Final answer:
Expiation means the act of atoning for sin or wrongdoing, and it is an important concept in various historical and religious contexts, such as the practice of indulgences or societal changes during the Industrial Revolution.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term expiation refers to the act of atoning for sin or wrongdoing. This is closely related to historical practices within certain religions where individuals would seek to reconcile with a deity or the community by performing various acts of penance. An example of such a practice could involve the use of indulgences during older times, which were means of reducing the time a soul would spend in purgatory as atonement before entering heaven.
In the context of historical events, the need for expiation might have been felt more acutely. For instance, during the period of the Industrial Revolution, many social changes occurred that could have been interpreted as moral or ethical wrongdoing, prompting the need for societal atonement. In daily life, sickness or crop failure were sometimes regarded as signs of personal sin, necessitating expiation through confession and penance.
Poetry, while a different field, uses the term explication, which concerns the analysis and unfolding of a poem to understand the poet's choices and the poem’s effect on the reader. Like expiation, an explication can be seen as a process of uncovering deeper meaning or truth, but it relates to literary analysis rather than spiritual or ethical completion of atonement.