By the Waters of Babylon

Published in 1937, “By the Waters of Babylon” reflects the destruction the world witnessed during World War I and foreshadows the anguish that was to come only a few years later in World War II. Benét’s descriptions of “mist that poisoned” and “fire falling out of the sky” mimic the chemical and aerial warfare used for the first time during World War I (9). Europe was decimated by trench warfare and bombings that harmed both soldiers and civilians, much like the Place of the Gods experiences in the story.

Benét’s portrayal of a postapocalyptic New York reveals the destruction of war. In John’s visions, he sees the city in its thriving glory. He describes gods on chariots, which refer to automobiles, bridges and tunnels under the city, and brightly lit skyscrapers filling the skyline. In John’s eyes, the gods were able to create something beyond any human ability, for “it was magic what they could do—it was magic what they did” (8). Despite the magical quality of the Place of the Gods, all its power could not withstand the immense force of war. What were once tall, shiny skyscrapers became “the ruins of the high towers of the gods,” and the bridges that carried the weight of thousands of cars and gods were left “cracked and broken” (5).