The Waste Land

 The Waste Land 

Introduction :-

T. S. Eliot as an important nature poet whose reflections on human/nature relations remain relevant to our current understanding of the environmental crisis. Challenging conventional associations of nature writing with rural places, the importance of urban-centred poetry in representing modern relationships with nature and voicing concern against the negative environmental impact of modernity. Focusing predominantly on The Waste Land the article explores the material reality of the poem’s landscapes, the under-examined centrality of place in Eliot’s work and the idea of the poem as a prescient warning of climate change. 

                                                                  T. S. Eliot not considered as a nature poet  Few writers have been as  influential in modernising literary representations of the physical environment, yet despite being the subject of exhaustive critical interest this aspect of Eliot’s work remains notably under-examined. The cause of this omission cannot be attributed to Eliot’s creative or critical output, which consistently foregrounds the physical, psychological and artistic importance of the non-human world and engages with the difficulty of representing it through language.

The Waste Land :-

The Waste Land should be considered a vital poem in the history of nature writing because it represents an important cultural response to a period of significant changes in human nature relations following the disruptive experience of war and modernity. T. S. Eliot was writing during a period of immense change in relation to urbanisation, when for the first time in Britain more people lived in the city than the countryside. The Waste Land is important in this context because it explores the physical and psychological impact of Britain’s transition from a rural to an urban nation. The poem reflects the reality of the rapid growth of urban places by making the city the vibrant focal point at the heart of modernity.

About the theme of The Waste Land, various interpretations have been given, Those interpretations are often conflicting and cintraductiry. One of the important themes of The Waste Land is 'a vision of dissolution and spiritual drought.' This spiritual drought arises from the degeneration, vulgarisation, and commercialisation of sex, Eliot's study of the source of life and vitality, when it is exercised for the sake of procreation and when it is an expression of love. But when it is severed from its primary function, and is exercised for the sake of momentary pleasure or monetary benefit, it becomes a source of degeneration and corruption. It then represents the primany of the flesh over the spirit, and this results in spiritual decay and death. It was a woman, and Adma's concupiscence or obedience to the flesh. that led to the original sin and the Fall of Man . and it is this very obedience to the flesh which accounts for the spiritual and emotional barrenness of the modern age. The Waste Land is sexual perversion amongthe middle-class people. This is seen in the mechanical relationship of the typist and the clerk. The typist gives herself to the clerk with a sense of total indifference and apathy. There is neither repulsion nor any pleasure, and this absence of feeling is a measure of the sterility of the age. It is just animal like copulation. As soon as the young man has departed , the typist rearranges her hair, and puts a record on the gramophone, ''with automatic hands''. This perversion of sex is also to be seen in the lower classes of society. The songs of three Thames daughters clearly show that they have been sexually exploited but they can do nothing about it. They and their people are too poor and too apathetic to make any efforts for the betterment of their lot Man has grown inhuman; humanity has lost its humanity.

online session taken by Dilip Barad sir :-

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? 

Here we can see the conflict of different views between Eliot and Nietzsche. Eliot believe in supernatural power whereas Nietzsche like an atheist, but both are right in their own way. Through the mythical views like Upnishada ,logic, supernatural power and various cultures, Eliot wants to evoke the people that past is very good lesson to make  better future, people can learn through past and from supernatural things.

While Nietzsche believe in human power as 'superman', he is not believe in supernatural things and tradition, for him The God is dead and he says that man can survive and make better future himself.

So we cannot say that Eliot is regressive as compared to Nietzsche's  views because Eliot is using the past reference to answer contemporary malaise. Because myth and religion changed and influence in the way of thinking of the people, because religions are about the betterment of people it is path giver, you should blame people not religion. Every religion teach and developed the humanity in the people. There is one example in the Quran about Firon(Pharaoh)Egyptian King who believe himself as God and killed innocent people then God mentioned his hubris and gives lesson to upcoming generation to developed humanity instead of hatredness so we can say that religion cultivate morality. Every Holi book says that don't attache too much with material thing(life) all have to taste flavour of death, so be a spiritual soul. Nietzsche believe in "Ubermensch" who gave solution to the problem for contemporary crisis. For instance, we can take an example of Hitler, he also want to give solution to contemporary crisis but it bring chaos in the society. So, I personally do not support the views of Nietzsche.
 According to me, the views of Eliot can be considered as more realistic than Nietzsche, Nietzsche finds the solution of present in future while Eliot is finding the solution of present and future in past because past is like a mirror as well as lesson for people that is why Eliot make his views universally and realistic.

2.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'?

 Ans :- As per my views the idea of Freud of primitive instinct is more appropriate than the Eliot's view. For Freud the cause of confusion lies in discomfort and uneasiness in the culture of modern man whereas Eliot speaks about the preservation of the cultural tradition. Freud's view is direct and it clearly speaks about the satisfaction of human needs through satisfying primitive things. For Example- Human beings are always hungry and lustful creature and they like to satisfy their hunger with the process of sexual act.

Even if human grows older the desire never gets old. This should always remains in conscious or subconcious state and whenever they want they fulfils it.

Hence Freud's Idea is more powerful. Eliot Idea about preservation, self control is not work in the present time. As human grows older he/she may learn to control over his/her feelings but only because of age they are controlling but inside there is same desire as found in the Young generation, but because of inability they couldn't fulfills it.

Eliot speaks about the conscious state that, when  human was doing things consciously he/she can control his/her feelings or anything. But according to Freud there always the presence of subconscious state of mind that make us doing things which we can't imagine or never think of it directly.

3) Write about allusions to the Indian thoughts in 'The Waste Land'.

Ans :- In the entire poem there are lots of reference which describes the indian though indirectly. Some of them are:-

a) Three 'Da' :-
    1)Datta- to give not only charity but giving oneself for some noble cause.
     2) Dayadhvam- Sympathies yourself with the sorrows and suffering of others, come out of your isolation and love into others.
      3)Damyata- Self control, control over one's passion and desire.

b) Shantih Shlok :-
The peace that passes beyond all understanding. We always get peace at the end. Similarly the poem also ends with the hope that one day everything should be redeemed.

c) Holy river Ganga :-
"Ganga was sunken, and the limp lives, waited for rain, while the black clouds, Gathered far distant, over Himavant....."
Eliot also used the reference of the Mythical Indian Holy river Ganga which was known for its purity.

Indian thoughts :-
There is very important reason of making the use of Indian thoughts in 'Wasteland'. Whenever foreigners think of India, they think of Spiritualistic value rather than materialistic. In a way Indian culture answers to the problems which was faced by the west. Whenever the west is rotten, the great poet of west looks at India to find solution, to attain spirituality. That is the thing which makes Indian people to feel pride.

Indian Idea of Spirituality always attracted the western people who came in India just to get peace which they were not found in any corner of the world. In India there are most of faithful and spiritual people living who with their positive wives affects and attracts the other.

Eliot referred Indian Thoughts. Eliot finds sexual perversion, spiritual decay everywhere and with a hope to get solution he looks on the Indian Idea of spirituality to attain salvation. But he ended his poem with hope, even he is not sure that whether it could be done, achieved or not. That's why Freaud's concept of ubermensch becomes more powerful because it goes progressively and also offers solution.'

 Thanks !!