Monday, March 5, 2012
Confusion and Anxiety
The Waste Land is a connected jumble of interrelated stories and thoughts that reflect T.S. Eliots depression and terrible state of mind. Although is has been noted to be his greatest work, I cannot get over the extreme complexity that is seemingly on purpose. Eliot fills the poemm with different languages that cannot be easily translated, as well as, many references to other works including Chaucer and Tristan and Isolde; all these elements come together, at least in the mind of Eliot, but is not true for all others reading his work. The feelings of confusion and frustration arise when reading this poem and I believe that it is impossible to faintly comprehend without notes explaining what he means. T.S. Eliot being a poet, who is known to be an intregral part of the modernist period brings all of the main characteristics into this one work. It is most clearly noted as experimental due its form and complex plot.
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I also found The Waste Land to be complex and difficult to read. After reading it and then breaking it down through the use of foot notes I was able to make some sense of the poem. I just found it to be sad and depressing. The poem translates into the destruction of society and what it translates into. This is suppose to be one of Elliot's greatest works, but I did not appreciate it as much as others did, or have.
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