A Vision: An Explanation of Life Founded upon the Writings of Giraldus and upon Certain Doctrines Attributed to Kusta Ben Luka

The cyclical nature of history continues as a prominent theme. Instead of seeing history as a series of unrelated events, Yeats posits a more conical shape, akin to interconnected spirals or gyres. In this model, history is a spiral, with societies experiencing periods of rise, peak, and decline. But it is not merely repetitive. Each cycle is distinct, building upon the last and setting the stage for the next, thus creating a sense of progression.

The poem “Leda and the Swan” encapsulates A Vision’s understanding of historical cycles. At face value, it recounts the mythological encounter between Zeus and Leda. However, beneath this narrative, Yeats weaves in the broader implications of that singular moment. The poem’s questions— “Did she put on his knowledge with his power / Before the indifferent beak could let her drop?” (149)—hint at the consequences that can emerge from singular events. Zeus’s assault on Leda does not exist in isolation; it is a pivotal moment that sets off a cascade of events, spiraling outward through time.

To truly grasp Yeats’s view, one must visualize history as a dynamic spiral. The spirals of history are both recursive, echoing past events, and progressive, marking new territory. While patterns might repeat, the circumstances, challenges, and outcomes of each cycle emerge from all that has come before. In “The Great Wheel and History,” Yeats further expands upon this cyclical view, offering a panoramic perspective on the ebb and flow of various civilizations. For instance, his exploration of the trajectory of ancient Greece, from its spiritual and artistic zenith to its intellectual and societal decline, exemplifies this cyclical understanding. The rise and fall of empires, including Alexander the Great’s conquests, represent phases in the great wheel of history, with each era giving way to another in a predictable, yet dynamic, rhythm. yet society’s decline is not always marked by visible signs of chaos or decadence. Sometimes, a society can fade not with a bang but with a whimper, gradually losing touch with its foundational beliefs and values. This sort of decline is different from the more visible moral and societal decay that we can observe in historical civilizations, such as those of ancient Greece and Rome.

Yeats’s poem “The Second Coming” helps to shed light on some of the underlying values at work here. The themes and imagery found in “The Second Coming” are closely related to the ideas Yeats developed in A Vision. The poem was written in 1919. The ideas that would form the foundation of A Vision were already germinating in Yeats’s mind and spiritual practices during the time “The Second Coming” was composed. The poem, with its imagery of societal collapse and the birth of something new yet potentially terrifying, aligns with his theory of historical cycles. Yeats believed that history moved in 2000-year cycles, with one age giving way to the next, just as the falcon in the poem moves in widening gyres away from the falconer. The fact that the “falcon cannot hear the falconer” suggests that communication and understanding have broken down (Yeats, William Butler. “The Second Coming.” 1919. Line 2). The poem’s imagery evokes a world losing its moral and spiritual center. In A Vision’s terminology, this is a society in which the antithetical has lost touch with the primary, in which belief systems no longer resonate with the immediate experiences and needs of the people. It is a society that has lost its way because it has become either too rigid and structured or too chaotic and unstructured.

However, amid this portrayal of decline, Yeats also hints at the possibility of renewal. The poem introduces the idea of cyclical rebirth with the coming of a “rough beast” that has been “slouch[ing] towards Bethlehem to be born” (“The Second Coming” 21-22). This reflects Yeats’s belief in historical cycles in which decline precedes rebirth. The new figure that emerges might not be comforting but indicates change and the start of a new cycle. This renewal would ideally be shaped by groups of people who value firsthand experiences and practical understanding over abstract theories. Yet this rebirth is not without potential drawbacks. With the excitement and energy of renewal can also come the risks of over-enthusiasm, which can manifest as extreme behaviors or even oppressive tendencies.

In Yeats’s perspective, the healthiest societies are those that find a balance in The Interplay of Duality and Unity. They manage to blend the energy and spontaneity of hands-on experiences with the stability and reflection provided by structure and planning. In his terms, this would be a balance between the antithetical and primary natures of existence. He perceives the primary as the spontaneous, intuitive, and immediate experiences of life, while the antithetical represents the structured, rational, and reflective side of existence. Neither overly chaotic nor stiflingly ordered, these societies respect both immediate experiences and the bigger picture, allowing them to thrive.