The rough beast probably isn't referring to just religion. Rather, it stands a higher chance that Yeats was referring to what the title is also alluding to, Christ's second coming as prophesied in Revelation. This in mind, Yeats appears to be expressing that the event of Christ's return may not be a pleasant time, due to all that humanity has done to anger god (indignant desert birds). If one reads the Book of Revelation, one would agree.
I completely agree. The "rough beast" isn't just religion necessarily but the entire idea of whatever comes at the turn of the era. In the poem the "rocking cradle" refers to Christ. It also must be noted that the end of the poem is a question. Yeats also of course does not know exactly what is coming, his point is that according to the Book of Revelation as you have pointed out - whatever comes will change the world and possibly be a wake up call for humanity.
I agree with you both that the Rough Beast is definitely referring to religion. Yeats is trying to say that religion seems to be destroying mankind, causing conflict and war. It is dividing us, like it's some sort of monster.
While I agree that the "Rough Beast" is religion I feel Yeats had a different intention. In Revelations the Antichrist comes and brings chaos to the world. There multiple stages of natural disasters that is God's way of ridding the world of sinners and those who have turned form him. But after that Christ comes and restores order and lives in peace with those who accepted him. What I feel Yeats is saying is that when Christ comes, he won't be enough. The Antichrist and people in general will be too much for Christ because he feels that religion is losing its power. He sees religion as a very harmful thing and feels that people will start to realize this and turn against it. And with his imagery of a beast with a head of human and body of lion he puts forth a powerful adversary of Christ who has the power of both human intelligence and animal strength who moves towards Bethlehem (birth of Jesus and Christianity)to both destroy religion and be born to start a new era.
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The rough beast probably isn't referring to just religion. Rather, it stands a higher chance that Yeats was referring to what the title is also alluding to, Christ's second coming as prophesied in Revelation. This in mind, Yeats appears to be expressing that the event of Christ's return may not be a pleasant time, due to all that humanity has done to anger god (indignant desert birds). If one reads the Book of Revelation, one would agree.
I completely agree. The "rough beast" isn't just religion necessarily but the entire idea of whatever comes at the turn of the era. In the poem the "rocking cradle" refers to Christ. It also must be noted that the end of the poem is a question. Yeats also of course does not know exactly what is coming, his point is that according to the Book of Revelation as you have pointed out - whatever comes will change the world and possibly be a wake up call for humanity.
I agree with you both that the Rough Beast is definitely referring to religion. Yeats is trying to say that religion seems to be destroying mankind, causing conflict and war. It is dividing us, like it's some sort of monster.
While I agree that the "Rough Beast" is religion I feel Yeats had a different intention. In Revelations the Antichrist comes and brings chaos to the world. There multiple stages of natural disasters that is God's way of ridding the world of sinners and those who have turned form him. But after that Christ comes and restores order and lives in peace with those who accepted him. What I feel Yeats is saying is that when Christ comes, he won't be enough. The Antichrist and people in general will be too much for Christ because he feels that religion is losing its power. He sees religion as a very harmful thing and feels that people will start to realize this and turn against it. And with his imagery of a beast with a head of human and body of lion he puts forth a powerful adversary of Christ who has the power of both human intelligence and animal strength who moves towards Bethlehem (birth of Jesus and Christianity)to both destroy religion and be born to start a new era.
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