Sunday, February 11, 2024

Thinking Activity -The Waste Land


This blog deals with several assigned questions by Dr. Dilip Barad regarding T.S. Eliot’s poem The Wasteland, contradiction of Eliot with between Nietzsche and Freud and Indian thoughts in the poem.



  Introduction👊

The Waste Land, long poem by T.S. Eliot, published in 1922, first in London in The Criterion (October), next in New York City in The Dial (November), and finally in book form, with footnotes by Eliot. The 433-line, five-part poem was dedicated to fellow poet Ezra Pound, who helped condense the original manuscript to nearly half its size. It was one of the most influential works of the 20th century.

The waste land poem

 Eliot politely insisted that the title was three words beginning with "The". In the modern time style of epic writing is very famous.Epic is very famous this time.This time T.S.Eliot  writes very big a nd long Epic The Waste Land.The waste land is very long Epic.The waste land is decided into five part.This all part like as :


      After a fourth section, "Death by Water," which includes a brief lyrical petition, the culminating fifth section, "What the Thunder Said," concludes with an image of judgment.


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 ) 


   In a May 1921 letter to New York lawyer and patron of modernism.Eliot read him the manuscript draft of The Waste Land in London, Eliot visited him in the country.He returned from Lausanne in early January 1922. Pound then made detailed editorial comments and significant cuts to the manuscript. Eliot later dedicated the poem to Pound.Eliot sent the manuscript drafts of the poem to John Quinn in October 1922; they reached Quinn in New York in January 1923.Upon Quinn's death in 1924 they were inherited by his sister Julia Anderson. Years later, in the early 1950s, Mrs Anderson's daughter Mary Conroy found the documents in storage.



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?



  Answer : Eliot stands for Regressive, backward looking as it tries to find answers of contemporary malaise in Upanishad, Buddhism and Christianity. On the other side Nietzche stands for progressvie and forward looking, in giving solution to the problem of contemporary crises in faith and self.


        In compared to Neitzche's thought, yes Eliot is regressive but it doesn't mean that he only rises question on his contemporary society, he also tries to give way of solution rather than the answers. Cycle of time always moving and when History start repeating one must have to look back and try to learn that what are mistakes our ancestor did and now when time comes to us how we will deal with it? It is certain and right that new questions's answer we couldn't find in Upanishad, Buddhism and christinity but the way of living,understanding towards any situation one can devlop.

Nietzsche’s concept of “Ubermensch” appropriate. This concept talking about to have our own morality for the betterment of humanity and our self.  If we do faith in our self than we can make us

  2.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 : Yes, it is truth that giving free vent to the repressed primitive instinct' can lead us to happy and satisfied life, but individually, things and happiness which is satisfying us can harm others and which give pleasure to others can harm us. But as per Eliot views if all follow such culture, tradition and belief in such lifestyle and moralities, a network of understanding can be created human live peacefully.

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


Answer : There are many Indian thought in waste land. Eliot was well read scholar and he includes Indian Upanishad also in his poems.

        The basic theme of the poem based on Indian thought spirituality. Through the spirituality Eliot tried to got solution of sexual perversion and hollowness of Men in modern time. He used Buddhism and  Upnished thoughts in the poem.


Datta , Dayadhvam and Damyata : 


   In this poem Eliot used Indian spiritual  thought  of Datta , Damyata and Dayadhvam. It were used for the people of that time who shattering down and committed suicide and run away from their responsibilities.

 


Datta:


what have we given?


My friend, blood shaking my heart 

The awful daring of a moment's surrender 

Which an age of prudence can never retract 

By this, and this only, we have existed 

Which is not to be found in our obituaries

Or in memories draped by the beneficent spider

Or under seals broken by the lean solicitor

In our empty rooms       



      So in this lines talked about not only charity but giving oneself for some noble cause. Devote oneself for noble needs. It is pious , selfless , sacrifice are not found in any biographies or memory books. Ex. Daan vir Karna and Bhamasha.


 Eliot gives three 'Da':


Datta

To give not only charity but giving oneself for some noble cause.


 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.


      So in Datta talked about Sacrifice,  Damyata talked about self control and Dayadhvam talked about sympathy for  others.



Ganga :


 Ganga was sunken, and the limp leaves

Waited for rain, while the black clouds

Gathered far distant, over Himavant.

The jungle crouched, humped in silence. 

Then spoke the thunder.    

   So In this lines Eliot used Ganga which considered as holy river in India. Also used Himalayas as Himavant. So both are mythically and spiritually connected to India.so here we can say that in this poem t.s.eliot used this holy river word which consider in India. So in this poem we see some points related into the India in this poem. 



Shantih shlok : 



          " Shantih    shantih    shantih "


     The word Shantih connect with Indian spirituality.  In this line used  for some hope and peaceful life. Peace that coming after anxiety.

   Eliot refers to Wisdom of India for spiritual salvation of modern humanity. So by used this Indian thoughts Eliot wanted to resolved the problem like sexual perversion and spiritual draught.  He wanted to gave message about  " The way of life which is spiritual." here we can say that Indian thoughts about peace in every universal things. We should not like vulture, keep others away from having what we actually don't need but be a giver, sympathies with other. Gandhiji also said: ''There is enough on this earth for everybody's need, but not sufficient for one's greed. We should not belivbb in materials and contemporary things that one day will destroy. In this way I think T.S Eliot might found Upnishada's thoughts of ,"Datta", "Damyata", "Dayadhvam", and "Shantih" suitable for universal calmness...

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) River Ganga and Himalaya


The Ganga is known for its purity and for purification. While Himalaya is known for spirituality and peace. Eliot finds the solution to all contemporary problems in spirituality. That is the reason he referrers Ganga and Himalaya here. I feel in Varanasi and in Himachal Pradesh that I was feeling like I was far from the world for 15 days.



4)Thunder


Eliot uses the reference of Upanishads through the akashvani Prajapati gives the solutions for all the problems. Eliot gave reference to Thunder to convey that now the solution of all problems will be given by Thunder.



4) Three Da
    1) Datta
2) Dayadhvam


3) Damyata


The first Da “Datta” means to give. Give sacrifice for others and help to others.


The second Da “Dayadhvam” means sympathies and empathies with others.


Third Da “Damyata” means self-control, control over the senses.



5) 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.

Conclusion

As we know the Waste Land is very hard to understand because it's devided in 5 parts, all parts are presenting different kind of myth  connect with modern erra. But when it becomes easy for us when someone is giving and teaching proper understanding of the poem .Now ,it is easy for me because I have learnt from the classes.which was taken by Dilip sir.so now clear cut concept is in my mind.




Thank you😊

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