By the Waters of Babylon

“By the Waters of Babylon” is a Modernist approach to fears that haunted the mid-20th century. Inspired by the bombing of Guernica by fascist forces on April 26, 1937, the story delves into the themes of The Destruction of War and The Pursuit of Knowledge. The writer uses allusions to the Babylonian exile and the Book of Revelation to create an atmosphere of loss, yearning, and anxiety regarding the end of days.

Structurally, the protagonist’s adventure follows the pattern of the hero’s journey. John contends with various dangers, including the river and the wild dogs, and his reward is his discovery of the gods’ identity. His quest develops the theme of The Pursuit of Knowledge. John’s journey shows that information is not confined to the books that initially sparked his love of knowledge. He learns through the firsthand experience of his travels and travails, and he also gains insight through mystical experiences, such as the vision that shows him New York in its former glory. John compares knowledge to “a fire in [his] heart” (1). The simile is apt because destruction results when knowledge grows out of control, as was the case for the humans John’s people revere as gods.

In many ways, Benét’s story is a cautionary tale against America’s growing power and world influence. One of the most distinctive elements of the story is its setting in postapocalyptic New York City. Often, literature reflects the fears of the society it comes from. Naturally, after experiencing World War I and living on the cusp of World War II, Americans like Benét feared the destruction they witnessed across Europe during the war. “By the Waters of Babylon” embodies a fear that Americans had not witnessed in many generations—the fear of what would become of their culture and society if war raged on their own land. In many ways, the story serves as a warning. Even the seemingly magical society of the gods collapsed because of their own force. The central event that caused the destruction of the gods’ society was the Great Burning, a traumatic battle consisting of bombs, fire, and chemical warfare. In his visions of New York before the Great Burning, John sees everything the gods built and accomplished but also sees that “not all they did was well done” (8). Americans, like the gods in the story, may have had great power, resources, and knowledge but were, in Benét’s eyes, at risk of causing their own undoing.

Despite the destruction John witnesses, “By the Waters of Babylon” ends on a note of hopefulness rather than nihilism. Though Benét criticizes abuses of power and those who divorce knowledge from wisdom, he ultimately sends a message about the strength and resilience of human beings. When John realizes that it was “men who built the city, not gods or demons” (9), he also realizes that his own people are capable of greatness once again. John anticipates the world his people will rebuild, no longer afraid but expectant of newfound power and the possibility of wisdom helping them to avoid the mistakes of those who came before them.