Eliot's Masterpiece and Downfall: New Poetics and The Waste ...

The Delta The Delta

Volume 1 Issue 1 Article 9

Spring 2006

Eliot's Masterpiece and Downfall: New Poetics and Eliot's Masterpiece and Downfall: New Poetics and The Waste

Land

Lindsay Hawley '06 Illinois Wesleyan University

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Recommended Citation Hawley '06, Lindsay (2006) "Eliot's Masterpiece and Downfall: New Poetics and The Waste Land," The Delta: Vol. 1 : Iss. 1 , Article 9. Available at: https://digitalcommons.iwu.edu/delta/vol1/iss1/9

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Works Cited

'. "I Try to Recall...: A Sense of Narrative in the )vel-

afternoon. a story." Reinventions of the

stories and Aesthetics of a Protean Genre. Eds. lrgrethe Simonsen, Marianne Ping Huang, and Mads

II Thomsen. Amsterdam: Rodopi, 2004. 301-320.

'ida. "The Effect of Hypertext on Processes of

md Writing." In

Self and Hilligoss, 238-263. d.

"Reconstructing the Deconstructed: Hypertext ll)' Education." Language and Literature 13.4

07-333. ~rid.

"Reading theories and some implications for ssing

of linear texts and hypertexts." Linguagem & 2 (July-Dec. 2004): 165-184. ltherine. "Print Is Flat, Code Is Deep: The ce of

Media-Specific Analysis." Poetics Today 25: I 004): 67-90. lley.

Patchwork Girl. Watertown, MA: Eastgate 1995.

El~ctronic. <http://www.eastgate.com>.

litch: The Patchwork GirL" MIT Communications

I November 1997). 30 October 2005. 'eb.mit.edu/comm-forum/papers/jackson.html>. leI.

afternoon. a story. Watertown, MA: Eastgate 1987. Electronic. <http://www.eastgate.com>.

lar. "Wittgenstein, Genette, anc! the Reader's

: in Hypertext." Hyper/Text/Theory. Ed. George P. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins UP, 1994. 87-120.

I L., and Susan Hilligoss, eds. Literacy and 'rs: The

Complications of Teaching and Learning with

'gy. New York: MLA, 1994. :rine F.

"Hypertextual Thinking." In Self and .,264-281:

72

Eliot's Masterpiece and Downfall: New Poetics and The Waste Land

Lindsay Hawley

In the early 1900s, T.S. Eliot aimed to create a poetry that relied on the creation of images rather than rhetoric, that denied complete unity of theme in favor of individual feelings, and that

acted as a medium for the communication of the poet's subconscious. Additionally, he desired that after its creation

poetry be criticized not in terms of its ideol~gical content or ' meaning, but rather its artistic value and its ability to create emotion in the reader. Eliot's method both succeeded and failed in his poetic work, The Waste Land. Although this work aptly followed each

of Eliot's poetic guidelines and became an admirable embodiment of his "new poetic," criticism of the work

paid less attention to its artistic worth and more to its implied meaning and function as a reflection of the author. The failure of

the work to be viewed as Eliot wished it to be can be attributed to both the nat~re ofliterary criticism and, ironically, the success of

the artist in making his art as he wished it to be, a manifestation of the poet's subconscious.

The poetic method of T.S. Eliot proved a stark contrast to all that it followed. Eliot and those in accordance with his views

SUCh.as Ezra. Pound, opposed poetry that aimed solely to

plea~e the publIc-poetry

that preached a consistent message that ran in

accordance with current public sentiments (Stead 96-7). Instead, these writers wished to shift the focus of poetry from the

promotion of the poet's ideology or "meaning" to the creation of images that would evoke a wide range of feelings in the reader. Eliot's poetry was not to be "the gushing nonsense of popular

poetry"; it was "an observation recorded, not a feeling expressed" (Lentricchia 242).' Rather than explicitly stating the emotional state of the poem, directly telling the reader how to feel, the poet should arouse sentiment through the description of events,

characters, and objects. These depictions are the "images" of the poem that come together in its structure, or as Eliot labels it, the

