This blog task is created in response to the flipped learning activity on Existentialism.
What is Flipped Learning?
Flipped Learning is an educational strategy that involves shifting direct instruction from a collective learning setting to individual learning spaces. This transformation of group dynamics creates an engaging and interactive learning environment, where the educator assists students in applying concepts and fostering creative engagement with the subject matter. (Flipped Learning Network (FLN))
In the first video I am impressed by the thought that, Individuality is at the center of existentialism inter connected with passion and freedom of one's own. This creates a triangular connection where individuality, passion, and freedom meet, and existentialism holds a central role in this dynamic.
Video 2:
In this video I liked these thoughts,
"Suicide", is the only philosophical problem. Existentialism argues that life is meaningless so the quest of meaning in life is the most urgent of question.
Secondly, after an individual have discovered his/her absurd reasoning, they have only two choice in their life, Hope or Suicide.
Video 3:
In this video I am impressed by this thought,
Video 4:
In this video I am impressed by the thought that, Dadaism has no values in itself so they wanted to established their own values, and sought for a change in traditional values.
"We condemn old values to death"
Video 5:
In this video I am impressed by this thought, that Existentialism argues that one should judge every value about one-self and be responsible of the choices that one made, and accept the consequences of the choice, whether good or bad.
Video 6:
I am impressed by the thought that, there is no way to escape from the absurdities of the life as long as you live, so rebellion is the only response to the absurdities of life. Albert Camus's work, The Myth of Sisyphus advocates this idea.
Video 7:
In this video I am impressed by this thought,
Every existentialist shares one common concern and that is the 'Human Condition' - The problem of life as human being. Although everyone's human condition can be different.
Video 8:
In this video, teachers are explaining existential philosophy, and Nietzsche's philosophy of Ubermacht, which is often translated as 'overman' or 'superman' to kindergarten students. Similar to how Superman has the power to do whatever he wants, an individual possesses the power to shape their own life and assign meaning to it.
Video 9:
This video is fascinating to me. This video offers understanding of existential philosophy from personal point of view,
Video 10:
I find it interesting that while most people see "absurdity" as silliness or a joke, for those who follow absurdism, it means something different.
"The search for answer in an answerless world"
Learning outcome:-
Watching videos on existentialism through flipped learning really helped me grasp the philosophy better. I find visuals the easiest way to understand things, and these videos gave me a clearer understanding of existential ideas, key figures, and the overall philosophy. After watching the videos, I now understand that the difference between an existentialist and a nihilist is clear to me.
Questions:-
- Why Albert Camus don't wanted to be recognized as an existentialist?
- Can we say that individuals who choose suicide are more intellectually aware, as they may be the ones who first recognize the absurdities in their lives and opt not to confront them? (Video - 2)
- In seventh video at 8.30 time stamp, Referencing 'Existence Precedes Essence,' as substances in nature strive to fulfill their inherent purpose, such as an acorn becoming an oak tree, what is considered the essence of a human being?
- In video 3, at 2.43 frame, what is Albert Camus's concept of "The Leap", in context of existentialism?
-How can one achieve liberation from life's absurdities by committing philosophical suicide? (Video - 2)
This thinking activity examines The Great Gatsby, a novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald, a famous American author known for his novels, essays, and short stories. In this blog post, I will review and analyze couple articles related to The Great Gatsby in order to gain new perspectives and insights into the classic work.
In this article, Thomas E. Boyle explores the lack of reliability in Nick Carraway, the narrator of "The Great Gatsby." The use of first-person narration has become increasingly prevalent in the modern age and is a key feature of the post-modern era. In this narrative technique, the storyteller recounts the events from their own memories and perspective. Following the tumultuous aftermath of World War II, literature is significantly shaped by the rational ideas of figures like Sigmund Freud, Friedrich Nietzsche, and Karl Marx, fostering a climate of skepticism. Both modern and post-modern writers and critics tend to question various aspects, including the trustworthiness of the first-person narration in a text.
The term "unreliable narrator" was coined by Wayne C. Booth in his influential book "Rhetoric of Fiction" in 1961. Booth explores the concept of "Distance," referring to the gap between the author's perception and the reader's understanding. The novel's narrator, Nick Carraway, a Yale graduate from a well-established upper-class family with modest personal wealth, begins the story in a sanatorium due to mental issues. As readers, we must consider the reliability of Nick's narration, given his mental health, as he recounts his past experiences with Gatsby and Daisy.
