A Study of “Theory of the Gyre” and “Tragic Joy” in W. B. Yeats’s Poems

This paper seeks to demonstrate how Yeats’s concept of tragic joy provides a unique lens on personal and societal struggles, contributing to the understanding of his works in relation to human resilience. It would not be an exaggeration to say that what he tried to maintain throughout his life was to protect and maintain the “Unity of Being” and “human values.” According to “the theory of Gyre,” Yeats believed that the humanity of the individual is determined by the relationship of struggle between “the antithetical,” which represents our “Will,” and “the primary,” which represents our “Mask.” He also called the process by which the human spirit finds the beauty of victory by sublimating this fateful conflict into joy, “tragic joy.” Yeats consistently pursued ‘Unity of Being’ and ‘human values’ through his poetry, using tragic joy as a way to transform struggles into dignity and transcendence. (Gyeongsang National University)