(no subject)
I've read The Waste Land before, and each time I read it, it reminds me of 1984. I think it is just the utter ruin of London, and area, with such surreal descriptions, and the hopelessness expressed in the text. But i'm not really sure, to be honest, i just know it reminds me of 1984.
I thought it was interesting in the first lines of the poem that they ended with verbs, then at the end of the sentence, a "nature" word (rain) and it repeated this pattern for the next sentence, action words at the ends of the lines, then a nature word at the end of the line/sentence.
Overall, I appreciate my growing knowledge of English Literature, because i was only 60% lost this time around when i read the poem myself. I must admit, while it is fun, like in Shakespeare, or other texts, to have extensive footnotes that explain certain lines and sayings, Eliot uses waaaaaaaay too many here! While it is helpful for the reader, it gets very tedious, and by the time i finish reading some of the footnotes, i have to go back and re-read the stanza.
To me, the nature of the poem is miserable and dreary. Which reminds us that life can suck, but it is always worse for someone else (well, that is what i thought).
I found it interesting to see the different religious elements to the poem, Christianity/Catholicism, Buddhism, and Tarot cards (whatever you want to classify them as). This fascinates me, with Eliot's knowledge of each religion, but not only of the religion, of texts pertaining to the religion. I think this is a very modern element to Eliot's poem, as often in the past, so many religious practices of different faiths and beliefs would not be placed in a poem the way it has in this one. Especially in regards to "black magic" and witchcraft elements. They have only recently been acceptable to be knowledgeable about, to the extent Eliot is in his poem.
I do find his cut and paste style a bit difficult, and tedious after a while, though the sections do share common elements and themes, it does seem rather jumpy, but then again, we aren't likely to enjoy all poetry, or each period in art!
I thought it was interesting in the first lines of the poem that they ended with verbs, then at the end of the sentence, a "nature" word (rain) and it repeated this pattern for the next sentence, action words at the ends of the lines, then a nature word at the end of the line/sentence.
Overall, I appreciate my growing knowledge of English Literature, because i was only 60% lost this time around when i read the poem myself. I must admit, while it is fun, like in Shakespeare, or other texts, to have extensive footnotes that explain certain lines and sayings, Eliot uses waaaaaaaay too many here! While it is helpful for the reader, it gets very tedious, and by the time i finish reading some of the footnotes, i have to go back and re-read the stanza.
To me, the nature of the poem is miserable and dreary. Which reminds us that life can suck, but it is always worse for someone else (well, that is what i thought).
I found it interesting to see the different religious elements to the poem, Christianity/Catholicism, Buddhism, and Tarot cards (whatever you want to classify them as). This fascinates me, with Eliot's knowledge of each religion, but not only of the religion, of texts pertaining to the religion. I think this is a very modern element to Eliot's poem, as often in the past, so many religious practices of different faiths and beliefs would not be placed in a poem the way it has in this one. Especially in regards to "black magic" and witchcraft elements. They have only recently been acceptable to be knowledgeable about, to the extent Eliot is in his poem.
I do find his cut and paste style a bit difficult, and tedious after a while, though the sections do share common elements and themes, it does seem rather jumpy, but then again, we aren't likely to enjoy all poetry, or each period in art!