From Equilibrium to Exchange

AbstractIn his sequence of novels Williams explores the path from the idea of ‘exchange’ to ‘substitution’, and finally to ‘co-inherence’. This chapter shows how the first four novels each take a central symbol around which the plot revolves: successively these are the Arthurian Holy Grail, the Stone of Solomon, the Eagle—archetype of Truth—and the Dance of the cosmos. The predominant idea is the desirability of holding an equilibrium within the movements of time, space, and events. The idea also appears in notes by Williams for a lecture on Gerard Manley Hopkins at about the same time. However, it fails to resolve Williams’ often-discussed question as to whether evil is part of the ‘Necessity’ or ‘Destiny’ of creation. Through the vocabulary of his novels Williams appears to be searching for a comprehensive term for his vision of the world, and this is to be finally satisfied in ‘co-inherence’.