Allusion and Symbolism in William Butler Yeats's Second Coming... and the immoral post-World War I era. Yeats begins the poem with the image of a "widening vortex" or a vortex of spiraling motion. This image immediately implies chaos and disorder in a society that is spiraling further out of control and becoming more and more corrupt. Yeats elaborates and supports this idea with "Things fall to pieces; the center cannot stand" and "Mere anarchy breaks loose in the world" to further symbolize how the universe is collapsing with confusion and unprincipledness. Yeats also implies danger and disaster to come with the image of a falcon who "cannot hear the falconer" to further illustrate the suspense and danger humanity is facing. This image also suggests that, similar to the hawk flying around in an "ever-widening vortex", society has strayed too far from its morals and is doomed to corruption. Yeats continues his cynical tone with “everywhere the ceremony of innocence"....

Topic > Allusion and Symbolism in William Butler Yeats's Second Coming... and the immoral post-World War I era. Yeats begins the poem with the image of a "widening vortex" or a vortex of spiraling motion. This image immediately implies chaos and disorder in a society that is spiraling further out of control and becoming more and more corrupt. Yeats elaborates and supports this idea with "Things fall to pieces; the center cannot stand" and "Mere anarchy breaks loose in the world" to further symbolize how the universe is collapsing with confusion and unprincipledness. Yeats also implies danger and disaster to come with the image of a falcon who "cannot hear the falconer" to further illustrate the suspense and danger humanity is facing. This image also suggests that, similar to the hawk flying around in an "ever-widening vortex", society has strayed too far from its morals and is doomed to corruption. Yeats continues his cynical tone with “everywhere the ceremony of innocence"....