"objective correlative" (Stead 130). In his quest to make poetry dependant on images rather than

rhetoric, to create a work conveying disparate feeling through seemingly objective depiction, Eliot succeeded with The Waste

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Land Composed of a variety of voices, depicting a barren, dry land an adulterous affair and a man's return from war, among

othe~ things, set in Germany, London, France, the ancient world

and beyond,

The Waste Land proves a virtual gallery of.disparate images. These depictions create emotion through descnptlOn, rather than by the poet's explicit declaration of feeling. In "The

Fire Sermon" section of the piece, Eliot creates an uneasy atmosphere through disturbing, disgusting im~ges.. He. writes, "A

rat crept softly through the vt;getation / Draggmg Its slimy belly on the bank... White bodies naked on the low damp ground / And

bones cast in a little low dry garret / Rattled by the rat's foot only, year to year" (Eliot lines 187-8, 193-5). In this passage, ~liot

utilizes the rat, often viewed as a diseased and unclean allimal, combined with "slimy,"

an adjective associated with filth, to evoke a sense of disgust in the reader. Following soon after the rat

image, the "white bodies naked" provide a stark and disturbing picture. Eliot's use of the term "bodi~~" rathe~ th~n ':humans"

implies a lack of emotion in these entlt1~S, which md.lcates. t?at " they are corpses, a judgment further validated by their posItion on the low damp ground," where the deceased are buried. That these bodies are naked proves shocking and unsettling,

as typically corpses are not buried unclothed. Into this picture, the rat re­enters to "rattle" the "bones" of the bodies, wedding the

disgu;ting to the disturbing and creating a general sense of .. uneasiness in the reader. In this section, Eliot conveys emotIOn

solely through his images. He never explicitly describes th~ scene as disgusting or jarring, and does not elaborate on the emotIOns of

a person viewing the scene. The images ~peak for themsel.ves. And this is but one example of the many Images that functIOns the

same throughout The Waste Land. Therefore, Eliot follow.s ~is poetic guidelines, transmitting emotions through the descnptlon of

images rather than explicit expression on the part <;Jf.the poet.. . Images contained within the same poem, accordmg to ~li.ot,

do not have to communicate similar emotions. Each descnptlOn embodies a feeling that will be juxtaposed against other, possibly disparate, depictions. A piece

of writing may have some . emotional unity, but what makes it "poetic" is not uniformity of

meaning. Rather, the poetry is found in the "~oating feeling~" created by the different images, and these feelmgs are oft~n, m

Eliot's words, "chaotic, irregular, and fragmentary," defymg any

74

'""

semblance of unity (Perloff 9). Because the poet is generating disparate emotions rather than promotin; meaning, the poem does not have to maintain a con Its images may therefore convey a multiplicity of CI

feelings and still succeed as poetry by Eliot's defini Believing that poems did not require an overrid

emotional tone, but rather could and should explore emotions, Eliot created images in The Waste Landt

conflicting feelings. This poem "has no coherent th which the items of the poem are strung" (qtd. in Ste

defies any attempt to identify a singular, united ther accomplishes this through juxtaposition of divergen

contradicting implied emotion. Throughout the WOI

images inhabit close quarters. Harriet Davidson spe: poem's

"lack of thematic clarity," of its "careful ref

connections between images, scenes and voices" (D Indeed there exist many contrasting images in The ~

Such divergence makes it impossible to pin down a overriding theme for the work. In certain instances.

