‘The Second Coming’ by William Butler Yeats contains several biblical references, which add to the apocalyptic tone of the poem. The most obvious reference is to the Book of Revelation, which describes the end of the world and the second coming of Christ. The title of the poem itself alludes to this biblical event. In addition, the line ‘Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold’ echoes the words of Jesus in Matthew 24:29-30, which describe the coming of the Son of Man:

“Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven.”

The phrase ‘the darkness drops again’ also suggests the biblical notion of the end of the world as a time of darkness and chaos.

Moreover, the image of the ‘rough beast’ that is slouching towards Bethlehem to be born is a reference to the birth of Christ in Bethlehem, and the image of the ‘widening gyre’ is similar to the biblical concept of a ‘wheel within a wheel,’ which is mentioned in the Book of Ezekiel. These references connect the poem to the Christian tradition and emphasize the idea that the world is on the brink of a momentous change, which will be characterized by violence and destruction.