Come full circle
Meaning
To return to a previous state, situation, or idea after a period of change or development.
Origin
The powerful image of life's cyclical nature, where events or situations repeat themselves, found its enduring expression in William Shakespeare's tragic play King Lear, first performed around 1606. In a pivotal moment, Edmund, having betrayed his father and brother, exclaims, "The wheel is come full circle; I am here." This vivid metaphor of a spinning wheel completing its rotation and bringing him back to the very point where his downfall began perfectly encapsulates the idea of fate or consequence leading one back to their starting point. The phrase gradually evolved into its present form, maintaining the essence of life's inevitable returns.
Examples
- After living abroad for two decades, she came full circle and moved back to her childhood home.
- His career began in journalism and, after exploring many fields, he recently came full circle by launching his own news site.