Elements of mysticism in the poetry of T. S. Eliot

Mysticism is the leap from ordinary intellectualism and apprehension by the senses of the substantial world to the perceptive and intuitive grasp of the intangible depth of Being, particularly aided by God's grace which is pure gift. Mysticism, as experienced by people as diverse as John of the Cross, Teresa of Avila, Julian of Norwich, Evelyn Underhill, and Frances Siedliska, as well as by Buddhists, Hindus, Jews, Muslims, Protestants, etc., speaks to us from a kaleidoscopic reality, teaching us various contemplative approaches to God as each person lives and relates his individual story.; Poetry often has elements of mysticism because poetry's outpourings of mind and heart resonate with the effusion of prayer. Both poetry and prayer arise from the human spirit; both poetry and prayer may differ in degree and in intensity, but the mystical may be found in both. The poet's moment of deep creativity and grasp of an essential truth in an insight is comparable to moments of illumination found in prayer or experienced in mystical union with God, although fundamentally differing in essence.; T. S. Eliot was as aware of prayer as he was of the religious traditions that emphasized mysticism and chose carefully to integrate them both into his poetry, not only intertwining Christian references, but also non-Christian references and beliefs to illustrate kataphatic mystical elements, particularly into his religious poetry. This researcher traces the progression of mystical elements from selected Eliot poems dating from 1909 to 1942.; Eliot's poetic and philosophic influences were many; the three poetic influences on Eliot's work discussed in this dissertation are Jules Laforgue, Dante Alighieri, and Ezra Pound. Eliot was also greatly indebted to F. H. Bradley, on whose work relating to knowledge and experience Eliot patterned his own dissertation at Harvard University. Other philosophers interested Eliot, and he used their theories eclectically until he formulated his own total vision that encompassed history, spirituality, poetic and critical principles, love, but especially, a sense of the mystical presence of the Absolute.