Land appears to betray the poet's despair. The worl

with bleak pictures of the nothingness and ruin ofth

described as "this stony rubbish" and "A heap of brc where the sun beats / And the dead tree gives no she cricket no relief' (Eliot 19-24). Perhaps the most de:

element of these images is their implicit lack of hop future. Eliot writes, "If there were water we should

. .. If there were only water amongst the rock" (335, implying that in water hope exists for the future. He

"But there is no water" only "dry sterile tlwnder wit (358, 342)-images of hopelessness that run througJ

However, one cannot take The Waste Land as ar despairing work lamenting the loss of society. For t

depictions of decay and drought are interwoven witI­images of growth and rain. The poem opens with S1:

blending in with the aforementioned pictures of desI the cruelest month, breeding / Lilacs out of the dead

Memory and desire, stirring / Dull roots with spring Here the deadness of the "dull roots" is contradicted of

the Lilac coming "out of the dead land," a sign of

ruin. The passage alludes to the coming of the "spri­

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)sed of a variety of voices, depicting a barren, dry erous affair and a man's return from war, among let in Germany, London, France, the ancient world

rhe Waste Land proves a virtual gallery of disparate ie

depictions create emotion through description, r the poet's explicit declaration of feeling. In "The , section of the piece, Eliot creates an uneasy

lrough disturbing, disgusting images. He writes, "A y through the vt<getation / Dragging its slimy belly on hite bodies naked on the low damp ground / And a little low dry garret / Rattled by the rat's foot only, (Eliot lines 187-8, 193-5). In this passage, ~liot

It often viewed as a diseased and unclean ammal, th

"slimy," an adjective associated with filth, to e

of disgust in the reader. Following soon after the rat white

bodies naked" provide a stark and disturbing It'S use

of the term "bodies" rather than "humans". k of emotion in these entities, which indicates that Ises,

a judgment further validated by their position "on p ground," where the deceased are buried. That

these lked proves shocking and unsettling, as typically lot buried unclothed. Into this picture, the rat re­lttle" the "bones" of the bodies, wedding the

) the disturbing and creating a general sense of . n the reader. In this section, Eliot conveys emotion

ghhis images. He never explicitly describes th~ scene gor jarring, and does not elaborate on the emotIOns of

wing the scene. The images speak for themse1~es.

mt one example

of the many images that functIOns the hout The Waste Land. Therefore, Eliot follows his

;Iines, transmitting emotions through the description of ~r

than explicit expression on the part <;>fthe poet. .

contained within the same poem, according to Eliot, to communicate similar emotions. Each description feeling that will be juxtaposed against other, possibly

~pictions. A piece

of writing may have some nity, but what makes it "poetic" is not uniforrt.tity of

~ather, the poetry is found in the "floating feelmgs" he

different images, and these feelings are often, in is, "chaotic, irregular, and fragmentary," defying any

74

semblance of unity (Perloff 9). Because the poet is interested in generating disparate emotions rather than promoting any certain meaning,.the poem does not have to maintain a consistent theme. Its images may therefore convey a multiplicity of contradicting

feelings and still succeed as poetry by Eliot's definition. Believing that poems did not require an overriding, unified

emotional tone, but rather could and should explore variant emotions, Eliot created images in The Waste Land that evoke often conflicting feelings. This poem "has no coherent thread upon which the items of the poem are strung" (qtd. in Stead 162); it

defies any attempt to identify a singular, united theme. The poem accomplishes this fhrough juxtaposition of divergent images and

contradicting implied emotion. Throughout the work, competing images inhabit close quarters. Harriet Davidson speaks of the

poem's "lack

of thematic clarity," of its "careful refusal of connections between images, scenes and voices" (Davidson 122). Indeed there exist many contrasting images in The Waste Land.

Such divergence makes it impossible to pin down a singular, overriding theme for the work. In certain instances, The Waste Land appears to betray the poet's despair. The work resonates

with bleak pictures of the nothingness and ruin of the landscape, described as "this stony rubbish" and "A heap of broken images /

where the sun beats / And the dead tree gives no shelter / the cricket no relief' (Eliot 19-24). Perhaps the most despairing

element of these images is their implicit lack of hope for the future. Eliot writes, "If there were water we should stop and drink '" If

there were only water amongst the rock" (335, 338), implying that in water hope exists for the future. He continues, "But there is no water" only "dry sterile tlwnder without rain" (358,

