The Second Coming by W.B. Yeats

Literature Lesson Plans - Sykalo Eugen 2024

The Second Coming by W.B. Yeats

Grade Level: This lesson plan is intended for High School English, ideally 11th or 12th grade.

Subject: Literature

Time Allotment: One class period (approximately 50 minutes)

Learning Objectives:

  • Students will be able to analyze the poem's structure, imagery, and symbolism.
  • Students will be able to identify the central themes of apocalypse, societal decline, and the cyclical nature of history.
  • Students will be able to discuss the poem's historical context and Yeats' fascination with mythology and symbolism.
  • Students will be able to consider the speaker's tone and the poem's potential interpretations.

Materials:

  • Copies of "The Second Coming" by W.B. Yeats
  • Whiteboard or projector
  • Markers or pens
  • Literary analysis worksheet focusing on imagery and symbolism (optional)

Lesson Procedure:

  1. Introduction (10 minutes):
  • Briefly introduce W.B. Yeats and his association with Irish nationalism and symbolism.
  • Mention the concept of apocalypse and its representation in literature and religion.
  • Briefly discuss the historical context of the poem's publication (1920s, post-WWI disillusionment).
  1. Active Reading and Annotation (15 minutes):
  • Distribute copies of "The Second Coming."
  • Have students read the poem silently, annotating:

✵ Unfamiliar words or phrases.

✵ Vivid imagery that creates a sense of chaos and disruption.

✵ Symbolic references (e.g., gyre, falcon, center cannot hold).

  1. Imagery and Symbolism Analysis (20 minutes):
  • Distribute a literary analysis worksheet focusing on imagery and symbolism (optional).
  • Individually or in small groups, students analyze:

✵ How do the descriptions of the "slouching beast" and "blood-dimmed tide" contribute to the poem's atmosphere of violence and upheaval?

✵ What is the significance of the falcon and the "center cannot hold" line? How do they relate to the idea of a collapsing civilization?

✵ Are there any religious or mythological references? How do they add to the poem's meaning?

  1. Theme Discussion (15 minutes):
  • Lead a class discussion based on the analysis of imagery and symbolism:

✵ What are the central themes of the poem? Consider apocalypse, societal decline, loss of faith, and the cyclical nature of history (a new era rising from the ashes of the old).

✵ What is the speaker's tone? Is it one of fear, resignation, or something else?

✵ How does the poem capture the anxieties of the post-WWI era?

✵ Consider multiple interpretations: Is the "Second Coming" a literal or metaphorical event?

Differentiation:

  • Provide scaffolding for reading comprehension by offering a vocabulary list of unfamiliar words or paraphrasing complex lines.
  • Offer different options for the analysis worksheet (e.g., creating a visual representation of the central symbols, drawing connections between different symbolic elements).
  • Allow students to choose a specific image or symbol to focus on and analyze its historical and mythological context.

Extension Activities:

  • Students can research the concept of apocalypse in different cultures and religions.
  • Have students write a news report from the perspective of a witness to the events described in the poem.
  • Compare and contrast "The Second Coming" with another poem that explores themes of destruction and rebirth (e.g., T.S. Eliot's "The Waste Land").

Assessment:

  • Participation in class discussions and group activities.
  • Completed literary analysis worksheet focusing on imagery and symbolism (if used).
  • Short essay analyzing the poem's use of imagery and symbolism and its exploration of themes like apocalypse, societal decline, and the cyclical nature of history.
  • Optionally, a creative writing piece where students imagine a conversation between the speaker and a character who represents a different perspective on the coming change.