The Waste Land

 

                     "The Waste Land"

                          By T. S. Eliot

                     Thinking activity

Hello readers! 

This blog is the part of my classroom activity. 

   Here is the task to write an answer or your opinion on these three questions about contradiction of Eliot with Nietzsche and Freud and the use of Indian spirituality/thoughts in 'The Waste Land".

(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 university of thought  by reading mytho-historical answer to the contempt malaise ? 

 

Of course T. S. Eliot and Nietzsche use different, or totally opposite method to solve the problem of contemporary crisis. One (Eliot) use to be regressive and backward looking as it tries to find answers of contemporary malaise in Upnishad, Buddhism and Christianity, while Nietzsche, sees to be progressive and forward looking in giving solution to the problem of contemporary crisis in faith and self. Here if I share my opinion then I would like to say that Eliot has achieved universality of thought by recalling mytho historical by using Upnishad, Buddhism and Christianity, to answer the contemporary malaise. In "The Waste Land" Like by using myths he present the hollowness of human being in modern times. Of course it's good Nietzsche's use of progressive and forward looking, it's quite helpful to solving the problem of contemporary crisis in faith and self, but here in 'the Waste Land' it's quite apt to use of Upnishad, Buddhism and Christianity.  

2.Prior to the speech, Gustaf Hellstrom of the Swedish Academy made these remarks. 

    What are your views regarding these comment? 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'? 

  No, it's not true according to me, that giving free vent to the repressed primitive instinct can lead us to happy and satisfied life, because whatever the free vent is but it's still 'repressed' primitive instinct, so how can it's lead us to happy and satisfied life, or yes I agree with Eliot's view that 'salvation of man lies in the preservation of the cultural tradition. If we live along with some discipline or cultural or moral tradition, then life became more easier than before. 

3.write about allusion to the Indian thoughts in 'The Waste Land's(where, how and why are the Indian thoughts referred) 

In "The Waste Land" Eliot has use allusions of the Indian thoughts. Here he first described how the sexual perversion has over power and the spiritual degradation of hand. So, he leads towards the spirituality by using the Indian culture and Upnishad. 

The Fire Sermon

  Here the use of fire sermon is the Buddha's sermon, to disenchantment- a feeling of disappointment, and also depicted to live with spiritual thought of Buddhism passion towards the life. Here fire is also symbolize lust to know anybody. 

What the thunder said

In this part Eliot use Indian mythology of "Akashvani" The voice of Devine from the sounds of colliding clouds, rude of old wide man. 

River Ganga and Himalya

 "Ganga was sunken, and the limps leaves

Waited for rain, while the black clouds

Gathered far distant, over Himvant

The jungle crouched, humped in silence"

  The Ganga is known for it's purity and for purification, while Himalaya is known for spirituality and peace and Eliot use this Indian context to solved the contemporary problems in spirituality. That is the reason he refers Ganga and Himalays in this poem. 

Three "Da"

Eliot gives three "Da"

1. Datta- to give not only charity but giving oneself for some noble cause. 

2.Dayadhvam- sympathies yourself with me 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. 

Thank you.....