English Literature

ENGLISH LITERATURE THOMAS STEARNS ELIOT

Eliot was born in 1888 in Missuri;he was american by birth. His most famous work is THE WASTE LAND”that is the symbol of Modernism.. This poem is composed by five parts of different lengths. In this poem there aren’t dialogous,and it is very difficult to understand because it reveals the boring and depressing life of modern society. I analysed the third part titled “THE GAME OF CHESS”That reveals the alienation of man in the modern society and according to Eliot every attempts of quest is frustrated. For exemple at line 12: “YOU KNOW NOTHING?DO YOU SEE NOTHING?DO YOU REMEMBER NOTHING?” There is not an immediate answer but this question reveals a sense of anxiety,clostrofobia and incommunicability of man. At lines 22-23 there is the sense of a caotic society where the alienation is everywhere. Lines 27-28: “AND WE SHALL PLAY A GAME OF CHESS,PRESSING LIDLESS EYES AND WAITING FOR A KNOCK UPON THE DOOR” are a metaphore of the boring life but is also an exhortation to keep eyes open because the future is hopless.

THE MAIN THEMES ARE: -Incommunicability of man in the modern society -Alienation of man in the modern society -No hope in future:frustration of every attempts of quest -Nature:even if it evolves;men stays in his condition of sterility.