The Widening Gyre: A Study of W. B. Yeats and Modernist Anxiety
This blog assignment has been given by Prof. Dr. Dilip Barad, Head of the Department of English at MKBU. It focuses on a critical study of two poems by W. B. Yeats. The analysis will be supported by various learning resources such as online video lectures, Hindi podcasts, and guided study questions, which together help in developing a deeper understanding of the poems and their themes.
Image source: Wikipedia
Introduction
William Butler Yeats is one of the most influential poets of the twentieth century, occupying a unique position between Romantic and Modernist traditions. His poetry reflects deep concern with Ireland’s political struggles, the devastation caused by worldwide conflicts, and a highly personal symbolic system through which he attempted to make sense of a fragmented world. In poems like “The Second Coming” and “On Being Asked for a War Poem,” Yeats explores the collapse of established social, ethical, and spiritual values while also reflecting on the responsibility of the poet during periods of unrest. Through powerful imagery and carefully crafted form, Yeats presents a vision that avoids comfort or certainty, instead confronting readers with the unsettling emergence of a new and unpredictable age.
The Online Class Experience and the “Pandemic Reading”
1.1 Reinterpreting The Second Coming through the Pandemic Lens
The online video lectures introduced an innovative interpretation of “The Second Coming” that is often overlooked in conventional literary criticism the impact of the 1918–1920 Spanish Flu pandemic. This approach adds a disturbing historical depth to Yeats’s imagery.
The “Blood-Dimmed Tide”:
Traditionally, critics associate the phrase “blood-dimmed tide” with the violence of the First World War or revolutionary upheavals such as the Bolshevik Revolution. However, the class discussion highlighted the strikingly medical nature of this image. During the influenza pandemic, many sufferers experienced internal bleeding, with fluid filling the lungs and causing death by suffocation. In this context, Yeats’s line “The ceremony of innocence is drowned” gains a chilling literal resonance, suggesting not only moral collapse but also physical, biological catastrophe.
The Invisible Threat:
The lectures further proposed that the “rough beast” can be read as a symbol of the unseen terror of disease. Unlike warfare, where the enemy is visible and identifiable, a pandemic spreads silently and uncontrollably. The “anarchy loosed upon the world” thus reflects the chaos caused by an invisible virus. The image of the “widening gyre” may be understood as the rapid, spiralling spread of infection, slipping beyond the authority of the “falconer,” representing institutions such as science and government.
1.2 “Refusal-as-Assent” in On Being Asked for a War Poem
Another significant insight from the online classes was the concept of Refusal-as-Assent, which offers a nuanced understanding of Yeats’s stance toward war poetry.
The Modernist Paradox:
When Yeats was invited to write a poem supporting the war effort, he declined—but paradoxically did so by composing a poem. This act embodies a distinctly Modernist gesture. As explained in the lectures, Yeats’s refusal is neither escapism nor indifference; rather, it is a strong declaration of artistic independence.
The Poet versus the Statesman:
Special attention was given to the line, “We have no gift to set a statesman right.” While often interpreted as modesty, the class revealed its underlying irony, comparable to Dhvani in Indian aesthetics. Yeats subtly criticizes political leaders, suggesting that they are too deeply involved in pragmatic power struggles to heed poetic wisdom. Instead of producing propaganda, the poet safeguards timeless human values, represented by figures such as the “young girl” and the “old man,” whose lives and emotions are endangered by war.
1.3 Student Interpretations and Indian Aesthetic Theory
A distinctive aspect of this study was the application of Indian literary concepts Rasa and Dhvani to the analysis of Yeats’s Modernist poetry. The “Student Responses” section of the blog demonstrates insightful cross-cultural readings.
Vakrokti (Indirect Expression):
Several students identified On Being Asked for a War Poem as a clear example of Vakrokti, or oblique expression. Yeats’s indirect refusal his decision to “not speak of war” becomes a powerful and meaningful commentary on war itself.
Adbhutam Rasa (Wonder and Terror):
In The Second Coming, the figure of the “rough beast” generates Adbhutam Rasa, evoking awe intertwined with fear. The creature’s “blank and pitiless” gaze also introduces elements of Bibhatsa Rasa (the grotesque or repulsive), violently disrupting the “ceremony of innocence” and intensifying the poem’s unsettling effect.
