William Butler Yeats Poems 

1. "The Second Coming" (1920) – Introduction

W.B. Yeats’s “The Second Coming” is one of his most iconic poems, written in the aftermath of World War I and during the turbulent Irish War of Independence. The poem reflects Yeats’s profound anxiety about the disintegration of the old social and moral order and his vision of a world on the brink of chaos. Using vivid apocalyptic imagery and symbolic references drawn from history, myth, and Christian eschatology, Yeats explores themes of cyclical history, spiritual decay, and the emergence of a new, often threatening, order. Its opening lines, with the famous image of the “blood-dimmed tide,” immediately convey a sense of universal disorder, setting the tone for the poem’s meditation on impending doom and transformation.

Video 1: Online class – The Second Coming poem

Analysis of The Second Coming poem

This lecture provides a comprehensive analysis of W.B. Yeats’s poem "The Second Coming" by examining its apocalyptic imagery through various historical and cultural lenses. The speaker initially connects the poem’s themes of disintegration and chaos to the trauma of the First World War and the political unrest of the Irish Revolution. The discussion further explores traditional religious interpretations, contrasting the promised return of Christ with the poem’s "rough beast" that signals a dark, new era. 

Modern parallels are drawn between the poem's "widening gyre" and the current anxieties of the COVID-19 pandemic, illustrating how societal collapse feels universal. Specifically, the source highlights a biographical reading where the 1918 Spanish flu—which nearly killed Yeats's pregnant wife—likely influenced the poem's visceral metaphors of drowning and disease. Ultimately, the text presents the work as a timeless reflection on humanity's struggle during periods of overwhelming global instability.

2. "On Being Asked for a War Poem" (1915) – Introduction

Written during the First World War, Yeats’s “On Being Asked for a War Poem” addresses the poet’s personal and moral response to the demand for patriotic verse. The poem reflects Yeats’s skepticism about the ability of poetry to glorify war or inspire nationalism, emphasizing instead the limitations of art in the face of violence and destruction. Through a concise, ironic tone, Yeats questions the societal expectation that poets must serve as propagandists, suggesting that poetry’s true power lies in exploring enduring human experiences rather than the transient fervor of conflict. The poem thus reveals Yeats’s engagement with contemporary political realities while maintaining his commitment to poetic integrity.

Video 2: Online class – On Being Asked for a War Poem

Analysis of On Being Asked for a War Poem:

This transcript summarizes a lecture on W. B. Yeats’s 1915 poem, "On Being Asked for a War Poem," focusing on the poet’s refusal to engage in political propaganda. The speaker utilizes New Criticism to analyze the text's inherent irony, noting that while the poem claims poets should remain silent during conflict, the act of writing it serves as a subtle form of expression. 

The discussion highlights the tension between poetic truth and the rightful statements of politicians, suggesting that artists should focus on human life rather than state affairs. Historical context is also provided, revealing that Yeats’s Irish nationalism and resentment toward British rule influenced his decision to remain neutral during World War I. Ultimately, the source frames the poem as a rejection of meddling in the "stupidity" of war, advocating for the preservation of a poet's independent voice.

Yeats wrote this shorter poem in 1915 (World War I) in response to a request for a politically themed war poem. Rather than glorifying war, Yeats asserts that poetry should remain silent on war, because poets lack the authority to “set a statesman right.” He suggests that poets are better at capturing human experience—“a young girl… or an old man”—rather than trying to solve political problems.

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Video: Hindi Podcast on the Poems

Note on Podcast Understanding

This Hindi podcast discusses both poems in the context of pandemic and war literature (posted recently). It highlights:

• The Second Coming as a poem of societal upheaval, where traditional structures have failed and a new, uncertain era begins.

• The poem’s metaphors (e.g., falcon/ falconer; rough beast) represent loss of control and the rise of destructive forces.

• In On Being Asked for a War Poem, the podcast emphasizes Yeats’s reluctance to politicize poetry, proposing that poetic art deals more effectively with emotions and personal experiences than with grand political narratives.

• The discussion frames The Second Coming as a vision of historical transition and anxiety—not just about war, but about society breaking down and entering an unknown future.

• It underlines the apocalyptic imagery as symbolic of global crises (post-war world, pandemic anxieties).

• For On Being Asked for a War Poem, the podcast explains that Yeats believed poetry should focus on timeless human themes, instead of trying to influence political decisions.

These insights help connect Yeats’s early 20th-century context to broader existential questions that still resonate today.

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3. ResearchGate Study Material — Responses

Do you agree with Yeats’s assertion in On Being Asked for a War Poem that a poet should remain apolitical? Why or why not?

Reply: I partly agree with Yeats that poets cannot set statesmen right—poets lack political power and expertise. A poet’s strength is in expressing human emotions, moral dilemmas, and shared experiences rather than political strategy. However, poets can still influence public consciousness by shaping how people think about issues like war. Poets such as Wilfred Owen or Siegfried Sassoon showed that war poetry can deeply affect perceptions of conflict and influence cultural understanding. 

Write a modernist-inspired poem reflecting a contemporary crisis, using Yeats’s themes/techniques.

Creative Response (Example Poem):

“When the Centre Shook”

Turning and turning in the spirals of screens,

The centre hears no voice but its own echo;

Truth fractures, and clarity dissolves—

Our systems sway like falcons from their hands.

Mere confusion floods every timeline,

The best retreat into shadows, the worst burn bright;

What rough force rises now in its hour,

Slouching toward hearts made numb by noise?

Compare On Being Asked for a War Poem with other war poetry (Wilfred Owen).

Answer:

Yeats’s poem On Being Asked for a War Poem argues that poetry should not engage directly with war politics, keeping focus on individual, timeless human experiences. In contrast, Wilfred Owen’s war poetry (e.g., Dulce et Decorum est, Soldier’s Dream) captures the brutal realism of combat and condemns war’s horrors from the inside. Owen uses stark imagery to expose war’s effects on soldiers, suggesting that war must be depicted truthfully. Yeats prefers poetic reflection on personal life, while Owen insists war is a subject poets are uniquely equipped to depict because of their empathy and lived witness.

Reference:

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