This blog is an bridge course activity given by dilip sir barad, this activity is about the T. S. Eliot's Critisism - Tradition and individual talent but before let me introduce you with T.S. Eliot in brief.
T.S.Eliot
T.S. Eliot, or Thomas Stearns Eliot (1888–1965), was a prominent American-British poet, essayist, playwright, and literary critic. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in 20th-century literature. Eliot was born in St. Louis, Missouri, and later moved to England, where he became a British citizen in 1927.
Some of Eliot's most significant works include "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" (1915), "The Waste Land" (1922), "The Hollow Men" (1925), and "Four Quartets" (1935-1942). "The Waste Land" is particularly notable for its complexity and modernist style, reflecting the disillusionment and fragmentation of post-World War I society.
Eliot was associated with the literary movement known as modernism, and he played a key role in shaping its development. His poetry often explored themes of existentialism, the nature of time, and the search for spiritual meaning in a secular world. In addition to his poetry, Eliot was a prolific essayist and wrote influential criticism, including works like "The Sacred Wood" (1920) and "Tradition and the Individual Talent" (1919).
T.S. Eliot received numerous honors during his lifetime, including the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1948. His works continue to be studied and appreciated for their profound impact on modern literature and their exploration of the complexities of the human condition.
- How would you like to explain Eliot's concept of Tradition? Do you agree with it? What do you understand by Historical Sense? (Use these quotes to explain your understanding.)
Ans:
T.S. Eliot believed that when artists create, they should be aware of the history and culture that came before them. He thought of tradition like a living thing that changes and grows over time. According to Eliot, artists should not focus too much on expressing their own feelings but should instead let the larger cultural tradition speak through them.
Eliot wanted artists to connect with the past, not as a set of strict rules, but as a way to keep the culture alive. He also thought that artists should not see themselves as unique geniuses but as part of a bigger tradition.
He introduced the idea of the "objective correlative," which means using specific things or events to make people feel certain emotions. This was a way for artists to communicate without always talking about their own feelings directly.
Eliot believed in a shared cultural heritage that brings people together. He felt that literature should contribute to a sense of togetherness in a society.
So, in simple terms, T.S. Eliot's idea of tradition is like being part of a big, ever-changing conversation where artists listen to what was said before and add their own thoughts in a way that keeps the conversation going.
According to T.S. Eliot,
"The historical sense involves a perception, not only of the pastness of the past but of its presence."
This historical sense, which is a sense of the timeless as well as of the temporal, and of the timeless and of the temporal together, is what makes a writer traditional.
Eliot goes further to state that this historical sense, encompassing both the timeless and the temporal aspects of history, is what makes a writer traditional.
In simple terms, T.S. Eliot is saying that truly understanding history isn't just about knowing things happened in the past. It's about feeling and recognizing how the past still affects and shapes our present. A writer who can do this, who can connect the timeless aspects of human experience with specific historical moments, is what Eliot considers a traditional and insightful writer.
What is the relationship between "tradition" and "individual talent," according to the poet T. S. Eliot?
T.S. Eliot explores the relationship between "tradition" and "individual talent" in his essay titled "Tradition and the Individual Talent." In this essay, Eliot puts forth the idea that a poet's work is not isolated or purely original but is rather an ongoing dialogue with the literary tradition that precedes them.
Eliot argues that tradition is not a passive accumulation of past works but a dynamic and living whole. It is the entirety of literary history, the collective wisdom and achievements of all preceding writers.
According to Eliot, a poet's relation to tradition is not a simple imitation or copying of past works. Instead, the poet engages in a creative process where they reinterpret and transform the existing tradition in response to their contemporary context. Eliot introduces the concept of "impersonality," suggesting that the poet, in their best moments, transcends their personal emotions and experiences. The poet becomes a medium through which the timeless elements of tradition find new expression.
The true poet, in Eliot's view, contributes to the renewal of tradition by bringing a fresh perspective and insight. The poet adds something new and valuable to the ongoing cultural and literary conversation.
In summary, Eliot sees tradition not as a restrictive force but as a dynamic and essential aspect of the creative process. The individual talent of a poet shines through when they engage thoughtfully with tradition, offering a unique and insightful contribution that enriches the collective literary heritage.
Explain- "This undue stress on individuality should that the English have an uncritical mind"
Eliot's critique in the statement suggests that an overemphasis on individuality, detached from a critical engagement with tradition, may result in works that lack the depth and resonance that come from a poet's awareness of the larger cultural and literary context. Eliot advocates for a more thoughtful and historically informed approach to creativity, where individual talent is expressed through a meaningful dialogue with the rich tapestry of literary tradition.
Explain "Some can absorb knowledge; the more tardy must sweat for it. Shakespeare acquired more essential history from Plutarch than most men could from the whole British Museum".