342)-images of hopelessness that run throughout the work. However, one cannot take The Waste Land as an entirely

despairing work lamenting the loss of society. For these hopeless depictions of decay and drought are interwoven with optimistic

images of growth and rain. The poem opens with such imagery, blending in with the aforementioned pictures of despair: "April is

the cruelest month, breeding / Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing / Memory and desire, stirring / Dull roots with spring rain" (1-4). Here the deadness of the "dull roots" is contradicted by the image of

the Lilac coming "out of the dead land," a sign of growth in

ruin. The passage alludes to the coming of the "spring rain," the

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Hawley '06: Eliot's Masterpiece and Downfall: New Poetics and <em>The Waste L

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water that is the cure for the hopelessness of the dry rock. The work also finishes with a sense of hope mixed with the despair,

describing "a flash of lightning. Thcn a damp gust," again "[b]ringing rain" (393-4). These images of impending rain and water contradict the dryness and ruin of the despairing passages.

However, because each of these images, of despair and hope, continues throughout the entire poem, and neither proves more abundant or predominates, neither can be considered the dominant theme of the poem. It remains a series of images that evoke

contrasting emotion, negating the establishment of a clear message. The Waste Land implies themes only to negate them; it

"suggests these meanings but then denies them any stability" (Davidson 128). As such, it proves to be a piece of poetry that fits Eliot's guidelines. Instead of pursuing a unified theme and

imposing this meaning on its audience, The Waste Land instead acts as a medium for multiple and different "floating feelings," just as Eliot desired for poetry. .

Although Eliot succeeds in fulfilling the characteristics of his new poetics, his poems fail to be criticized in the manner in which

he hoped this innovative poetry would be reviewed. In Eliot's view, a poem should be judged on its "being" rather than its "meaning" (Stead 110). A poem may contain fragments of

meaning, but this is not what Eliot desires critics to explore. Critical focus should be not on poet's intention's, but rather should

analyze the poem in terms of its technique and artistry. Revie\\;ers should, in Eliot's opinion, evaluate the quality of the images created in the poem and their ability to trans'late particular emotions, rather than postulating on the poet's beliefs. The Waste

Land appears conducive to Eliot's desired critical technique. As a poem which defies unity of theme, one would think that critics

would cease to conjure up a notion of the poem's overriding meaning and would evaluate it as set of images as Eliot intended.

However, ironically, The Waste Land is often riot reviewed in such a manner. Critics often analyze it "to construct a formula, a

'statement of beliefs' which is then said to be in the poem itself' (Stead 165). Rather than accepting the thematic disparity of the

poem, critics often try to regulate Eliot's "idiosyncratically intricate and subtle mind into principles that could put his blend of

wishes and insights on what seemed a firm foundation" (Altieri 195). Additionally, critics often attempt to evaluate the poem as a

76

manifestation of Eliot's psyche. Critics investigat. background, the conditions under which he wrote t: beliefs and ideals, and attempt to evaluate how the~

work. Despite his success in making The Waste Le. he believed poetry should be, Eliot ironically faced diametrically opposed to how he thought the new p be reviewed. .

The reasons for this type of critical reaction to twofold. First, the response to Eliot's work proves natural reaction of literary critics to any piece oflit

Critical reaction to The Waste Land identified its th and death,""life," "life and the church," and no dOt ot~l~rs (~tead

164). Despite Eliot's specific pleas te

cntlcs did and continue to evaluate his work in this realized that this would be the case, stating that idel "meaning" was "a habit of the reader" and that ead

ap.pear~nce of a surface meaning merely to "keep h

mmd diverted and quiet while the poem does its we (Stead 121). Eliot rightly declares that the search f, so ingrained

in the human mind that reviewers coul attempt to identify the "theme" of his work. The Vf

critics continued to search for meaning even when t ~ea~ly incomprehensible and entirely fragmented To

mdlcates the strength of critics' desire to regularize find uniformity of theme in every literary work. Se­

~here prove~ no way that Eliot could avoid having h

mterpreted m this manner, no matter how strictly hf n~w poetic g!Jidelines.