Furthermore, Nick is captivated by Jay Gatsby's personality, which might lead to bias in his description. It is essential to go beyond the compliments and acknowledge the questionable aspects and the persona of Gatsby that Nick may overlook. The narrator could display bias in various aspects of the text.
As Booth suggests, an unreliable narrator "makes stronger demands on the reader's power of inference than a reliable narrator."
Booth still considers Nick a reliable narrator, matured and informed, but I disagree, as does Thomas Boyle. Boyle contends that Nick is a cunning character who observes much but remains silent. Nick is also portrayed as an alcoholic attending Gatsby's parties. Relying on a narrator with alcohol issues raises concerns. There's a discrepancy between Nick's words and actions. Boyle sees Nick as shallow, confused, hypocritical, and immoral. Despite knowing about Tom and Myrtle's affair, Nick keeps it from his sister Daisy. He's also aware that Daisy accidentally killed Myrtle, not Gatsby, yet he takes no action. If Nick had exposed Daisy's crime to the police, Gatsby might not have been killed by Wilson.
Another way to see the difference between the usual standards in the novel and what the narrator thinks is to look at how Nick feels about Daisy, who, for Gatsby, represents the American dream. I argue that Nick is also in love with Daisy. How else can we explain Nick not noticing her self-centeredness and lack of intelligence? Nick is fascinated by Daisy's laughter and random comments, even when she believes they are clever, like when she says, "I'm p-paralyzed with happiness." He hears a compelling quality in her voice, a "low thrilling voice... that men who had cared for her found difficult to forget." According to Nick, "It was the kind of voice that the ear follows up and down, as if each speech is an arrangement of notes that will never be played again."
Nick, the narrator, seems to know about Gatsby's corrupt behavior, but there's a contradiction in his conviction that the dream symbolized by Gatsby is "incorruptible." This inconsistency hints at the unreliability of Nick's point of view. In terms of the storyline, Nick appears to possess information beyond what he discloses, suggesting a purposeful decision in what details he reveals to the readers. This selectivity promotes doubts regarding the thoroughness and precision of the narrative. The way Nick talks in the story makes it seem like he says more than he really understands. This difference in how he speaks indicates a possible slant or exaggeration in how he tells the story, showing that we can't completely rely on what he says.
In conclusion, Nick the narrator is by no means a reliable narrator. Nick shares his own opinions, feelings, and details in his story, and he doesn't always realize that this colors how he tells it. This shows he's not a completely reliable narrator who just gives facts. As a reader, you need to be aware of his viewpoints and consider them while reading.
The American Dream, or myth has become an archetypal image in American literary canon, dating back to some of the earliest colonial writing. It has become a literary expression of the concept of America, the land of opportunities. The historical American dream is promise of a land of freedom, with opportunity and equality for all. This dream need no challenge, only fulfillment.
James Truslow Adams, who first introduced the term American Dream as,
" Dream of a land in which life should better and richer and fuller for everyone".
It is a belief that every man, regardless of his origin, can pursue and attain his chosen goals, whether they are political, monetary, or social. Many American writers, such as William Bradford, Benjamin Franklin, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Walt Whitman, Thomas Jefferson, and Arthur Miller, have incorporated the American dream into their works.
American Dream and The Great Gatsby
For Fitzgerald, the American dream has been the focal point or building block for much, if not all, of his works. Fitzgerald's works are associated with the concept of the American dream like no other writers of that time. However, his vision of the American dream often lacks the optimism and fulfillment found in his predecessors, as evident in his novel "The Great Gatsby." To Fitzgerald, the long-prophesized American dream found its fulfillment in the orgiastic post-World War I period known as the Roaring Twenties. He was a self-proclaimed spokesperson of the Jazz Age.
Gatsby is the embodiment of the Jazz Age and the hedonism of the Roaring Twenties. He lives in a large, opulent house and hosts extravagant parties. His sole purpose is to achieve his American dream, which revolves around Daisy. Once loved but now seemingly unattainable for Gatsby. Throughout the novel, Gatsby's main goal is to persuade Daisy to leave her husband, Tom, and elope with him, but he ultimately fails to convince her.
