The Power of T.S. Eliots The Waste Land Essay -- T.S. Eliot Waste Lan

The Power of T.S. Eliots The Waste Land T. S. Eliot, perhaps one of the most controversial poets of modern times, wrote what umteen critics consider the most controversial poem of all, The Waste Land. The Waste Land was written using a fragmented style. This is a style that is evident in all of Eliots writings. There are several reasons for his using this approach, from a feeling of being isolated, to a problem articulating thoughts (Bergonzi 18, Cuddy 13, Mack 1745, Martin 102). What influenced Eliot the most in writing numbers was a book he read written by the English critic, Arthur Symon, titled The Symbolist Movement in Literature. This book is about French symbolist writers of the 19th century. From this book, the author who had the greatest influence on Eliot is by far Jules Laforgue. Laforgues influence is evident in many of Eliots poems, sometimes to the point of plagiarism. Like Laforgue, Eliot uses talks between men and women that doesnt seem to communic ate a thing. Other authors had an influence on Eliot as well, like Henry James and Joseph Conrad. All of these poets had the common themes of estrangement from people and the world, isolationism, and the feeling that they were failing to articulate their thoughts (Bergonzi 7, 50, Cuddy 30, Mack 1743, Martin 41, Unger 8). Henry James influence on Eliots poetry is evident in the Jamesian qualities he uses. For example, the opening meter of The Waste Land ends with the Jamesian note, I read, much of the night, and go south in the winter (Mack, 1751). Although Lafourge, Conrad, and James were used as sources... ...real influence on mankinds morals, only if he certainly impacted modern literature (Unger 36). Works Cited Bergenzi, Bernard. T. S. Eliot, Collier Books, New York New York, 1972 Cuddy, Lois A., and David H. Hirsch, eds. Critical Essays on T. S. Eliot, The Waste Land. G. K. Hall & Co., 1991. Kenner, Hugh, ed. T. S. Eliot A arrangement of Critical Essays. Pren tice Hall Inc., 1962. Mack, Maynard. ed. The Norton Anthology of World Masterpieces Sixth Edition. W. W. Norton and Company, 1992 1743 - 1770. Martin, Graham. ed. Eliot in perspective. Humanities Press, 1970. Ricks, Christopher. T. S. Eliot and Prejudice. University of California Press, 1988. Unger, Leonard. T. S. Eliot. University of Minnesota Press, 1970.