The first stanza explains the horrors of the apocalyptic world with “things are falling apart,” “anarchy has been unleashed on the world,” and “the bloody tide has been unleashed” (3-5). The second stanza rhetorically states "surely revelations are at hand/surely the second coming is at hand," leading the reader to believe that the second coming will be ushered in by a savior in this lost world (9-10). However, the only salvation Yeats refers to is that of the “rough beast” who “heads towards Bethlehem to be born” (22). In Yeats's time, the future was bleak. World War I left little hope, and this view is reflected in the themes of "The Second Coming." Good and evil were blurred in those days; countries that were previously considered “good” moved to “bad” thanks to new policies, war tactics, and laws. Along with earthly battles, Yeats uses spiritual battles to imitate the chaotic world. Finally, the lack of salvation experienced during this second coming copies the despair and despair that was a common belief at that time. Contrasted with Yeats's "The Second Coming" is William Blake's "A Vision of the Last Judgment." Blake describes his painting as "The Last Judgment when all those who trouble religion with questions concerning good and evil or the eating of the tree of those knowledges or reasonings which hinder the vision of God are rejected and turn all into one devouring fire” (70). . Some symbols in Blake's painting are Jesus on the throne, bloody clouds, as well as Moses and Abraham. Jesus, the judge of the final judgment, sits on a throne. All the innocent stand on his right, while all the wicked stand on his left, with a sea of ​​fire below as punishment for the wicked. Jesus is the one who decides the “good or evil” nature of men and whether they will fall into the pit of fire or live in heaven with him. Blake writes, in his description of the painting, that Abel (the first killer) is “kneeling on a damn cloud” (Blake, 80). The cloud symbolizes the churches before the biblical flood – filled with blood, fire and smoke. The cloud also symbolizes the eternal states of the churches, and even if man does not live forever, the“States remain forever, he passes through them like a traveler who might as well suppose that the places he passed through no longer exist” (79). ). Moses and Abraham are also symbols in “A Vision of the Last Judgment.” Blake says that Moses and Abraham "do not here designate but the States signified by these names, the individuals being representatives or visions of these States", meaning that although the earthly body has passed away, their spirit lives eternally in Heaven . Moses and Abraham stand at the right hand of Jesus, symbolizing their righteous and God-fearing lives. Abraham stands over his abundance of children, while Moses stands over two chained sinners who perished in the flood. Moses stands above a multitude of others from the flood, who have fallen headfirst into the pit of fire. Blake's religious background helped sculpt the themes present in his painting. It includes numerous references to biblical characters and events, and adheres to certain beliefs of Christianity: redemption, belief in a god, judgment and salvation. Some themes in “A Vision of the Last Judgment” are consequences of good and evil. , salvation through love and the eternal nature of human imagination and identity. Blake defines the consequences of men's actions by reward or punishment; those who are good go to heaven and those who are evil are thrown into hell. Blake describes the judgment as being separated into two sides, with "the righteous stands up on his right and the wicked on his left" (76). Among the Righteous are Abraham, Moses, Adam, and Eve, and to the left with the wicked, Blake includes figures such as Cain, those who died in the flood, and other sinners. Blake wants readers to understand that although his view of God is that he is a loving creator, he must nevertheless draw a distinct line between those who live in sin and those who seek forgiveness. Blake clearly states that "they do not expect holiness from one another but from God only", demonstrating that God does not only accept those who are considered "holy", but also those who believe in him - God, for Blake, is loving, kind, fair but harsh (93). Blake paints a portrait of a creator's love and desire for his creations to be rewarded by Heaven. He notes that “the forgiveness of sins is only at the judgment seat of Jesus the Savior,” explaining that Jesus is the only one who can forgive a sin and accept the sinner. In the same sentence he describes that “the accuser is cast out.” not because he sins but because he torments” (93). The embodiment of sin – the devil – is not cast out because God is merciless and vengeful, but because he does not want to be forgiven. Blake writes that “in eternity one thing never changes into another thing, every identity is eternal.” (79). He uses the example of Lot's wife whose body was transformed into a pillar of salt; his mortal body was changed, but his personal identity remained unchanged (79). Blake also writes that “individuality never dies. but is renewed by his seed. just like the imaginative image” (69). This eternal individuality and image can be seen as a mirror of the Christian version of a soul. The mortal body may change, but the identity and imagination of the individual are what follow them to judgment. The themes of “A Vision of the Last Judgment” coincide with the beliefs of the Romantic period: imagination, individuality, spirituality, the sublime and emotion. Blake and Yeats are products of their environment and their literary movements. Their poetry reflects the common idea of ​​beliefs within their culture due to their times and the mentality of their audience. Yeats, modernist and religious.