In W.B. Yeats’ poem ‘The Second Coming,’ the gyre is a powerful symbol that represents the cyclical nature of history and the inevitable rise and fall of civilizations. Yeats uses the gyre to illustrate his theory of historical cycles, where one era gives way to another in a continuous spiral of change.
The gyre, a spiral or vortex, symbolizes the turning of time and the movement from one epoch to another. In the poem, the widening gyre suggests that the current era is unraveling, leading to chaos and the collapse of the old order. This imagery sets the stage for the poem’s central theme: the impending arrival of a new, possibly terrifying, era.
Yeats believed that history moves in 2,000-year cycles, and the gyre represents the end of one cycle and the beginning of another. The falcon, which cannot hear the falconer, symbolizes the loss of control and the breakdown of communication between the old order and the new. This disconnection leads to a sense of chaos and uncertainty, as the world teeters on the brink of a new age.
The gyre also reflects Yeats’ view of the world as a place of constant flux, where stability is an illusion, and change is the only constant. The poem’s apocalyptic tone underscores the idea that the end of one era is often accompanied by turmoil and upheaval, as the old ways are swept away to make room for the new.
In summary, the gyre in ‘The Second Coming’ is a profound symbol of historical cycles, the collapse of old orders, and the inevitable rise of new ones. It captures the poem’s themes of chaos, change, and the uncertain future that lies ahead.