Things Fall Apart: Moral Inversion and Apocalyptic Violence in W. B. Yeats’s “The Second Coming”

Abstract

William Butler Yeats’s “The Second Coming” reflects post–World War I chaos. It depicts moral inversion and apocalyptic violence as signs of a collapsing era and the rise of a dark new age. This article aims to identify and analyze moral inversion and apocalyptic violence in his poem “The Second Coming”. We employed a qualitative documentary research design to accomplish this study. Major poetic excerpts which reflect the moral inversion and apocalyptic violence in the poem functioned as the sources of primary data, whereas relevant books and peer-reviewed journal articles were used as the sources of qualitative secondary data. We applied a thematic analysis to interpret the primary data. The findings specify that this poem functions as a powerful metaphor for moral inversion and apocalyptic violence. The poem reflects the persistent erosion of ethical and democratic values. It shows that the “lack of conviction” among the virtuous is not merely a historical condition but a recurring phenomenon that shapes periods of social and political crisis. Yeats portrays a world where traditional virtues are systematically replaced by predatory chaos. This article emphasizes the enduring relevance of Yeats’s prophecy in understanding contemporary global crises. This study is academically significant as it analyzes Yeats’s portrayal of moral inversion and apocalyptic violence, and offers insights into the interplay between literature, ethics, and socio-political crises across historical and contemporary contexts. It will benefit scholars, students, and researchers of literature.