Gatsby experience financial hardship in his early years and pursue the elusive goal of material success as a crucial aspect of his American Dream. Gatsby wanted to recreate his idealized past, and for that he chose wrong path of criminality with Meyer Wolfsheim. Gatsby seems to be more obsessed with money and status. Gatsby's hedonism is reflected in his house, wild parties, clothing, roadster and particularly in his blatant wooing of another man's wife.
This obsession can be interpreted through the character of Daisy. She has a very materialistic mindset, which may be the reason for her sudden marriage to Tom. Gatsby's extravagant house parties can be justified through her character; he throws parties in the hope that one day Daisy would notice Gatsby's fame and glory and come to meet him. So, in a way, the love between Gatsby and Daisy is a form of materialistic love.
In the article, the author employs a metaphor akin to the prophets of the Old Testament who made prophecies about the golden age. It seems that for Fitzgerald, the golden age is the Roaring Twenties, and this era is considered the best for the fulfillment of the American dream. Gatsby is portrayed as the one who will achieve his dream during the Roaring Twenties. The metaphor extends to present Jay Gatsby as the messiah figure of the golden age, suggesting that Gatsby is perceived as the ultimate embodiment of the American dream, representing the idealized concept of achievement and prosperity. Gatsby aims to attain his goals solely through materialistic means, relying on the perceived influence his wealth grants him.
To sum up, Pearson describes Gatsby's house as "Huge incoherent failure", Gatsby's life and his efforts both are futile, and he is failed to achieve his dream. Despite of his efforts, rather materialistic he was failed to convince money minded Daisy. The rude message written on Gatsby's memorial by a neighborhood kid shows how harshly Gatsby's life turned out. It reflects how society doesn't appreciate or care about what Gatsby achieved or dreamed of. It also hints that Gatsby's legacy doesn't hold much value or meaning.
Gatsby's relentless pursuit of the American Dream, driven by warped ideals, results in his own downfall, illustrating the dream's transformation into a destructive nightmare for those clinging to unrealistic notions of success.
I hope you have discovered some valuable insights, and I turned to ChatGPT for assistance in comprehending certain passages from articles.
Word count:1486
Images used:3
References
- Boyle, Thomas E. “Unreliable Narration in ‘The Great Gatsby.’” The Bulletin of the Rocky Mountain Modern Language Association, vol. 23, no. 1, 1969, pp. 21–26. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/1346578. Accessed 24 Feb. 2024.
- Pearson, Roger L. “Gatsby: False Prophet of the American Dream.” The English Journal, vol. 59, no. 5, 1970, pp. 638–45. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/813939. Accessed 24 Feb. 2024.
This blog has been created as a post-viewing assignment for the movie "Vita & Virginia," assigned by Professor Vaidehi.
Vita & Virginia
The 2018 drama "Vita & Virginia" explores the complex relationship between literary figures Vita Sackville-West and Virginia Woolf. Set in 1920s London, the film depicts the unconventional affair that developed between the two married women, one an aristocratic socialite, Vita and the other a prominent modernist writer, Virginia.
Here are some questions
Q) Who do you think is initiating the relationship, Vita or Virginia? Who do you think is taking advantage of this relationship?
Vita Sackville is the one who first tries to pursue romantic relationship with Virginia in the movie. She is particularly fascinated by Virginia's writings and her style. On the other hand Virginia is more reserved and introvert kind of character.
As for the advantage, both characters seems to genuinely love each other, Vita helped Virginia and took her out fron her depression and revived her interest in writing. After some time Vita moved on but it is not easy for Virginia to move on. In their relationship it is clear that Virginia loved Vita more deeply and passionately, and eventually she was the one who suffered much.
Q) Who do you think is confused about their identity Vita or Virginia? Explain with illustrations.
I would say that Vita Sackville-West grappled with a greater degree of identity confusion than Virginia Woolf.
Vita didn't like the societal rules for wealthy people, like getting married and having a respectable family. Her relationship with Virginia let her explore her non-traditional sexuality in poems and writings. But her conservative friends didn't like it and criticized her for not following the usual values.
Vita felt bad for not being honest with her husband Harold, who also liked both men and women. The movie suggests she cares about him and their family, but their relationship doesn't have much excitement. Her involvement with Virginia and others made their marriage even more difficult.
Q) What is society’s thought about women and identity? Do you agree with them? If Yes then why? If no then why?
In the early 20th century context portrayed in "Vita & Virginia", society's traditional attitudes about women and identity were very restrictive and conservative.