However, in a way Eliot has himself to blame fi

in which critics responded to his work, due to a COll­of

his new poetic theory. In addition to his notions

and ?isuni~y of t~em~,Eliot also believed in the POf mamfestatlOn of the poet's subconscious mind. He

poems "should write themselves" and that the conse the poet was merely the "editor" to the writings oft:

subconscious (Stead 131). In Eliot's view, the poee not only as a refl~ction of the author, but also of the:

society on the writer. He claimed, in evaluating the another poet "we cannot isolate him from the envire

which we find him" (Perloff 23). This statement de

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he cure for the hopclessness of the dry rock. The .shes with a sense of hope mixcd with the despair, flash of lightning. Thcn a damp gust," again lin" (393-4). Thcsc images of impending rain and

.ict the dryness and ruin

of the dcspairing passages. :ause each of these images, of despair and hope,

Jughout the entire poem, and neither proves mor.e Iredominates, neither can be considered the dommant

poem. It remains a series of images that evoke notion, negating the establishment of a clear .

~ Waste Land implies themes only to negate them; It se meanings but then denies them any stability"

:8). As such, it proves to be a piece

of poetry that fits lines. Instead of pursuing a unified theme and

•meaning on its audience, The Waste Land instead ium for multiple and different "floating f~elings,"

lesired for poetry. .., I Eliot succeeds in fulfilling the charactenstlcs of hiS

his poems fail to be criticized in .the manner i.n ';hich : innovative poetry would be revIewed. In Eliot s

I should be judged on its "being" rather than its ;tead 110). A poem may contain fragments of

this is not what Eliot desires critics to explore. , should be not on poet's intentions, but rather should loem in terms of its technique and artistry. Revie~ers

iot's opinion, evaluate the quality of the images ~

poem and their ability to translate p~rticular

:her than postulating ort the poet's beliefs. The Waste , conducive to Eliot's desired critical technique. As a

defies unity of theme, one would think that critics to conjure up a notion of the poem' s ov~rri~ing

. would evaluate it as set of images as Eliot mtended. mically, The Waste Land is often riot reviewed in such

ritics often analyze it "to construct a formula, a fbeliefs' which is then said to be in the poem itself'

Rather than' accepting the thematic disparity of the : often try to regulate Eliot's "idiosyncratically

subtle mind into principles that could put his blend of nsights on what seemed a firm foundation" (Altieri :ionally, critics often attempt to evaluate the poem as a

76

manifestation

of Eliot's psyche. Critics investigate his background, the conditions under which he wrote the work, his

beliefs and ideals, and attempt to evaluate how these influence his work. Despite his success in making The Waste Land exactly as

he believed poetry should be, Eliot ironically faced criticism diametrically opposed to how he thought the new poetics should

be reviewed. The

reasons for this type of critical reaction to Eliot's work are

twofold. First, the response to Eliot's work proves simply the . natural reaction of literary critics to any piece of literature.

Critical reaction to The Waste Land identified its themes as "lust and death ""life"

"life and the church," and no doubt hundreds of

others (St~ad 164). Despite Eliot's specific pleas to the contrary, critics did and continue to evaluate his work in this manner. Eliot

realized that this would be the case, stating that identifying the "meaning"

was "a habit of the reader" and that each poem has the

appearance ofa surface

meaning merely to "keep his [the reader's] mind

diverted and quiet while the poem does its work on him"

(Stead 121). Eliot rightly declares that the search for meaning is so ingrained in the human mind that reviewers could not help but

attempt to identify the "theme"

of his work. The very fact that critics continued to search for meaning even when faced with the

nearly incomprehensible and entirely fragmented The Waste Land indicates the strength of critics' desire to regularize meaning and

find uniformity of theme in every literary work. Seen in this light, there proves no way that Eliot could avoid having his work

interpreted in this manner, no matter how strictly he adhered to his ntiw poetic g!Jidelines.