T.S. Eliot highlights the diverse capacities of individuals in acquiring knowledge. He suggests that while some may naturally absorb information, others, described as "more tardy" or slower learners, must put in significant effort and hard work to gain understanding. Using Shakespeare as an example, Eliot argues that the Bard acquired essential historical knowledge, particularly from sources like Plutarch, surpassing what many could achieve through access to extensive libraries such as the British Museum. The emphasis is on the quality and depth of knowledge, especially in relation to literary tradition, rather than a mere accumulation of information.
Explain" Honest criticism and sensitive appreciation are directed not upon the poet but upon the poetry."
T.S. Eliot is saying that when we critique or appreciate poetry, our focus should be on the poem itself, not just on the person who wrote it. Honest criticism and sensitive appreciation should be directed at the words, ideas, and emotions expressed in the poetry, rather than solely on the personal qualities or experiences of the poet. It's about valuing the art for what it communicates rather than making judgments based on the poet's individual life.
How would you like to explain Eliot's theory of depersonalization? You can explain this with the help of a chemical reaction in the presence of a catalyst agent, platinum.
- Theory of Depersonalization
T.S. Eliot's theory of depersonalization, outlined in "Tradition and the Individual Talent," advocates for a poetic approach where the poet transcends personal emotions. Depersonalization, in this context, does not eliminate personal feelings but involves expressing them through external, objective symbols. Eliot emphasizes the importance of poets connecting with a literary tradition, contributing to it, and transforming it. The objective is to achieve a form of impersonality, allowing the reader to experience emotions more profoundly and universally. Ultimately, depersonalization contributes to the creation of enduring and timeless works of literature.
Eliot points out the relation of the poem to its author; and says that the poem has no relation to the poet. There is detached or alienation between the poet and his poem. The difference between the mind of a nature poet and that of am immature one is that the mind of a nature poet is "a more finely perfected medium in which special or varied feelings are at liberty to enter into new combinations". According to Eliot, the art emotion is different from personal emotion. A successful artist s he, who can generalize emotion in the reader's one while he himself seemed to be unaffected by any emotion. In the other hand he should be depersonalized in experience he describes in the poem.
Eliot brings the analogy of chemical reaction to explain the process of depersonalization. In this respect he has drawn a scientific analogy. He tells that a poet should serve the sold of platinum which makes sulphurus acid. He says, "When the two gases, previously mentioned (oxygen and Sulpher dioxide) are mixed in the presence of a filament of Platinum. They form Sulphurous acid. The combination takes place only he the Platinum is present; nevertheless, the newly formed acid contains no trace of Platinum, and the Platinum itself is apparently unaffected has remained inert, neutral, and unchanged. The mind of the poet is the shred of Platinum. It may partly or exclusively operate upon the experience of the man himself; but, the more perfect the artist, the more completely separate in his will be the man who suffers and the mind which creates, the one perfectly will be the mind digest and transmute the passions which are its material."
He strongly believes that "the differences between art and the event are always absolute. Eliot illustrate his view by a few examples among which one is of Keats' One to a Nightingale, which contains a number of feelings which have nothing particular to do with the nightingale, but which the nightingale ,partly perhaps because it's attractive name, and partly because of it's reputation served to bring together. He illustrates his theory by a few examples. The artistic emotion evoked by Dante in his treatment of the episode of Paolo and Francesca is different from the actual emotion in the situation. The artistic emotion may approximate to the actual emotion as in Agamemnon the artistic emotion approximates to the emotion of am actual spectator; in Othello to the emotion of the protagonist himself.
It is not the expression of personality but an escape from personality. He emphasizes the same theory of impersonality in art. The emotion of art is impersonal. It has its life in the poem and not in the history of poets. So, honest criticism and sensitive appreciation is directed not upon the poet but upon the poetry. The poet's biography is not to be studied the structure of the poem and its evocative powers are important.
Explain - "Poetry is not a turning loose of emotion, but an escape from emotion; it is not the expression of personality, but an escape from personality. "Write two points on which one can write a critique of T.S. Eliot as a critic."
T.S. Eliot is saying that poetry is not just about expressing emotions in a messy way. Instead, it's a way to organize and understand emotions in a controlled manner. Additionally, poetry is not just about the personality of the poet; it goes beyond individual identity to connect with broader human experiences.
Some may feel that Eliot's focus on controlling emotions makes his poetry feel distant and too intellectual, missing the personal touch that makes poetry relatable.
Others might argue that Eliot's writing is too complicated and full of references that not everyone can understand.
Conclusion:
To sum it up, T.S. Eliot's essay "Tradition and the Individual Talent" teaches us that poetry isn't just about expressing personal feelings. Instead, it's a careful blend of absorbing from the past and contributing something new. Eliot encourages poets to connect with tradition, creating works that go beyond individual emotions. In simple terms, it's a guide urging poets to be part of a larger literary conversation, weaving their unique threads into the fabric of human expression.
.jfif)
