Thomas Stearns Eliot: Analysing Works and Personality Essay

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Thomas Stearns Eliot is arguably one of the most influential poets and thinkers of XX century since he vastly impacted the development of the modern poetry. In one of his most famous poems, Eliot captured the desperation of his contemporaries due to the immense and dramatic changes in the world at the beginning of XX century (“The Waste Land”). Personally, his deeply metaphorical, even cryptic style of poetry is very appealing to me, that is why I would meet him in person if I had a chance.

Eliot’s innovative poetical method is sometimes misunderstood as if he was trying to destroy the traditional poetry. However, it is only partially true, because Eliot himself claimed that “no poet, no artist of any art, has his complete meaning alone” (“Selected essays” 15), putting his works in a broad context of world’s literary legacy. Not once he expressed his deep connection with the preceding poetical tradition, most notably with Dante and Metaphysical Poets, including Donne and Crashaw (“The Varieties of Metaphysical Poetry” 43). For Eliot, his innovative poetical language was a means to capture the human feelings and thoughts precisely. For example, in his poem “Burnt Norton”, Eliot “balances between the attraction of human love and that of a demanding spiritual commitment” (Hargrove 65). This poem is also an instance of his transition from a more chaotic and cryptic poetry, which he exercised in younger years, to more refined and traditional, yet engaging works.

This transition was not only determined by the development of Eliot’s artistic abilities, but it is also connected with the changes in his personality, primarily with his conversion to Christianity. Eliot was in a continuous search of the spiritual basis for himself, and, as he did not find the complete answers in ancient philosophy, oriental mysticism, and primitive myths, he finally became a part of Christian confession (Smidt). It profoundly affected his works, since they always were the representation of his reflections. Most notably it is shown in his late works, and the particular attention should be paid to “Ash Wednesday.” This poem was written and published shortly after his conversion to a new faith. “Ash Wednesday” consists of six parts, and each of them is representing the steps in author’s metaphorical journey towards God and eternity. In a sense, this poem summarizes the spiritual path of Thomas S. Eliot, because it “develops between doubt, disillusionment, inner darkness, temptation, desire and end up with redemption, a positive closure for Eliot’s spiritual torment” (Kareem 9). Eliot’s spirituality, his unsettling mind, always seeking for a final truth, are the characteristics, which are also very appealing to me.

Thomas Stearns Eliot impacted generations of artists, influenced the modern poetical language, and the imagery of his literary works is essential for representation of XX century. These facts, alongside with my engagement in his poetry, are what makes Thomas S. Eliot an outstanding poet to me, and that is why I would indeed meet him in person if I had any chance.

Works Cited

Eliot, Thomas Stearns. The Varieties of Metaphysical Poetry. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2014.

…, The Waste Land (Liveright Classics). WW Norton & Company, 2013.

…, Selected essays. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2014.

Hargrove, Nancy D. “TS Eliot’s “Burnt Norton”: Past, Present, and Future.” Complutense Journal of English Studies vol. 22 (2014): 51-67.

Kareem, Assist Prof Hind Ahmed. Spirituality in TS Eliot’s Ash Wednesday. 2017. Web.

Smidt, Kristian. Poetry and Belief in the Work of TS Eliot. Routledge, 2015.

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