Insights from the Hindi Podcast
2.1 Understanding the “Zeitgeist” (Spirit of the Age)
The Hindi podcast draws a meaningful connection between Yeats’s concept of Spiritus Mundi in 1919 and what we today describe as the modern Zeitgeist. The speakers explain that the sense of fear and uncertainty Yeats experienced while witnessing the collapse of social order due to war and widespread disease closely resembles the collective anxiety of the 2020s. The podcast also points out that literary criticism has traditionally focused more on political upheaval, often neglecting the impact of biological disasters. By foregrounding this aspect, the discussion fills an important critical gap.
The Battle of the Mind:
The podcast further interprets On Being Asked for a War Poem as a lesson in psychological resilience. In an age dominated by constant news updates and demands for emotional reactions symbolized as the “war” Yeats urges readers to protect their inner life. By focusing on the “young girl,” representing beauty, and the “old man,” symbolizing wisdom, Yeats offers a way to preserve balance and clarity. This approach is presented not as withdrawal from reality but as a necessary strategy to maintain inner stability when the world threatens to fall apart.
Detailed Thematic and Textual Analysis
3.1 The Second Coming: A Map of Disorder
The Gyre and the Movement of History:
Yeats viewed history as moving in vast, recurring cycles known as gyres, each lasting roughly two thousand years. According to this theory, the Christian age marked by unity, faith, and centralized authority was nearing its end, while an opposing phase defined by fragmentation, violence, and decentralization was beginning. The Second Coming captures this moment of historical transition.
“Turning and turning in the widening gyre”:
The repeated use of the word “turning” creates a sense of vertigo, reflecting a world caught in relentless motion and instability. The image of the “widening” gyre suggests that disorder has expanded beyond the reach of any controlling force. The balance between stability and chaos has collapsed, allowing centrifugal forces to dominate.
The Collapse of Communication:
“The falcon cannot hear the falconer”:
This metaphor lies at the heart of the poem. The falcon may be read as humanity, rational thought, or society at large, while the falconer represents the guiding authority whether divine, moral, or traditional. The fear arises not from the absence of the falconer, but from the falcon’s distance. The loss of contact signals alienation, a key concern of Modernist literature, where individuals and societies are cut off from their guiding principles.
A Distorted Birth Scene:
Yeats deliberately overturns the Christian image of the Nativity. Instead of the birth of Christ promising redemption, the poem presents a terrifying alternative:
“A shape with lion body and the head of a man”
This sphinx-like creature symbolizes an ancient, pre-Christian power driven by instinct rather than compassion. Its “blank and pitiless” stare mirrors the sun’s indifference, suggesting a new era devoid of moral concern an age shaped by scientific detachment, mechanization, and mass violence. The creature’s slow, awkward movement, conveyed through the verb “slouches,” emphasizes both its grotesque nature and the inevitability of its arrival.
3.2 On Being Asked for a War Poem: The Meaning of Silence
The Case for Silence:
“I think it better that in times like these / A poet’s mouth be silent”
Here, Yeats asserts that moments of crisis are precisely when poetry should resist becoming mere reportage. While journalism records immediate events such as bloodshed and political conflict, poetry must preserve a deeper vision. By entering the realm of political argument or propaganda, the poet risks losing the distinctive imaginative power that defines art.
Timeless Human Figures:
“A young girl in the indolence of her youth, / Or an old man upon a winter’s night.”
These figures stand for the enduring rhythms of human existence youth and age, vitality and decline. Unlike wars and governments, which are temporary and historically bound, these experiences are universal and recurring. By choosing to focus on such archetypes, Yeats resists the fleeting noise of war and affirms poetry’s responsibility to safeguard what is permanent in human life.
Expanded Discussion Responses
(i) Discussion Question: Imagery of Disintegration
Q: How does Yeats employ imagery to communicate a sense of breakdown in The Second Coming?
Yeats does not merely state that civilization is collapsing; instead, he carefully constructs a progression of visual and dynamic images that allow the reader to experience disintegration on multiple levels.
