The Wasteland by T S Eliot

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               Once again warmly welcome to my blog. So, this blog is the part of my thinking activity task. 

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💠 "The Wasteland" by T S Eliot :-

                       T. S. Eliot’s The Waste Land exhibits the sordid reality of the crisis of western civilization in the aftermath of World War I (1914-1918), which was the most destructive war in human history to that point. Many people saw the poem as an indictment of the postwar European culture and as an expression of disillusionment with contemporary society, which Eliot believed was culturally barren.

              In modern era epic poem was very famous. During that time T.S.Eliot written one of the modern epic poem " The Waste Land". This epic poem divided into different five parts like as,

1) The Burial Of the Dead ( 76 Lines )

2) A game of Chess ( 96 Lines )

3) The Fire Sermon ( 139 Lines )

4) Death by Water ( 10 lines )

5) What the thunder Said ( 113 Lines ) 

 

                         " The Waste land " also represented the sexual perversion and spiritual degradation. This poem also difficult to understand because in the poem T.S.Eliot used various myths and references with symbolic way. This poem presented writers stream of consciousness, first world war, industrialization, worried of atmosphere, globalization with Indian mythical ways.

💠 (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?

             Here we can find the conflict of different views between Eliot and Nietzsche. Eliot believe in supernatural power whereas Nietzsche like an atheist, but both are right in their own way. Through the mythical views like Upnishada ,logic, supernatural power and various cultures, Eliot wants to evoke the people that past is very good lesson to make better future, people can learn through past and from supernatural things.

While 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.                      

💠(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'?

                            According to my opinion Free vent to the repressed primitive instinct will automatically leads towards anarchy. We don't create disorganization in the community and world. Here in the epic poem I think Eliot has powerful ideas rather than Sigmund Freud. Another thing is that We all are lives our lives with specific perspective, with discipline and with moral rituals. Although life became more appropriate and enjoyable. Thus here i don't agree with idea of Freud.

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

(1) The Fire Sermon :-

              “The Fire Sermon” is also the name of one of a sermon given by Buddha. The whole poem describe the theme of sexual perversion and by referring to this sermon of Buddha because he also wants to convey a message to stay detached from all the senses. 

(2) Three 'DA' :-

                 The Waste Land reiterates the three cardinal virtues of Damyata (Restraint), Datta (Charity) and Dayadhvam (Compassion).

• Datta- to give sacrifice for others and help to others.

• Dayadhvam- Sympathies yourself with the sorrows and suffering of others, come out of your isolation and love into others. 

• Damyata- Self control, control over one's passion and desire.

💠 "Shantih" mantra :-

                 The Shantih mantra is for inner peace. Eliot ends his poem with this mantra and with hope. The hope of re-birth, end of modern malaises, and growth of spirituality.

Thank you........

💠 Reference :-

Mcleod, Saul. Freud's Psychosexual Stages of Development. www.simplypsychology.org/psychosexual.html