The Waste Land by T.S.Eliot

Hello friends,

This blog is a part of my classroom thinking activity . This activity given by Dr . Dilip Barad Sir.

In this blog I want to say about " The Wasteland " poem ; Here I gave some of my answers on three questions asked by Dilip Sir. 

First of all we can see some information about this poem 's poet ;

About  T.S.Eliot :

Born :  26 September 1888, St. Louis,        Missouri, United States

Died : 4 January 1965, Kensington

T.S. Eliot 's  full Thomas Stearns Eliot. He was a poet, essayist, publisher, playwright, literary critic and editor. Considered one of the 20th century's major poets, he is a central figure in English-language Modernist poetry.

Eliot exercised a strong influence on Anglo-American culture from the 1920s until late in the century. His experiments in diction, style, and versification revitalized English poetry, and in a series of critical essays he shattered old orthodoxies and erected new ones. The publication of Four Quartets led to his recognition as the greatest living English poet and man of letters, and in 1948 he was awarded both the Order of Merit and the Nobel Prize for Literature.

Eliot first attracted widespread attention for his poem "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" in 1915, which was received as a modernist masterpiece. It was followed by some of the best-known poems in the English language, including "The Waste Land" (1922), "The Hollow Men" (1925), "Ash Wednesday" (1930), and Four Quartets (1943). He was also known for his seven plays, particularly Murder in the Cathedral (1935) and The Cocktail Party (1949). He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1948, "for his outstanding, pioneer contribution to present-day poetry".

About poem :

"The Waste Land "  poem written in epic mold. The most important poem of the 20th century and the central work of the modernist poetry, The Waste Land published in the year 1922 by T. S Eliot in 434 lines. The Waste Land first appeared in the United Kingdom in the October issue of Eliot's " The Criterion " and in the United States in the November issue of " The Dial." The poem is divided into main five parts.

The poem is based on the major theme of " Sexual Perversion and spiritual degradation." 

we are human, what we must be either evil or good; so far as we do evil or good, we are human; and it is better, in a paradoxical way, to do evil than to do nothing at least, we exist." 

1) What are your views on the following image after reading 'The Waste Land'? Do you think that Eliot is regressive as compared to Nietzsche’s views? or Has Eliot achieved universality of thought by recalling mytho-historical answer to the contemporary malaise?

About Nietzsche :

Nietzsche was a German philosopher, essayist and cultural critic. His writings on truth, morality, language, aesthetics, cultural theory, history, nihilism, power, consciousness and the meaning of existence have exerted an enormous influence on western philosophy and intellectual history. 

Nietzsche's was a good philosopher in his time. He has given many different experiments on philosophy. And a lot has been written in literature too. They were thinking from a completely different point of view. He was saying that one should identify ownself. 

" The Ubermensch  " is a concept in the philosophy of Frederic Nietzsche. In his 1883 book " Thus  Spok Zarathustra " Nietzsche has his character Zarathustra posit the Ubermensch as a goal for humanity to set for itself. Generally Ubermensch means, " Overman " , " Superman " , " Superhuman. " Nietzsche introduces the concept of Ubermensch in contrast to his understanding of the other worldliness of Christianity. 

Nietzsche diagnosed the Christian value system as a reaction against life and hence destructive in a sense. " God is dead " means that the idea of God can no longer provide values. Zarathustra ties the Ubermensch to the death of God. While the concept of God was the ultimate expression of other worldly values and their underlying instincts, belief in God nevertheless did give meaning to life for a time. Through this point what I want to say that human being should do their work through keeping faith and hope in their hearts and continuing their lives in some trouble and hard situations but if human beings follows blindly the path of God means they only sit without doing nothing then that will be problematic. They must do efforts. 

Nietzsche believe in human power as 'superman', he is not believe in supernatural things and tradition, for him The God is dead and he says that man can survive and make better future himself.

On the other side T. S Eliot talks to look backward into the past because any how past is connected with the present time. " The Wasteland " by T. S Eliot is also trying to compare the myth or past incidents with the contemporary time's issues. For that he used various myths in his poem. 

2) What are your views regarding these comments Is it true that giving free vent to the repressed 'primitive instinct' lead us to happy and satisfied life? or do you agree with Eliot's view that 'salvation of man lies in the preservation of the cultural tradition'?' 