Kinetic Disintegration (Movement):
The poem opens with uncontrolled motion “Turning and turning” suggesting a loss of stability from the very first line. The image of the “widening gyre” functions as a visual metaphor for breakdown: as the spiral expands, the central point of control weakens. When Yeats declares, “Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold,” the statement operates less as an abstract idea and more as a mechanical principle, like a system spinning so fast that it destroys itself.
Liquid Disintegration (The Flood Image):
The “blood-dimmed tide” represents the collapse of natural and moral boundaries. A tide normally follows a predictable, cosmic rhythm, governed by the moon. Here, however, it is described as “loosed,” suggesting violent release rather than order. The mixing of blood with water blurs distinctions between life and death, nature and atrocity, indicating a world where natural laws have been violated.
Moral Disintegration:
Yeats further visualizes collapse through ethical imbalance. The contrast between the “best,” who lack conviction, and the “worst,” who possess “passionate intensity,” depicts a society where moral authority has eroded. Reasonable voices are silenced by doubt, while extremists act with destructive certainty. This image anticipates the rise of fanatic ideologies and reflects a deeply fractured moral landscape.
Biological Disintegration:
As explored in the pandemic-based interpretation, the drowning of “innocence” also suggests the literal breakdown of the human body under disease and violence. The image conveys not only spiritual loss but physical vulnerability, emphasizing the fragility of human life in times of crisis.
(ii) Discussion Question: The Politics of Apolitical Poetry
Q: Do you agree with Yeats’s claim in On Being Asked for a War Poem that poetry should remain detached from politics?
This question remains one of the most contested debates in literary studies.
The Argument in Favor (Yeats’s Perspective):
One may side with Yeats in believing that poetry serves a purpose higher than immediate political commentary. Political poems often lose relevance as historical contexts change, requiring extensive explanation for later readers. By avoiding direct political engagement, poets can address universal human experiences. For instance, The Iliad transcends its historical setting to explore enduring emotions such as anger, loss, and heroism. Yeats fears that writing explicitly about war would reduce poetry to propaganda, turning the poet into a mouthpiece for political agendas rather than a visionary voice. His refusal, therefore, becomes an act of preserving linguistic and artistic integrity.
The Counterargument (The Activist Standpoint):
Conversely, critics argue that choosing silence is itself a political decision one that often benefits those in power. As discussed in the podcast, refusal can function as tacit acceptance of injustice. Poets such as Wilfred Owen and W. H. Auden believed that poetry carries an ethical responsibility to bear witness and challenge authority. Auden’s assertion, “We must love one another or die,” reflects a belief in poetry’s power to confront political violence. From this perspective, Yeats’s claim that poets have “no gift” to correct statesmen may appear evasive, an abdication of moral responsibility.
A Middle Ground:
A balanced response may lie between these positions. Poetry need not adopt the tone of political rhetoric, yet it cannot entirely detach itself from political realities. The most powerful poems engage with politics indirectly by revealing their human consequences suffering, fear, and loss without reducing art to slogans or party lines. In this way, poetry remains deeply political without becoming narrowly partisan.
Analytical Exercise – Comparative Study
Task: Compare Yeats’s treatment of war in On Being Asked for a War Poem with the war poetry of Wilfred Owen and Siegfried Sassoon.
This comparison highlights the wide range of Modernist literary responses to the trauma and devastation of the First World War.
When comparing the treatment of war by W. B. Yeats, Wilfred Owen, and Siegfried Sassoon, clear differences in their perspectives and poetic methods emerge. Yeats adopts a detached and aristocratic stance toward war, viewing it from a distance and considering it unworthy of direct poetic treatment. In contrast, Wilfred Owen writes as an immersive witness, drawing directly from his experiences in the trenches to reveal what he famously called “the pity of war.” Siegfried Sassoon, however, takes an angry and confrontational position, using his poetry to expose the failures and incompetence of military and political leadership.