However, in a way Eliot has

himself to blame for the manner in which critics responded to his work, due to a contradictory part

of his

new poetic theory. In addition to his notions of "images" and

disunity ofthem~, Eliot also believed in the poem as a

manifestation or'the poet's subconscious mind. He believed that poems "should

write themselves" and that the conscious mind of

the poet was merely the "editor" to the writings of his or her subconscious

(Stead 131). In Eliot's view, the poem could be seen

not only as a reflt;ction of the author, but also of the impact of society on the writer. He claimed, in evaluating the work of

another poet

"we cannot isolate him from the environment in which we find him" (Perloff 23). This statement demonstrates his

77

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belief that the author, as a product of his or her society, reveals the impact of this society on its inhabitants through his or her w.ork.

Taken this way, Eliot promotes a view of poetry as a reflectIOn of both the author and his or her society. Knowing that Eliot possessed such beliefs begs critics to examine how Eliot's . personal beliefs and society's impact upon him ~I:ow througl~ m

his writing. Therefore, it is difficult to blame cntics for delvmg into Eliot's personal life and past to understand The Waste Land,

when the poet himself all but directs them to do so. In this way, Eliot drives the critic away from his writing and into his personal world, shifting the focus from artistry to artist, from analysis .of poetic technique to the very search for meaning and explanation of

his work that Eliot did not desire. Still, in this area of the subconscious, Eliot.appears to have

again aptly followed his new poetic guidelines. Inde~d,. The Waste Land can logically be viewed as an accurate representatIOn of what

might have been playing in Eliot's mind at they me of its . construction. The Eliot writing this work had Just, along With

millions of others, lived through the horrors of the First World War. The war, he felt, made people "so swallowed up in the one.

great tragedy that one almost ceases to have personal experiences or emotions" (Perloff35). In The Was!e Land Eliot proved a more

pessimistic and disillusioned poet than in his earlier works. He is a poet who fears the cultural decay of his societ.y a~d the

"immense panorama of futility and anarchy which IS contem~orary history" (Lentricchia 268), a poet who worrie~ ab~ut the dem~se of

tradition, how the "European past" was decaymg llltO somethmg "stifling" which is "existing simply to be used". (Ke.nner 134).

Effectively, he is a poet witnessing a dying socI~ty Just. as affected by the war as he is, and losing touch with the cultural nchness of

the past. These sentiments are reflected in the words of The Wast!?

Land. The poem contains numerous images of an ill civilization, a dying past. The first image the reader encounters blatantly. conveys this message in Eliot's allusion to the story of Sybil, a

prophetess slowly aging and dying while ~rapped in a bottl~. ~e writes, "With my own. eyes I saw the Sybil ofCumae hangmg m a

bottle' and when the boys said to her: '[Sybil, what do you want?], she re~lied, '[I want to die]'" (Eliot Epigraph).. Sybil, a.s a subject of

this classic tale and a representation of the nch mythical Greek

78

culture, subsequently represents the gradual decay as time passes. This image of a crumbling past nea

continues throughout the work. Eliot writes of the ! Jerusalem Athens Alexandria! Vienna London! { Here he depicts not only the decay of the ancient p;

by Athens, Alexandria and Jerusalem, but also the. present, embodied in Vienna and London. Here tht connections with these classical cities and their cui' also be impacting contemporary times. This notior: in The Waste Land, such as when Eliot writes "The

departed. ! And their friends, the loitering heirs of' Departed, have left no addresses" (176-8). With th equates the loss of the "nymphs," representatives 0:

the past, with "city directors," the inhabitants of cOl times. Both have gone, ancient culture with the pa~

nymphs and the present decays and dies, or leaves, opinion of this work.