                   Freud and Nietzsche both are contemporaries but their background field of working is different. Freud is believed in individuality and talks about " primitive instincts. " As we all know that Sigmund Freud is founder of psychoanalysis, a study of human behaviour and personality. 

In my opinion Freud's ideas of ancient instincts are more appropriate than those of T. S. Eliot. Freud states that the biggest reason is the change in modern culture. He says that we should liberate primitiveness. And should live our lives freely. Living life freely is the real joy of living life. Life should not be lived in a stereotype, it should be lived in a different way. The word emancipation is associated with religion and culture. So there are some limitations and policy rules. People of every religion, religion gurus give certain types of policies to live life. Modern man, on the other hand, has discomfort and discomfort.Some religions say that strict adherence to rules and regulations is the key to salvation. And in front of it Eliot talks about the preservation of cultural tradition. It shows that old traditions are satisfactory in human life.

The cycle of life is based on these three layers given by Freud. 

on the other side T.S Eliot has used many myths in his poem " The Wasteland " there is nothing wrong in being regressive because people learn from the past. If people have done something wrong in the past they can recover or learn that not to repeat the same things in present. Eliot gave example of the myth in the context of the present. 

3) Write about allusions to the Indian thoughts in 'The Waste Land'. (Where, How and Why are the Indian thoughts referred?)

T.S Eliot used various allusions to the Indian thoughts in " The Wasteland." Like,

* Buddha's Sermon 

* River and Mountain 

* Thunder

* Three DA ;

1. Da - Datta ( Be a giver )

2. Da - Dayadhvam ( Empathise )

3. Da - Damyata ( Self Control )

* Shantih 

Buddha's Sermon :

 According to Buddha’s sermon, was one of the extreme’s the will keep an individual from becoming enlightened. Tiresias, who appears for the first time in “The Fire Sermon,” witnesses a mechanical sex scene between an unnamed bored typist and a “carbuncular” clerk. Interpreting the text with the basic teachings of Buddhist philosophy in mind, we discover that the character Tiresias  are going through the process of realizing the Four Holy Truths of the Buddhist teaching. Upon fully realizing those truths one can then begin on the path which leads towards enlightenment. Tiresias and the other characters though are not capable of realizing the fourth Holy Truth. Because of this they will never attain Buddhist enlightenment. 

River and Mountain :

Ganga was sunken, and the limps leaves

waited for rain, while the black clouds

gathered far distant, over Himvant

The jungle crouched, humped in silence."

River Ganga is known for its purity and also for purification. While Himalaya is known for spirituality and peace. In poem we find that Eliot finds the solution of all contemporary problems in spirituality. That is the reason,  he referrers Ganga and Himalaya here.

Three DA :

1)Datta:

                         

To give not only charity but giving oneself for some noble cause.One should always try to be a giver, though it may be the giving of sexual pleasure. He says one can be only remembered by his deeds after death. These deeds can be good or bad.

2) Dayadhvam :

                  

Dayadhvam means sympathize. The narrator says that each person is locked in his prison of ego and trying to find the way out. And the key would only turn then we have sympathy and compassion for those unprivileged class.   Sympathies yourself with the sorrows and suffering of others, come out of your isolation and love into others.

3)Damyata :

                 

Damyata means self-control. The poet gives an example of an expert, sailing a boat. The poet says that the boat would respond properly to an expert sails-man hand. The sea would be calm. In the same way, if our mind is calm and controlled, then our heart would follow our command smoothly and happily. Thus, a person should control his mind, heart, and desire to be happy in life. Self control, control over one's passion and desire.

Thunder :

According to Upanishads, the thunder “gives,” “sympathizes,” and “controls” through its “speech”; Eliot launches into a meditation on each of these aspects of the thunder’s power. 

Shantih :

The poem complete with the word " Shantih." He used the word in the context of the peace of the world. 

Here we can say that Indian thoughts about peace in every universal things.This can be considered as universal human law.

T.S. Eliot probably wants to say that,  The reality that puts an end to sorrow by gaining knowledge and experiences peace through happiness is called peace. 

          This poem has a lot of discussion. Specially lots of critics have commented on it. Indian culture is also represented in this poem "The Waste Land".  

Thank u ...