Tradition In The Waste Land

This thesis attempts to analyze T. S. Eliot's idea of tradition as is presented in his poem The Waste Land. Tradition in Eliot's view refers to historical sense, literary tradition and element of impersonalization. Great fascination for tradition enables Eliot to be a poet and a critic always turning back for old order in literary composition and criticism. As one of the most important critical theories in modern literature, the impersonal theory distinguishes itself from others by its impersonalization of individual expressions through the application of tradition. Its impersonalization is mainly focused on its present past which refers to the representation of the present on the foundation of the past. With the juxtaposition of the past and the present, a contrast of the two will be formed in the poem as well as in the reader's mind. The pastness of the past serves for the reflection of the present. It is supposed to reexamine the present through a "nostalgic" point of view, because the past, namely the tradition, is where the lost belief and spirit can be found.The Waste land is in fact a critical examination of the modern world especially the world after the world war and industrialization. Four major sets of traditions can be found throughout the poetry, which if observed on the whole construct a map of modern waste land of spiritual sterility. T. S. Eliot reminds the reader at times through tradition that the modern world is full of problems and even worse, the modern man is indifferent to the worsening situation. In addition, the artistic techniques presented through tradition in The Waste Land include the 'objective correlative' and juxtaposition. Tradition is applied as the 'objective correlative' corresponding to the present. And tradition is put with the present side by side for compare. Both the 'objective correlative' and juxtaposition are typical artistic techniques greatly dependant upon tradition.This thesis dedicates four chapters to the illustration of T. S. Eliot's idea of tradition and his application of tradition in his famous poem The Waste Land.Chapter one is a detailed discussion of T. S. Eliot's understanding of tradition and previous writers' influences upon him. His idea of tradition can be classified into three aspects: historical sense, literary tradition and element of the impersonalization.Chapter two examines the traditions in The Waste Land. Tradition is taken as the main clue in the analysis of the long poem. There are basically three types of traditions: mythological tradition, religious tradition, and legendary tradition.Chapter three discusses about the theme of The Waste Land presented through tradition. The major theme of the poem is sterility, failure of spiritual quest and sex without love.Chapter four attempts to analyze the artistic techniques of The Waste Land presented through tradition. They are the 'objective correlative' and juxtaposition.In a word, The Waste Land can be regarded as a good illustration of T. S. Eliot's idea of tradition in its present past, and in its "nostalgic" view upon the modern world.