In his poem The Second Coming, W.B. Yeats predicts a frightening scene which he sees as the coming of the end of the world. Yeats utilizes a combination of elements to create a horrifying backdrop for his poem. He uses powerful images, symbols and allusions to communicate his message of an impending apocalypse.

Yeats employs a lot of images that convey the overall dark tone of the poem. He employs a simple structure, dividing the poem into two stanzas. In the first stanza, Yeats uses imagery to describe the deterioration of the world around him. "Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold/ Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world" (1.3-4). It is apparent that Yeats is referring to the unraveling of society. The "centre" representing the foundation of order and reason, has broken down and has given way to chaos and turmoil. In his following lines, Yeats...