'The Westland' by T.S. Eliot

Hy readers! This blog is a part of a thinking activity assigned by Dilip Barad Sir from The English Department, MKBU, Bhavnagar. I am going to write about 'The Westland' written by T.S. Eliot in this blog. Indian ideology and the contrast between Eliot and Freud these points are also discussed in this blog.

Born- 26 September 1888

Died- 4 January 1965 

Thomas Stearns Eliot was born in St. Louis and lived there during the first eighteen years of his life. He attended Harvard University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in three years and contributed several poems to the Harvard Advocate. After graduating, he moved back to Europe and settled in England in 1914. The following year, he married Vivienne Haigh-Wood and began working in London, first as a teacher, and later for Lloyd’s Bank. After a notoriously unhappy first marriage, Eliot separated from his first wife in 1933 and married Valerie Fletcher in 1956. In 1927, Eliot was baptized into the Church of England. In 1928, he took British citizenship, and announced himself in the preface to his prose collection for Lancelot Andrewes as a ‘classicist in literature, royalist in politics, and anglo-catholic in religion’. In 1948 he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. T. S. Eliot died in London on January 4, 1965. 

'The Westland':

'The Waste Land', a long poem by the American writer T S Eliot, is one of the most famous works of literary modernism. It is Published in 1922. Poem written in 434 lines. Eliot's poem combines the legend of the Holy Grail and the Fisher King with vignettes of contemporary British society. The poem is divided into five sections. 

1. 'The Burial of the Dead'  
2. 'A Game of Chess'
3. 'The Fire Sermon'  
4. 'Death by Water'
5. 'What the Thunder Said'

In 1914, Eliot also met the American expatriate poet Ezra Pound, whose influence on Eliot would be profound. It's believed the first draft of the poem was written over several preceding years, but Eliot first showed a draft to Pound in 1921. Pound made several cuts and suggestions that formed the final version published in 1922. Eliot's work included other masterpieces such as 'The Four Quartets' and 'The Love Song' of Alfred J. Prufrock."

1) Prior to the speech, Gustaf Hellström of the Swedish Academy made these remarks:

T.S. Eliot and Sigmund 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.

The 1948 Nobel Prize in Literature was awarded to British-American poet Thomas Stearns Eliot for his outstanding, pioneer contribution to present-day poetry." Eliot is the fourth British recipient of the prize after John Galsworthy in 1932. Prior to the speech, Gustaf Hellström of the Swedish Academy made these remarks: 

"Humility is also the characteristic which you, Mr. Eliot, have come to regard as man’s virtue. ‹The only wisdom we can hope to acquire is the wisdom of humility".

In ‘The Waste Land’ the greatest poem of the twentieth century, Eliot blames sex, or rather its degradation and commercialization, as both the cause and the symptom of the decay of Western civilization. The poem is at once profoundly moving and equally distressing. In a word, T.S. Eliot had tried to paint the sterility and the disturbance of the modern world after the First World War. At one time sex was considered sacramental, a consummation of conjugal love and means of human development. But unfortunately in modern time, sex has become an animal urge with no moral or social commitment. It is perverted and is utilized for erotic pleasure and monetary benefits. It has also led to the erosion of moral values and has turned to be a hurdle in man’s spiritual progress. 

In the first section of the poem, ‘The Burial of the Dead' Eliot gives two examples of guilty love and the pain of satisfied love outside the marriage.The poet refers to the story of Tristan and Isolde. He also gives another example of guilty love, the story of the hyacinth girl.

Freud's idea is also true that giving free vent to the repressed “primitive instinct” can lead us to happy and satisfied life, but only individually. But yeah it depends on a person's individual thoughts.The things and happiness which is satisfying us can harm others and which gives pleasure to others can harm us. Human beings follow cultural tradition and believe in such lifestyle and moralities, a network of understanding can be created and we live peacefully. 

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

Thunder pops up mostly in the fifth and final section of the poem, titled "What the Thunder Said." It takes its meaning from the fact that thunder usually symbolizes the coming of rain, but it also draws on Hinduism.

Damyata, datta, dayadhvam

1) Datta: to give: not only charity but giving oneself for some noble cause – passionate participation, not mere mechanical – devote oneself for noble deeds.

 2) Dayadhvam: sympathize – empathize yourself with the sorrows and suffering of others.

3) Damyata: Self Control, control over one’s passions and desires.

This very thing the heavenly voice of thunder repeats da, da, da, that is, control yourselves, give, be compassionate.In the ancient Hindu text Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, Prajapati or the creator is asked by his three-fold progeny – gods, men and demons for advice, and he utters the syllable da three times. Self-control, giving and compassion, he says, should be the three guiding principles of all creatures. Eliot feels that if we can learn these three things, we'll at least be much better off than we've been for the last while. It's while talking about "What the Thunder Said'' that Eliot most directly tells us to get over ourselves and start thinking about others. He ends the poem with a chanting of "shanti," often recited at the end of Hindu prayer in The Upanishads. The word ‘Shanti' is used for peaceful life in most of the chants of Indian Vedas and Upanishads and Eliot has also used it to end his poem and to give the message of peace. 

