Gyres by W. B. Yeats

GYRES Yeats is well-known as a poet who has used a lot of symbolism in his works, especially mythological. 'The Gyres' is also one such poem where he introduces his readers to one of the most important esoteric concepts of his works - gyres. There are numerous references of circles and of re-occurring periods, as a whole, in Yeats' poems, and those references are somehow linked back to the concept of 'gyres' - conic spirals that signifies cycles of 2000 years that bring major changes in the world.

Intensity of the change that a gyre cycle is capable of bringing can be evaluated by the second line of the poem - 'Things thought too long can be no longer thought (2)'. One needs extensive deciphering of symbolism when reading (and getting underlying meaning) of Yeats' poems - The Gyres is no exception.

The period Yeats has in mind started with the birth of Christ and is about to end in 2000 - completing one cycle of human achievements and then degradation - the time has declined only to rise again and continue the cycle. The cycle we learn about here in this poem, starts from civilization at its lowest ebb and then growing to the point of zenith.

This duration sees upheavals, wars, and all great destruction and construction, where the times and value go on to change - 'ancient lineaments are blotted out (4)'. The poem is closely linked with 'The Second Coming', which accounts for what and how after a gyre cycle repeats itself. The historical turmoil and things going from an orderly manner to chaos is what a gyre cycle witnesses.

Time changes from good to worse, and human sole of that era gets affected by the happenings too - 'Conduct and work grow coarse and coarse the soul (17)'. The scenes described in this poem also depict how the dignified values perish and instead, the how the earth turns into an unruly place where violence and mayhem rules - 'Irrational streams of blood are staining earth (5)'. But as the happenings are temporary, the poet asks the reader not to get disappoint with the apparent conditions.

In confronting these circumstances, the crest and trough, the ups and downs, Yeats has promised reward in form of an up-cycle again and warns against depressed thoughts due to the current low situation - 'Heave no sigh, let no tear drop (11)'. Although, a flourishing period is over - 'A greater, a more gracious time has gone (12)' - this present no reason to weep for, in poets view.

Defeat of humans at the hand of gyre cycle is not to be mourned - instead, a defiance and cheer for what is to come next is sought by the poet - 'And all it knows is that one word Rejoice! (16)' - this rejoice is what Yeats wants in place of sighs - 'In ancient tombs I sighed, but not again (14)'. The idea and belief in gyres in Yeats' works' is attributed to.