Blake and Yeats Vision of the ApocalypseWilliam Blake and William Butler Yeats both 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 was in as a “widening vortex” where “the center cannot stand” (lines 1, 3, 1073). The world in “The Second Coming” is falling apart with “anarchy cast upon the world” and “the wave dimmed by blood” (4-5). Yeats believes that the “Second Coming is imminent” and that a “rude beast” (the antichrist or perhaps the new savior) is “advancing towards Bethlehem to be born” (21-22). Yeats thinks the apocalypse is near because of the bloodshed (caused by World War I) and injustices going on at the time. Blake, however, was inspired by the Romantic movement of his time that emphasized spirituality, emotion, and the natural world close to God. Blake writes and paints about doomsday, but his version includes salvation through Jesus. In Blake's painting , sinners are seen falling into the fiery lake of Hell, while those who have been with God are seen at his right hand, in Paradise. Both poets took inspiration from their respective literary movements, major events that occurred in their time, and general public attitudes when constructing their art. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Some symbols in Yeats' poem "The Second Coming" are the vortex (a common symbol in Yeats' poetry), the sphinx, and the Spiritus Mundi. The vortex is a recurring symbol self-created by Yeats. It symbolizes the end of one historical cycle, while another begins (Abrams & Greenblatt, 1073). These two historical cycles are classified into both order and growth, as well as chaos and decay. Yeats was giving an example of the world in his time ending and making way for a new cycle: the second coming. The sphinx is a “common archetype of kingship” (Winston). The sphinx, which can also be called the "raw beast", symbolizes the spiritual being who heralds the second coming - a heavenly (or hellish) kingship (line 22, 1074). The Spiritus Mundi is a “universal subconscious in which the human race stores all memories of the past” (Abrams & Greenblatt, 1074). Yeats uses the Spiritus Mundi to predict the second coming of the “harsh beast” (22). These symbols, particularly the vortex, were a present concern in the early to mid-1900s. The vortex, predicted to reach a new beginning/end in less than 100 years, plagued those who believed in its existence. The rude beast (the sphinx), is the creature needed to show those living in the modern world their wrongdoings. 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 the blurred lines between good and evil, spiritual and earthly warfare, and the lack of salvation. Many lines in “The Second Coming” demonstrate the ambiguity between good and evil, leaving the reader to wonder 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 mean nothing anymore; the ceremonies that made the world “civilized” are now being annihilated. The inclusion of crumbling traditions goes hand in hand with a movement sparked by Freud that questions why humans have specific roles in society and why these social constructs exist. In lines seven to eight, Yeats states that "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, especially in the post-war period. People believed that there really was no “good and a bad” regarding the war, as many countries simply sent soldiers to their deaths(Ree) symbol in “The Second Coming” that shows the theme of ambiguity is the mysterious “rude beast” – neither a definite good nor a bad. in the poem. Although presented as menacing at first glance, the “rough beast” is never called evil (or good, for that matter). It is described as “rough,” which is theorized (as Yeats never stated) because the world will receive a “rude” awakening (22). Another theme in “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 earthly war as “twenty centuries of stony sleep” that is “freaked by a nightmare from a rocking cradle” (lines 19-20, 1074) . Yeats refers to the last vortex (or historical cycle) that appeared at the birth of Christ (2000 years ago) and now appears again as the second coming approaches. Finally, in “The Second Coming” Yeats argues that there will be no salvation during the apocalypse. The first stanza explains the horrors of the apocalyptic world with “things falling apart,” “anarchy unleashed upon the world,” and “the tide darkened by blood” (3-5). The second stanza rhetorically states “surely some revelations are near / surely the second coming is near,” 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 “rude beast” that “crawls towards Bethlehem to be born” (22). Those of Yeats's time had a bleak view of the future. The First World War left little hope and this vision is reflected in the themes of “The Second Coming”. Good and evil were confused at that moment; countries that were once considered “good” have become “bad” through new policies, war tactics and laws. Along with earthly combat, Yeats uses spiritual combat to imitate the chaotic world. Finally, the lack of salvation experienced during this second coming copies the hopelessness and hopelessness that was a common belief at the time. In contrast to 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 are thrown away who disturb religion by questions concerning good and evil or by eating from the tree of those knowledges or reasonings which impede the vision of God by turning all into a consuming fire" (70) . Some symbols in Blake's painting are Jesus on the throne, bloody clouds, and Moses and Abraham. Jesus, the judge of the last judgment, is sitting 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 bad” nature of men, and whether they will fall into the pit of fire or live in Paradise with him. Blake writes, in his description of the painting, that Abel (the first assassin) is "knee[ing] on a bloody 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 although man does not live forever, the “States remain forever; he passes through them like a traveler who can even assume that the places he has 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 “hereare not intended but the States signified by those Names in which the Individuals are representatives or Visions of those States,” meaning that although the earthly body has passed away, their spirit lives eternally in Heaven. Both Moses and Abraham stand to the right of Jesus, symbolizing their righteous and God-fearing lives. Abraham stands above his abundance of children, while Moses stands above two chained sinners who died in the flood. Moses stands above a multitude of others from the flood, who are falling head first into the pit of fire. Blake's religious background helped shape the themes present in his painting. It includes many references to biblical characters and events, as well as following some of the 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 through reward or punishment; those who are good go to Heaven and those who are evil are thrown into Hell. Blake describes the judgment as separated into two parts, with "The righteous stand at his right hand, and the wicked at his left" (76). Among the righteous are Abraham, Moses, Adam, and Eve, and on the left, along with the wicked, Blake includes figures such as Cain, those who died in the flood, and other assorted sinners. Blake wants to convey to readers that although his view of God is that of a loving creator, he must still 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 each other but only from God", demonstrating that God does not only accept those who are considered "holy", but those who believe in him: God, for Blake, is loving, kind , fair but harsh (93). Blake paints a picture of a creator's love and desire for his creations to be rewarded with Heaven. He notes that “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 epitome of sin - the devil - is not cast out because God does not forgive and takes revenge, but because he does not want to be forgiven. Blake writes that “in eternity one thing never changes into another thing, all 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 through 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 individual's identity and imagination are what follow him 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 a product of their environments and literary movements. Their poetry reflects the common idea of ​​beliefs within their culture due to their time periods and the mindset of their audience. Yeats, a modernist and religious skeptic, wrote "The Second Coming" in dark tones and themes because this was what his audience believed at the time due to World War I, the decline of spirituality, and traditional social roles. Blake, a romantic and religious writer, painted his "A Vision of the Last Judgment" as his readers saw the world coming to an end: Jesus judging them and.