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Hello readers! I write this blog In response to a Thinking activity assigned by Dilip Barad sir, The Department of English MKBU. In this blog I am going to write about the 20th century settings, characteristics, Industrialisation, mechanism of human beings, death of craftsmanship and the major events of that era and also about frame study of film 'Modern Times' by Charlie Chaplin.

20th century:

The 20th century began on January 1, 1901 and ended on December 31, 2000, according to the Gregorian calendar. The twentieth century was a period of radical departure in almost every previous area of human activity. Accelerating scientific understanding, better communications, faster transportation transformed the world in those hundred years more than any time in the past. It was a century that started with steam powered ships as the most sophisticated means of transport, and ended with the space shuttle. Horses, and other pack animals, Western humanity's basic form of personal transportation for thousands of years were replaced by automobiles within the span of a few decades.

Characteristics of the Age:

The 20th century was characterized by rapid technological advancements and innovations that transformed almost every aspect of human life. Here I write Some of the defining characteristics of the 20th century.

Technological Advancements: The 20th century saw remarkable technological advancements in many fields such as transportation, communication, medicine, and entertainment. These advancements include the development of the automobile, airplane, television, computer, and the internet.

Globalization: The 20th century was marked by increased globalization, with the world becoming more interconnected through international trade, communication, and travel. This led to the spread of cultural exchange and the creation of a global economy.

Wars and Conflicts: The 20th century was marked by numerous wars and conflicts, including two world wars and the Cold War, which had a profound impact on the world order.

Social and Cultural Changes: The 20th century witnessed significant social and cultural changes, including the rise of feminism and civil rights movements, the increasing recognition of human rights, and the emergence of popular culture and mass media.

Environmental Concerns: The 20th century saw growing awareness and concern about environmental issues such as pollution, climate change, and deforestation, leading to the emergence of environmental movements and sustainable development initiatives.

Overall, the 20th century was a time of significant change and transformation, characterized by technological, social, and cultural advancements, as well as challenges and conflicts that shaped the world we live in today.

Modern Times by Charlie Chaplin:

Modern Times is a 1936 American part-talkie satirical romantic black comedy film written and directed by Charlie Chaplin in which his iconic Little Tramp character struggles to survive in the modern, industrialized world. This silent movie shows mostly non diegetic sound, background music that coincides with action and movement of the film. 

Mechanism of human being:

The film satirizes the effects of mass production and the mechanization of labor on the human spirit, depicting workers as being reduced to mere cogs in a machine. The film's protagonist, played by Chaplin, is a factory worker who is driven insane by the monotony and repetitiveness of his job on an assembly line. He is subjected to dehumanizing working conditions and is constantly pressured to work faster and more efficiently, to the point where his mental and physical health deteriorates. Ultimately, the film suggests that the mechanization of human beings is a dehumanizing process that strips workers of their individuality and reduces them to mindless automatons.

Death of Craftsmanship:

In addition to the theme of mechanisation of human beings, Charlie Chaplin's film "Modern Times" also explores the theme of the death of craftsmanship, which is tied to the mechanization and dehumanization of labor. The film portrays the factory system as being antithetical to traditional craft practices, reducing workers to mere machines and eroding their ability to take pride in their work. the film depicts the factory system as being incompatible with the ideals of craftsmanship, which values quality and individuality. In one scene, Chaplin's character is shown painting numbers on the side of a truck, only to have his work immediately covered up by another worker painting over it. This suggests that in the factory system, there is no room for individuality or pride in one's work.

In the film, Chaplin also portrays the conflict between traditional craft practices and modern industrial methods. For example, in one scene, he is shown as a factory worker attempting to use a traditional tool to tighten bolts on a machine, only to be replaced by an automated wrench. This highlights the tension between traditional craft methods and modern industrial technology, which often values efficiency and speed over quality and skill. This scene suggests the death of craftsmanship.

At the end of the film Chaplin also suggests that there is hope for humanity. The final shot of Modern Times is that of The Tramp and The Gamin walking down an empty road together as the sun rises. The image shows us that they still have a long way to go in their search for a better life, but it also shows us that they will travel this road together; for the first time in his films, Chaplin has given the Tramp a companion. The rising sun shows that there is still hope that things will get better, and may have been a message to audiences during the Great Depression not to give up but to keep marching on, as things would get better soon. The protagonist and his love interest walk off into the sunset, suggesting the possibility of a brighter, more human future.

CLICK HERE For The Frame Study Of 'The Great Dictator'

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