T.S. Eliot 1888—1965

Biography BIRTH: CHILDHOOD: Thomas Stearns Eliot September 26, 1888 in Missouri. CHILDHOOD: father, Henry Ware Eliot, mother, Charlotte Champe Stearns, was a teacher. At the time of Eliot’s birth, his parents were in their mid- forties siblings were already grown.

Biography EDUCATION: Toured the continent after Harvard attended Harvard University left with a masters and undergraduate degrees. returned to Harvard to receive a doctorate degree in philosophy. Toured the continent after Harvard

Biography 1915 married first wife, Vivienne Haigh-Wood 1917 began working at Lloyd’s bank in London 1925 left the bank to work at a publishing firm 1927 dropped U.S. citizenship, became a British subject 1933 separated from Vivienne avoiding all but one meeting with her between 1932 and her death in 1947.

Biography 1948 won Nobel prize 1957 married Esme Valerie Fletcher 37 years his junior (he was nearly 70, she was 32); she was a secretary at the publishing firm where he worked In 1965, he died of emphysema in London at the age of seventy-seven. 1983 won two posthumous Tony Awards for “Cats”

Modernism vs. Postmodernism Reason and science are reliable foundation of “knowledge” Reason exists independently and is universal and “true” Reason and human freedom are linked; form to the dictates of reason Because it is universal, reason helps overcome ALL conflicts Language is transparent, with defined relationships Reason will lead to universal truths that all cultures will embrace. Reason and science are myths created by man (Marxism) ALL judgments of truth exist within a cultural context Pure Reason disproves the universal nature of human freedom Science is no more universal than is any culture’s definition of “truth” Language is fluid and arbitrary; Meaning is “messy” There are no eternal truths, no universal human experience

Reflection of Life: Modern life is chaotic, futile, fragmentary Eliot argues that modern poetry “must be difficult” to match the intricacy of modern experience. poetry should reflect this fragmentary nature of life: “ The poet must become more and more comprehensive, more allusive, more indirect, in order to force, to dislocate if necessary, language into his meaning” this nature of life should be projected, not analyzed.

Aesthetic Views A poem should be an organic thing in itself, a made object. Once it is finished, the poet will no longer have control of it. It should be judged, analyzed by itself without the interference of the poet’s personal influence and intentional elements and other elements.

The Poet Should Draw Upon Tradition: use the past to serve the present and future “simultaneous order” how the past, present, future interrelate Sometimes at the same time borrow from authors that are: remote in time alien in language diverse in interest use the past to underscore what is missing from the present.

Style/Technique disconnected images/symbols literary allusions/references Sometimes VERY obscure!!! highly expressive meter rhythm of free verses flexible tone metaphysical whimsical images/whims

Terms to Know with “Prufrock” Literary Analysis Dramatic Monologue: a poem or speech in which a character addresses a silent listener. Internal Conflict: Prufrock suffers a great deal of this and shares it with the reader with images and details throughout the poem. Allusions: references to people and historical or literary events that hold meaning for a character. Vocabulary Tedious: Boring and wearisome Insidious: secretly treacherous Digress: depart temporarily from the main subject Malingers: pretends to be ill Meticulous: precise about details Obtuse: slow to understand or perceive