Week Three

World War I changed the world. A generation of young men died that left the world disfigured and alienated. Modernist writers such as T. S. Eliot tried to capture the psychological state of mankind through poetry. Eliot saw the world around him crumbling. As a result, he wrote "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock." The poem demonstrates indecisiveness and a form of paralysis. Prufrock cannot communicate with others. Instead, he can only observe women moving around and "talking of Michelangelo." The war may have emasculated him since he is not capable of making a decision or enjoying the company of a woman. I find it sad that he is lonely in a room full of people. The title of this poem implies a song, and Eliot repeats certain lines as refrains. In the end, the mermaids sing to lure humans to their death by drowning, similar to the Sirens in the Odyssey.

In "The Hollow Men," Eliot also uses music. He joins nursery rhymes with phrases from the Lord's Prayer. This poem seems to be more spiritual as he blends Dante's vision with his own. The hollow men are shells of humans who have no substance and are spiritually blind. They live meaningless lives and resemble scarecrows that are "filled with straw." Because they did not act on their beliefs, they are hollow and cannot enter heaven or hell. They are self-absorbed. The same bleakness that dominates Eliot's poems is now present in the hollow men's pathetic lives. I find it interesting that these hollow men, who can see in paradise and recognize their own shortcomings, do nothing to change their behavior.

Eliot's poetry is a challenge to read. He seems to explain things before he writes about them. The world during the 1900's was bleak and sad. World War I wiped out most of the land, men, and morale. I find satire and irony throughout Eliot's works. Sometimes, it is hard to know what is real and what is an exaggeration. "The Preludes" and "The Hollow Men" are poems that I can understand and enjoy reading. In fact, "The Hollow Men" seem to be prevalent today in our own modern society. Like the hollow men, we are both hollow and stuffed. We rush to buy more and more stuff in our consumer culture. Then we have to buy storage to keep our stuff. When we die, all that is left is just stuff that no one will want. Garage sales and donations to Goodwill inherit our stuff as well as landfills. What does it all mean? Regardless of what year we live in, we can still live meaningless lives that have no purpose. We can learn from Eliot's works and live intentional lives. When I was younger, I had a hard time making decisions; however, I am much more decisive now. If I face indecision in the future, I will remember Prufrock and his state of paralysis.

Modernist poets experimented with poetry such as T. S. Eliot. In "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock," Eliot uses a converstional tone to begin the poem. "Let us go then, you and I." The speaker repeats particular words and phrases several times that represent the monotony and repetition of Prufrock's life. I enjoy reading the metaphors in this poem such as the yellow fog and yellow smoke that is compared to a living creature--probably a cat. Then life is compared to coffee, but my favorite metaphor is Prufrock comparing himself to an insect that is preserved in a display collection. That would be terrible to think your life is like an insect pinned to the wall. Although some of these poems are difficult, I have broadened my views by reading and analyzing them.

Week Two

Wilfred Owen's "Dulce Et Decorum Est" relives his war experiences as a soldier. He tells the truth about death and reality that I am sure he would rather forget. The soldier who is gassed haunts the speaker at night in his dreams. I do not know if there were not enough gas masks, or the poor soldier did not have time to get his on. The reaction is immediate as the speaker watches the soldier's "white eyes," "his hanging face," and "the blood / come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs." The soldier also breaks out in "incurable sores on innocent tongues." This would be a grim memory to live with. Owen wrote this poem to show the gruesome experiences of soldiers on the battle field. In the end, Owen was also shot and killed. It must have been awful for the parents at home who anxiously wait for a letter from their child in battle, but instead they receive a telegram reporting their son's death.

