Thinking activity : The Wasteland by T.S. Eliot

●     THINKING ACTIVITY : T.S.ELIOT 'S " THE WASTELAND "
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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 's views were not  regressive nor progressive. Niethzsche believed in ubermensch and Eliot believed in spirituality. Both are very opposite in their views and both are considered as Right with their views. In  "The Wasteland " is  reflection  of Eliot 's time. But he used both ways  in the poem. In the regressive way. He  used certain kind of theme like sexual perversion and spiritual decay. The theme and character , scenes remained as  it is but their level increased through out the poem. So the spiral up and down happened. Spiritual  draught leading towards sexual perversion and sexual perversion leading towards spiritual draught. Also it shows the decayed condition of civilization  and culture.

April is the cruellest month, breeding

Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing

Memory and desire, stirring

Dull roots with spring rain..

So in this lines Eliot talked about more regressive way that April considered as one of the most cruellest month. In the Chauser 's Work "Canterbury tales ". He described April as the month of shower.

Also he was progressive in his views he talked about spiritually. Datta , Dayadhvam and Damyata.

have heard the key

Turn in the door once and turn once only

We think of the key, 

        each in his prison

Thinking of the key, each confirms a prison. 

So in this lines he talked about Ego. Prison symbolised as self Ego and Key as Ego. We are in the prison of self ego. It was locked by key which is Ego. The key is on our hand but we can't open it because of irrogence, pride and ego. We rarely think of coming out. So this way he also talked about to got free from our Ego.

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,  I agree with Eliot's views about  'salvation of man lies in the preservation of the cultural tradition'. So Eliot believed in self control. One should have to control over his self. Also he talked about preservation. Salvation of men is in the preservation of culture and tradition. For Eliot :

      "Tradition as fertile land to grow seeds rather than burden." 

    Sigmund Freud talked about satisfaction. One should have to satisfied themselves. One should full fill their hunger. It's good for society.  But it's not good because man 's hunger never satisfied it remains for ever. So this idea is never worked because man never fullfill his hunger.

      Because of this I agree with Eliot's view about self control and preservation of tradition and culture. It helps humanbeing to be better. Because Human being have many wishes one can't get satisfaction after  fulfilling it . Their hunger become more and more lustful and powerful after once it satisfied. So self control helps person to control over their wishes.

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

 

                   

Answer :  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.

      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.

● 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."