What is Yeats’ attitude to history and civilization?

Answer

What is Yeats’ attitude to history and civilization? 

Or, what does Yeats say about the rise and fall of civilizations? 

W.B. Yeats (1865-1939) is a prominent Irish poet. He often reflected on the rise and fall of civilizations in his works. His thoughts on this theme are both profound and poetic. His works provide deep insights into the cyclical nature of human societies. Here are key points drawn from his writings:

The Cycle of History: Yeats believed that history is cyclical. Civilizations rise and fall in a predictable pattern. Every civilization reaches a point where it can no longer sustain itself and begins to crumble. It led to chaos and the rise of a new order. He famously wrote, 

“Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold; 

Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world.” 

Spiritual Decline Leads to Decay: For Yeats, a society’s moral and spiritual health is crucial to its longevity. In “The Second Coming, he indicates that when good people lose their sense of purpose and the morally corrupt gain power, the society is doomed to fall.

The Role of Visionaries: Yeats also highlighted the importance of visionaries in guiding civilizations through periods of turmoil. He wrote, 

“The ceremony of innocence is drowned,” 

This indicates that those with clarity and vision are often overwhelmed by the chaos in times of great change. Visionaries are essential, but their voices are often drowned out during turbulent times.

Renewal Through Destruction: Despite his often grim outlook, Yeats believed in the possibility of renewal through destruction. He suggested that a new and potentially greater one could arise from the ruins of a fallen civilization. He expressed this idea through the symbol of the phoenix, a mythical bird reborn from its ashes. In “The Second Coming,” he predicts a new era with the lines, 

“Surely some revelation is at hand; 

Surely the Second Coming is at hand.”

In conclusion, Yeats viewed the rise and fall of civilizations as an inevitable cycle. His poetic insights continue to resonate. He reminds us of the weak yet resilient nature of human societies.