I enjoy reading Edith Sitwell's "Aubade." The Norton Antholgy mentions that Sitwell's mother was upset with her daughter, Edith, because she had such unusual features and great height. The poem seems to echo some of the feelings a girl might have. Perhaps, Sitwell drew on her childhood experiences to write this poem. Typical of aubade poems, the lover has left and the girl is now alone. Although the speaker tries to motivate Jane to come down the stairs, comb her hair, and "seize the day," the girl has no desire to do any of these actions. I like the sounds and images that Sitwell creates. The rhymes are lyrical and have been set to music, I understand. The first and last line: "The morning light creaks down again" suggests that Jane remains in bed as the days slip by. No amount of coaxing will entice her to get up and do her chores. Apparently, she is lonely and sad. I can relate to this poem during the stressful times I have had in my own life. I think most people can as well. No matter whether we are rich or poor, old or young, there are days that we would rather just stay in bed, similar to Jane.

W.B. Yeats incorporates mythology in "Leda and the Swan" to make a point about power. Mythology plays a huge role in literature. I am so glad that I took the class because it helps me to understand particular stories and characters in literature. It seems the Olympian gods mirrored the Greek qualities of being quarrelsome, unforgiving deities who enjoyed warring, banqueting, and fornicating. They were always depcited in human form with beautiful, powerful bodies; however, their beauty went beyond ordinary mortals. The gods had grand and intense passon. They could embody and impose the loftiest moral values in the universe. But these same gods also mirrored the physical and spiritual weaknesses of humans; they might be lame and deformed or vain, petty, and insincere. They could also steal, lie, and cheat in a most divine way! I learned that mortals who infringed the rights of the gods suffered terrible punishments.
In "Leda and the Swan," Yeats portrays Leda as helpless when Zeus violently rapes her. At the end of the poem, the speaker asks if Leda gains some form of divine knowledge and power, due to her experience. This question suggests that Leda may have received supernatural insight from the powerful Zeus during their sexual union. I find it interesting that Zeus takes the form of a swan. When I think of swans, pictures of beauty, elegance, and innocence come to mind, which seems to contradict a violent act of rape. This is a complex poem, full of Greek mythology and history. I enjoy its lyrical quality, and it reminds me of a fairy-tale.

The Wasteland

Today, I read the Wasteland. It is a difficult poem to understand. I read that Ezra Pound edited it, and it was twice as long as it is now. The poem shifts from one voice to another, from place to place, language to language. It seems to be a mix of satire and prophecy. The reason that I like the beginning is because it reminds me of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales that also begins in the month of April. Eliot must have been very smart because he includes so many different works of literature. I feel like I am working on a jigsaw puzzle that has lost some pieces. I think this poem is meant to be interpreted by each reader. The amount of footnotes is astounding! Like the pilgirms on the journey to Canterbury, I too am on a journey to understand The Wasteland.

The Wasteland is a continuous dialogue of bits and pieces, allusions and references that come from a variety of sources. Eliot holds a magic mirror and lets readers step into a world of imagination. Through literary allusion, he demonstrates cultural drought in The Wasteland. Eliot begins his poem with the month of April, similar to Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales. Chaucer’s pilgrims were headed to Canterbury on a journey, a spiritual pilgrimage; however, the Wasteland’s protagonist has no purpose or charted course but is confused and aimless. Eliot does include in his notes the Grail legend that includes a quest for the cup from Christ’s last supper, which involves a journey.

I think The Wasteland is a metaphor for the journey that we all must take through life. If we can muddle our way through the chaos of everyday life to find meaning, purpose, and direction, then we can survive. Though bad decisions, immaturity, and unexpected circumstances may challenge and overwhelm us, just as Eliot’s references, allusions, and outside sources seem to do, we must choose what we think is truly important and focus on that. Each person is on a quest to find purpose in his/her life. Although at times I feel like I am blindly walking through a dark tunnel, I struggle to find light in the form of hope, similar to Eliot’s lilacs growing in a dead land. Hope is the driving force that keeps me going. I think if I read just a little farther, then I will be able to grasp what Eliot means. Eventually, the words end, but life goes on. At times, life seems so confusing and complicated, and I feel lost. But I know that I will find the path that is right for me if I search long enough. The one thing I have learned from T. S. Eliot is to sort through the chaos to find meaning. The Wasteland can be interpreted many ways; however, I find it reflects everyday life that is full of struggles, curves and unexpected turns.