In terms of imagery, Yeats relies on abstract and symbolic representations, employing figures such as “winter’s night” and the “silent mouth” rather than concrete battle scenes. Owen’s imagery is strikingly graphic and visceral, filled with descriptions of gas attacks, wounded bodies, and the muddy realities of trench warfare. Sassoon’s imagery, by contrast, is conversational and sharply satirical, often mocking authority through irony and biting language.
Their differing philosophies of poetry further distinguish them. Yeats believes in the principle of art for art’s sake, arguing that poetry should preserve beauty and timeless truth beyond the realm of politics. Owen sees poetry as a form of moral protest, insisting on exposing the falsehoods of patriotic propaganda and revealing the human cost of war. Sassoon treats poetry as a weapon, using it to challenge social and political hypocrisy and to criticize the rigid class structures that sustain war.
As a result, Yeats produces poems that reflect deeply on the role and responsibility of the poet, Owen creates poetry that confronts readers with the physical reality of death and suffering, and Sassoon writes poems that critique the social and hierarchical systems that govern wartime society.
Conclusion of the Comparison
Yeats embodies the High Modernist impulse to preserve cultural and artistic values as a defense against historical chaos. In contrast, Owen and Sassoon belong to the tradition of trench poets who believe that such cultural fortifications have already collapsed. For them, the poet’s duty is to bear witness to devastation and injustice. Yeats’s deliberate silence functions as a philosophical safeguard, while Owen’s anguished voice and Sassoon’s biting satire emerge as urgent moral responses to the horrors of war.
Creative Activity
Prompt: Write a modernist-inspired poem reflecting on a contemporary global crisis, drawing on Yeats's themes and techniques.
Below is a sample poem that mimics Yeats's use of "gyres," "beasts," and "disintegration" but applies them to the crisis of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Disinformation.
The Digital Turning
Turning and turning in the widening web,
The user cannot hear the human voice;
Truth slips away; the centre cannot hold;
Confusion spreads across the glowing screens,
The truth-stained data flows, and everywhere
Careful thinking slowly sinks and fades;
The thoughtful hesitate, unsure and quiet,
While loud opinions shout with certainty.
Surely some change is coming very soon;
Surely a new age waits behind the code.
The new age! Hardly do I think these words
When from the world of wires and silent screens
A shape appears, made not of flesh but light,
With eyes that see but never understand,
Cold, calm, and empty as a perfect sum,
Watching us scroll through fragments of belief.
The screen goes dark; and yet I understand
That years of human thought and careful doubt
Were lulled to sleep by endless scrolling feeds,
And some new power, born of lines and data,
Moves slowly toward the world we cannot stop.
Conclusion
W. B. Yeats occupies a central place in literary history because his poetry moves beyond the limits of his own age and speaks to the recurring patterns of human experience. In The Second Coming, he offers a powerful language for expressing the sense of approaching crisis whether caused by war, disease, climate change, or other global upheavals. In On Being Asked for a War Poem, he presents a challenging yet necessary argument for the creative freedom and independence of the artist.
To understand these poems fully, they should be read not merely as products of a specific historical moment, but as works that continue to resonate in every age. The “rough beast” is never confined to the past, and the “gyre” never stops expanding. Ultimately, the choice lies with us: to drift helplessly amid the chaos, or to respond thoughtfully like the poet by giving meaning and voice to the storm around us.
References
Barad, Dilip. "On Being Asked for a War Poem." YouTube, 28 Jan. 2021, www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0eIBObJ7Ys.
Barad, Dilip. (2025). W.B. Yeats's Poems: The Second Coming - & - On Being Asked for a War Poem. 10.13140/RG.2.2.17299.18720.
"Hindi Podcast on 'The Second Coming' and 'On Being Asked for a War Poem'." YouTube, 1 Feb. 2021, www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAaWDvA2Gt4.
"The Second Coming." YouTube, 20 Jan. 2021, www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9qX3F0gsOQ.
"W.H. Auden: Poems." Dilip Barad's Blog, 2021, blog.dilipbarad.com/2021/05/whauden-poems.html?.
Yeats, W. B. "On Being Asked for a War Poem." The Wild Swans at Coole, Macmillan, 1919.
Yeats, W. B. "The Second Coming." Michael Robartes and the Dancer, Cuala Press, 1921.
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