The Waste Land

Hello! I am divya parmar and hear I am writting blog upon the poem "The Waste Land" by T. S. Eliot. I am writing this blog as the response to the thinking activity which is given by prof. dilip barad sar. In this blog i cover topics like, Introduction of poem, about poet, About that central theme and then i cover the question- answer section.

➡️ The Waste Land by T. S. Eliot : 

"The Waste Land" was published in 1992. T. S. Eliot wrote it after world war when he saw corruption and digradation of human beings. So, waste land is devided into five section:

1️⃣ Burial of the dead.                                         

2️⃣ Game of chess.                                                

3️⃣ The fire sermon.                                             

4️⃣ Death by water.                                               

5️⃣ What the thunder said.                                 

                            

➡️ Central theme of the poem:                              

1. Sexual perversion :

      According to Eliot, sex is an important aspect of life. It is an expression of love and means of procreation. Today, sex has been perverted from its proper function and is utilised for animal pleasure and monetary benefits. It has, therefore, become a source of degeneration and disease. It has also led to the erosion of moral values and become a hurdle in man's spiritual progress. Easy sexual relationship is found among all sections of the society. Eliot cites the instance of German princess in the first part of the poem. This is the parallel to the love-affairs of Queen Elizabeth with the Earl of Leicester in oar the Tudor period. There is also another instance of freedom of sex in high society. Eliot mentions it in the career of the lady of situation. In the second part of the poem, the perversion of sex, prevails among the lower acces of society. Eliot mentions the story of Lil and the experience of three daug relationship between the typist girl and her boy friend. In the poem, three daughters of Thames. Another example is that of mechanical sex another example is or a homo-sexual relationship exemplified by Mr. Eugenides. Eliot sums up the story of European lust through the line of The Fire Sermon:

"To Carthage then I came

Burning burning burning burning"

He means that the whole of Europe is being destroyed by the fire of sexuality.

2. Loss of faith and moral values :

      In ancient time, the source of inspiration for life and achievement was faith. People really believed in Christian values. Tradition increases the importance of moral conduct. Elderly people were respected. Character and saintliness were regarded as important assets. Moreover, important than money and position was character and achievement. Today the values have changed. Money is the god of the modern people. Older people are hated. Christians go to the church as a matter of routine. There is a gulf between profession and practice. Hypocrisy is at a premium. Flattery is more important than merit. The result is that Christian faith and compassion are no longer regarded as objects of life. This has resulted in general deterioration of standard of life and yard-sticks of reputation: 

"And upside down in air were towers

Tolling reminiscent bells, that kept the hours

And voices singing out of empty cisterns and exhausted wells." 

there is more than following themes like, Lack of human relationship, Mental tension, Politics and War, etc. 

➡️ Question - Answer : 

1️⃣ 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? 

Answer: Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900) was a German philosopher and cultural critic who published intensively in the 1870s and 1880s. He is famous for uncompromising criticisms of traditional European morality and religion, as well as of conventional philosophical ideas and social and political pieties associated with modernity. He gave the term ' Übermensch', which means superhuman, A human being with remarkable abilities. we can find some believe around us like gods : budhha, mahavir swami, and specially in hinduesm pirushotma ram, krishna, Sai Baba or so many women god( Devi, mataji) were discussed as a super power human beings than comparison to other.( though there is big question of their existence in the world, but to understand Fredric Nietzsche's concept we can take them as example) 

So we come to the point that, Eliot is regressive as compared to Fredric Neitzsche , but there is nothing wrong to be regressive. Eliot uses so many Myths in the poem but if we see it with different angle, we get the lession from past. Myths are present as if lession from the past which can make future to free of mistakes. Whereas we can see Friedrich Nietzsche is progressive and forward looking. 

2️⃣ 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'

Answer: Hear we can see that the the compare to Naitzsche and freud. both are different from field of work. And I am not agree with idea of Freud. cause giving free vent to the repressed primitive instinct will automatically lead towards the anarchy. For transitioning happiness, we can not create disorganization in society. The point of view of Eliot is stong hear, To live in diciplined life take us to easier way to live.

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

Answer: The Waste Land appeared in 1922. The poem, which won Eliot the Nobel Prize in 1948, follows the legend of the Holy Grail and the Fisher King combined with vignettes of contemporary British society. He employs literary and cultural allusions from the western canon, Buddhism and the Hindu Upanishads. The poem shifts between voices of satire and prophecy featuring abrupt and unannounced changes of speaker, location, time and conjuring a vast and dissonant range of cultures and literatures. 

- The fire sermon : 

This sermon name was given by budhha. To convey the message to be deatached from all senses and sexual perversion they mension fire sermon. 

- The Ganga and Himalya :

We all know that ganga is Known as the holiest river in religion, in India and specially in Hinduism. Also Himalaya known as the spirituality and peace. Eliot uses both as characters in waste land.

- Thunder : 

Thunder is something related to the akashvani. In upnishad prajapati give that sound of akashvani by the thunder which refered in waste land.

- The concept of three Da,Da,Da: 

this three Da is referred as the message to the dev, danavas and human beings: 

first da is for dev- damyata : cause god have lake of self control 

 

second da is for human beings: cause they have to be datta means to give. 

third da is for danvas- dayadhvam: cause they are to rude so for pittyness and kindness.

4️⃣ Is it possible to read 'The Waste Land' as a Pandemic Poem?

 

Answer: 

5️⃣ Give the link of Google sheet with tabular information on Myths , Allusion, Language, Animals/Birds, colours etc. 

Answer: