The Waste
Land is a long poem by T. S. Eliot. It is widely regarded as one of the most
important poems of the 20th century and a central work of modernist poetry. It
is published in 1922
1.) What are your views on the following image after reading 'The Waste
Land'? Do you think that Eliot is regressive as compared to Nietzche's views?
or Has Eliot achieved universality of thought by recalling mytho-historical
answer to the contemporary malaise?
T.S.Eliot
and Friedrich Nietzsche are quite different in their thinking.
Nietzsche
had proclaimed “God is Dead”; he doesn’t believe in any power like God. He
believed in “Superhuman”, who believes in his own self and has great will
power; While T.S.Eliot believes in spirituality and religion.
I disagree
that Eliot is regressive as compared to Nietzsche’s view. Eliot goes into the
past but he is very much in present also. He uses many references from the
past, different myths, religions etc. to give a message of peace to the whole
mankind. Of course this poem was written for the European civilization, but it
is connected with the past and the present of all the civilizations. Eliot
achieves universality.
Thus, Eliot
keeps balance between progress and regress like a ‘Swing’.
2.) Prior to the speech, Gustaf Hellström of the Swedish Academy made these
remarks:
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'?
It is true
that free vent to the repressed ‘primitive instincts’ lead us to happy and
satisfied life’ but this depends on how much space you give to the instincts.
If you press a spring and then if you just leave it, it will fall anywhere.
This ‘Primitive instincts’ may bring chaos in the society.
As Matthew
Arnold also said in his essay ‘Culture and Anarchy’:-
“Doing as
one likes may bring chaos in the society”
When there
is Chaos in the culture, the solution can also be found in the preservation of
culture.
Thus,
T.S.Eliot and Freud are correct in their perspective, but anything in excessive
amount is always dangerous.
3.) Write about allusions to the Indian thoughts in 'The Waste Land'. (Where,
How and Why are the Indian thoughts referred?)
T.S.Eliot
brings Universality in the poem ‘The Wasteland’. He uses many references like
Buddhism, Christianity, Indian myths and many more for the solution of sexual
perversion and spiritual degradation prevalent at that time in European
civilization.
Eliot goes
Out of the box to solve the problems. He makes use of Indian allusions.
The title of
the last part ‘WHAT THE THUNDER SAID’ is from Upanishad – Prajapati spoke in
thunder akashwani – to devotees are pointed out the way of salvation. Eliot
shows the way of spiritual re-birth on the basis of wisdom of India.
We can also
find reference of ‘Ganga’,’Himavat’ in this part. Eliot refers to Wisdom of
India for spiritual salvation of modern humanity.
Ganga was
sunken, and the limp leaves
Waited for
rain, while the black clouds
Gathered far
distant, over Himavant.
The jungle
crouched, humped in silence.
Eliot uses
the three “Da” taken from “Brihadaranyaka Upanishad".
1.) Datta – giver
2.) Dayadhvam – compassion
3.) Damyata – self-control
“DA
Datta: What
have we given?
My friend
blood shaking my heart
The awful
daring of a moment's surrender
Which an age
of prudence can never retract
By this, and
this only, we have existed
Which is not
to be found in our obituraies
or in
memories draped by the beneficient spider
Or under
seals broken by the lean solicitor
In our empty
rooms
DA
Dayadhvam: I
have heard the key
Turn in the
door once and turn once only
We think of
the key, each in his prision
Thinking of
the key, each confirms a prison
Only at
nightfall, aetherial rumours
Revive for a
moment a broken coriolanus
DA
Damyata: The
boat responded
Gaily, to
the hand expert with sail and oar
The sea was
calm, your heart would have
responded
Gaily, when
invited, beating obedient
To
controlling hands
I sat upon
the shore
Fishing,
with the arid plain behind me
Shall I at
least set my lands in order?"
At last he
uses
“Shantih
shantih shantih”
The word
" Shantih" suggests the ' The peace which passeth understanding'. So
the poem ends with a solution and a ray of hope to upgrade the degrading
spirituality.
Reference:-
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