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The Waste Land - T.S.Eliot



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:-
http://dilipbarad.blogspot.in/2014/10/presentations-on-ts-eliots-waste-land.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Waste_Land


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