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The Waste Land

Thinking activity on T. S. Eliot's  'The Waste Land'


➤ Eliot uses the fragmentary form to write 'The Waste Land'. He recalls the different myths and set in his poem as a part of his poem.

➲ 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?


According to my views Nietzsche and T. S. Eliot both have different point of view, Nietzsche is very progressive and forward looking.  He doesn't believe in God. Nietzsche prefers in 'self assurance'. While Eliot is quite different from Nietzsche, he is very regressive and has own point of view, he believes in supernatural elements as he uses the Christian philosophy. Eliot sets different myths which is a sign of backward looking, because we can not fully trusts in myths. Christianity seen sex as a sin, but Eliot males connection between spirituality to sexual perversion. He connected present with the past through uses the Indian myths, ideas of Buddhism. So, he achieved universality.

 ➲ Prior to the speech,
 Gustaf Hellström of the Swedish Academy made these remarks:
T.S. Eliot and S. Freud

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'?


T. S. Eliot and  Sigmund Freud both are very different from each other. Eliot is a very religious that's why he talked about that repressed your primitive instincts and also about spirituality. Where as Sigmund Freud said that you don't have to repressed your wishes because it's harmful in primitive instincts. We can control our conscious mind and repressed your desires but the un/subconscious is not under the control and command of conscious mind. When you surrender it leaks out and find it's moment of expression. So, people can't repressed their desire, when we read Eliot's autobiographical views his unconscious views and some real life elements also leaks out. So, I'm not agree that repressed 'primitive instincts' leads us to happy and satisfied life.
➲ Write about allusions to the Indian thoughts in 'The Waste Land'. (Where, How and Why are the Indian thoughts referred?)

Eliot uses three Da in the fifth part of the poem in 

..Datta - to give
..Dayadhwam - sympathies
..Damyata - self control

Damyata as control over our passion..

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 


Eliot given the example of boat and oar, boat as our life and oar as our choice,
If we can keep control over our passion, life becomes so smooth as voyage becomes smooth with the help of oar.


Thank you.....😊


Comments

  1. K.P.GOHIL20 July 2018 at 10:11

    Very good , your ideas are clear and really easy to understand, keep it up.

    ReplyDelete

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