What comes across, then, in The Waste Land, a images of the destruction and loss of ties t9 classic

leads to the destructi·on of the present society. So a unfairly characterize this as a theme in a themeless

be acknowledged that these images contradict the a depictions of hope, life, and growth. However, the~

decomposing society still do exist in the work. Eli, preoccupied with the preservation of tradition, as th

of his classic allusions

in The Waste Land reveals, c sentiments expressed in these images can logically­

reflections of Eliot's subconscious mind. Hence, E: follows an aspect of his requirements for poetry--th

write from his subconscious and create a work whic reflection of his innermost feelings. However, by '"

in this area he simultaneously validates the work of look to his personal life for critical material rather tI

solely on the aesthetics of his poem.. By making his poem so refle.ctive of his beliefs,

encourages critics to continue to evaluate poetry in ­to"

continue to delve into the poet rather than solely =

work. Therefore, by writing from his subconscious sirnultaneously adheres to his poetical beliefs and al subverts them by encouraging criticism that oppose:

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author, as a product of his or her society, reveals the society on its inhabitants through his or her w,ork.

V, Eliot promotes a view

of poe. try as a re~ectlon of r and his or her society. KnowIng that ElIot

:1. beliefs begs critics

to examine how Eliot's fs and

society's impact upon him show through in

herefore, it is difficult to blame critics for delving rsonallife and past to understand The Waste Land,

himself all but directs them to do so. In this way, e critic away from his writing and into his personal J the focus from artistry to artist, from analysis of ~e to

the very search for meaning and explanation of

Eliot did not desire. is area ofthe subconscious, Eliot. appears to have

llowed his new poetic guidelines. Inde~d, The Waste cally be viewed as an accurate representation of what

:en playing

in Eliot's mind at the time of its The Eliot writing this work had just, along with

hers lived through the horrors

of the First World r, h~

felt, made people "so swallowed up in th.e one

that one almost ceases to have personal expenences (Perloff 35). In The Waste Land Eliot proved a m~re

Id disillusioned poet than

in his earlier works. He IS ars the cultural decay of his society and the

:1.orama offutility and anarchy which is contemporary

tricchia 268), a poet who worries about the demIse of

I the "European past" was decaying into something ich is

"existing simply to be used" (Kenner 134).

Ie is a poet witnessing a dying soci~ty just as affected he is, and losing touch with the cultural richness of

ltiments are reflected in the words of The Wast!? )em contains numerous images of an ill civilization, a

"he first image the reader encounters blatantly.

message in Eliot's allusion to the story of Sybil, a

owly aging and dying while

trapped in a bottl~, ~e I my own eyes I saw the Sybil of Cumae hangIng In a hen

the boys said to her: '[Sybil, what do you want?],

[I want

to die]''' (Eliot Epigraph).. Sybil, a,s a subject : tale and a representation of the nch mythIcal Greek

78

culture, subsequently represents the gradual decay

of said culture. as time passes. This image of a crumbling past nearing death ' continues throughout the work. Eliot writes of the "Falling towers

I Jerusalem Athens Alexandria I Vienna London I Unreal" (373-6). Here he depicts not only the decay of the ancient past, symbolized by

Athens, Alexandria and Jerusalem, but also the European present, embodied in Vienna and London. Here the loss

of connections with these classical cities and their culture proves to also be impacting contemporary times. This notion repeats itself

in The Waste Land, such

as when Eliot writes "The nymphs are departed. I And their friends, the loitering heirs of city directors; I

Departed, have left no addresses" (176-8). With these lines, Eliot equates the loss of the "nymphs," representatives of the myths of

the past, with "city directors," the inhabitants of contemporary times. Both have gone, ancient culture with the passing of the

nymphs and the present decays and dies, or leaves, at least in the opinion of this work.

What comes across, then, in The Waste Land, are varied images of the destruction and loss of ties t9 classic cultures, which

leads to the destruction of the present society. So as not to unfairly characterize this as a theme in a themeless poem, it must be acknowledged that these images contradict the aforementioned depictions of hope, life, and growth. However, these images of

decomposing society still do exist in the work. Eliot was preoccupied with the preservation of tradition, as the sheer number

of his classic allusions in The Waste

Land reveals, and the sentiments expressed in these images can logically be labeled

reflections of Eliot's subconscious mind. Hence, Eliot again follows an aspect of his requirements for poetry--that the poet

write from his subconscious and create a work which is a reflection of his innermost feelings. However, by being successful

in this area he simultaneously validates the work

of all those who look to his personal life for critical material rather than focusing solely on the aesthetics of his poem. .

By making his poem so refle,ctive of his beliefs, Eliot encourages critics to continue to evaluate poetry in this manner­

to continue to delve into the poet rather than solely his or her work. Therefore, by writing from his subconscious Eliot simultaneously adheres to his poetical beliefs and alternately subverts them by encouraging criticism that opposes his desire for

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evaluation of worth in terms of artistry. Eliot, then, can be seen as the instrument that both promotes and destroys his new poetics.

By writing in his desired style

of disparate, emotive imagery, Eliot sent his new poetry into the world and exposed it to general readers and critics alike. However, by adding in the element of the subconscious, he complicated his new poetics and ironically subverted its aims, driving critics back to the very evaluation of poet over poetry that he railed against. Eliot holds much in common with his The Waste Land: both engage in:self­

contradiction, will continue to be the topic of intense debate, are brilliant but controversial, and fascinating even if nearly

incomprehensible.

80

Works Cited

Altieri, Charles. "Eliot's impact on twentieth-cent American poetry" in The Cambridge Compani Ed. David Moody. Cambridge, NY: Cambrid~

Press, 1994. Davidson, Harriett. "Improper desire: reading 'TIt.

in The Cambridge Companion to r.s. Eliot. E.

Moody. Cambridge, NY: Cambridge Universi Eliot, T.S. The Waste Land on website Exploring

Land. " Ed. Rickard A. Parker. . http://world.std.com/~raparker/exploring/thewi

.htm!. Accessed 6 March 2005-13 March 2005 Kenner, Hugh.

The Invisible Poet: r.s. Eliot. Lon & Co. LTD, 1965~

Lentricchia, Frank. Modernist Quartet. Cambridg Cambridge University Press, 1994.

Perloff, Marjorie. 21st-Modernism: The 'New' Poe Mass., Blackwell Publishers, 2002.

Stead, c.K. The New Poetic: Yeats to Eliot. Lond. University Library, 1964. .

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https://digitalcommons.iwu.edu/delta/vol1/iss1/9

worth in tenus of artistry. Eliot, then, can be seen as t that both promotes and destroys his new poetics ..

his desired style of disparate. emotive imagery, ElIot loetry into the world and exposed it to general itics alike. However, by adding in the element of the

.he complicated his new poetics and ironica~ly lims, driving critics back to the very evaluat.lOn of

try that he railed against. Eliot holds. much

In his The Waste Land: both engage in,self­

will continue to be the topic of intense debate. are Dntroversial, and fascinating even if nearly

:ible.

80

Works Cited

Altieri, Charles. "Eliot's impact on twentieth-century Anglo­American poetry" in The Cambridge Companion to TS. Eliot.

Ed. David Moody. Cambridge, NY: Cambridge University Press, 1994. .

Davidson, Harriett. "Improper desire: reading 'The Waste Land'" in The CQ/nbridge Companio.n to TS. Eliot. Ed. David

Moody. Cambridge, NY: Cambridge University Press, 1994. Eliot, T.S. The Waste Land on website Exploring "The Waste

Land. " Ed. Rickard A. Parker. . http://world.std.com/~raparker/exploring/thewasteland/explore

.htm!. Accessed 6 March 2005-13 March 2005. Kenner, Hugh. The Invisible Poet: T.S. Eliot. London: Methuen

& Co. LTD, 1965'. Lentricchia, Frank. Modernist Quartet. Cambridge, NY:

Cambridge University Press, 1994. Perloff, Marjorie. 21st-Modernism: The 'New' Poetics. Malden

Mass., Blackwell Publishers, 2002. Stead, c.K. The New Poetic: Yeats to Eliot. London: Hutchinson

University Library, 1964. '

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Hawley '06: Eliot's Masterpiece and Downfall: New Poetics and <em>The Waste L

Published by Digital Commons @ IWU, 2006