Thinking Activity: The Waste Land

The West Land is a poem by T.S. Elliott, widely regarded as a fairly alternate story, with many of the characters' vignettes addressing those themes experimentally. This anthology is an accurate guide to almost all of the author's old traditions, legends, systems, and religious pursuits. It was published in 1922. It was a very complex poem to read. Elliott has taken many references, characters, languages, scenes, and images. Elliott has used engagement. The Waste Land " is a modern epic poem written by T. S. Eliot. This poem is divided into five parts which represent the sexual perversion and spiritual degradation but yet in the end it gives the message of hope for the betterment of the future. 

1)  What are your views on the following image after reading 'The Waste Land'? Do you think that Eliot is regressive as compared to Nietzsche’s views? or Has Eliot achieved universality of thought by recalling mytho-historical answer to the contemporary malaise?

we can see the conflict of different views between Eliot and Nietzsche. As a writer it is a personal choice to go forward or backward and if we talk about The wasteland than Yes, he goes in the past and I believe that Eliot's idea of going back to the Holy scriptures for finding a solution to present malaises are regressive. Eliot believes in supernatural power whereas Nietzsche like an atheist, but both are right in their own way. Through mythical views like Upanishads, logic, supernatural power, and various cultures, Eliot wants to evoke the people that the past is a very good lesson to make a better future, people can learn through the past and from the supernatural things. While Nietzsche believes in human power as 'superman', he does not believe in supernatural things and tradition, for him The God is dead and he says that man can survive and make a better future himself.

According to me, the views of Eliot can be considered as more realistic than Nietzsche, Nietzsche finds the solution of the present in the future while Eliot is finding the solution of the present and future in the past because the past is like a mirror as well as a 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:

        

What are your views regarding these comments? Is it true that giving free vent to the repressed 'primitive instinct' leads us to a happy and satisfied life? or do you agree with Eliot's view that 'salvation of man lies in the preservation of the cultural tradition'?

I do not agree with the concept of Freud. Because giving free vent to the repressed primitive instinct will automatically lead towards the anarchy. For transitioning happiness, we should not create disorganization in society. individually, things, and happiness which is satisfying us can harm others and which gives pleasure to others can harm us. Here Eliot seems more powerful than Freud because if we live our lives with some discipline or with the organization than life becomes easier.

 

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

( Where, How, and Why are the Indian thought referred?)

 

Here I found some Indian thought in ' The Waste Land'; in part no ; 3 The fire sermon its title which Eliot has taken it from Buddha's. It connected with Buddha. And then Then spoke the thunder

Fire Sermon :  The third part of the poem itself gives the idea of Buddha's sermon. In which he preaches about liberation from the suffering.

River Ganga and Himalayas : Here Eliot uses the reference of River Ganga in the context of purification. And Himalayas as a peace of mind and also for the spirituality .

      

      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

 

  Thunder: Here Eliot uses the reference of Upanishads through the akashvani Prajapati gives the solutions for all the problems.

 Three Da: Datta - Devote oneself to noble deeds.

 Dayadhvam - Sympathies for others. Damyata - Self control, which will give the solution.

    

Shantih  - Eliot uses this mantra in the context of : after all the understanding peace will be there and this peace comes after the agony which takes us towards the new hope.

 Eliot uses all the Indian references because the situation of his country is becoming like a barren land. Whereas these spiritual ideas of India seem more powerful and people also live a free life without any plunge. So we can say that to make his own land again fertile Eliot has used these ideas.  So Eliot has taken reference from many languages and from many writers and cultures. So it is a mixture of all this thing. Here Eliot tries to connect this all things and also tries to deal with the universal idea of the world.