Back then, people thought women should stick to being good wives, moms, and taking care of the home. Doing anything else, like having a job or a different kind of life, was not looked at well.
People used to think that women weren't as smart as men and shouldn't try to have important jobs like being a professor, working in business, or holding a public position.
Family's money and social class decided how much freedom women had and how they could move around in society.
These are some things which shows the misogynistic mindset of the society in which Vita and Virginia lived. There are limited opportunities for women in comparison to men, which hindered the overall growth of women in the society.
Vita and Virginia bravely lived life their own way. Nowadays, more people accept and respect women being independent, different genders, and different sexual orientations. This change shows progress from the strong sexism and homophobia of the early 1900s. The movie argues that everyone should have the right to be who they are.
Q) Write a note on the direction of the movie. Which symbols and space caught your attention while watching the movie?
Chanya Button, the director, makes the movie have a moody and dramatic feeling that really gets you into the complicated lives of Vita and Virginia. The way the camera focuses on their faces up close makes you feel close to their changing feelings. They often use mirrors and reflections, adding depth and showing the deep thinking happening inside.
- Roses show the love growing but also hint at the coming sadness because it won't last long.
- Virginia's inner struggle and increasing instability are shown by her smoking cigarettes.
- Long, flowing skirts and exposed skin show the women going against traditional dress rules of the society, reflecting their rebellious thoughts.
- Vita's fancy family house feels like a beautiful but confining place she wants to escape from.
Q) "Vita and Virginia" had to be made into a Bollywood Adaptation, who do you think would be fit for the role of Vita and Virginia?
If "Vita & Virginia" were to be adapted into Bollywood, I would find Kriti Sanon as Vita and Katrina Kaif as Virginia more convincing.
This blog post analyzes T.S. Eliot's modernist epic poem "The Waste Land" in response to a critical thinking assignment from Professor Barad challenging students to interpret Eliot's dense verses and provocative social commentary.
"The Waste Land" poem otherwise know as modern epic poem by T.S. Eliot, released in 1922. Initially published in London in The Criterion (October), then in New York City in The Dial , and later as a book with Eliot's footnotes. The poem, consisting of five parts and 433 lines, was dedicated to poet Ezra Pound, who assisted in reducing the original manuscript by almost half its size. Recognized as one of the most impactful works of the 20th century. The Waste Land is considered as central work of the modernist poetry. The poem is divided in five distinct parts. Eliot included numerous references to literature, myths, and religions from various cultures worldwide in his poem.
Central Theme of Poem
There are many themes represented in this modern epic poem, which revolves around the central theme of the poem which is sexual perversion and spiritual degradation. One of the themes is life in death and death in life. The poem explores a difference between two types of life and death. A life without purpose is considered a form of death. On the other hand, making sacrifices, even sacrificing one's life, can be life-affirming, like a new beginning. The poem primarily focuses on this idea and explores various versions of it. The idea that people have forgotten the difference between good and evil prevents them from truly living. This is the reason for seeing the modern wasteland as a place where the inhabitants barely even exist. Epigraph of the poem itself is the example, where immortal Sibyl desire for death.
Fertility & Healing
To revive the wasteland, Eliot drew inspiration from ancient rituals involving vegetation. This idea is influenced by the book "From Ritual to Romance," which traces the development from early pagan celebrations to spiritual journeys in search of the Holy Grail and the healing of the Fisher King. For starting a new journey outside the wasteland, people should confront their fear, sex and religion within their relationship. Eliot's poem could be a search for spiritual thirst in a chaotic world. It's filled with references to mythology, religion, and the supernatural. The poem often compares an individual's struggles in society and nature and explores the dynamics between men and women.
Yet, the poem also features diverse characters like an Austrian Countess, a London pub owner, Cockneys (East Londoners with unique accents and language), a typist with questionable undergarments, a scruffy young clerk, and a Phoenician sailor. It is difficult to read the poem because of numerous references, quotes, and bits of German, French, Italian, and Sanskrit.
It is an important poem as it dragged the modern world out of cultural dismay into a new era of hope and structure. 'The Waste Land' blends the old and new, history and the present, mythology and real life, using symbolism and psychological fragments.
Things to Consider
Q) What are your views on the following image after reading 'The Waste Land'? Do you think that Eliot is regressive as compared to Nietzsche's views? or Has Eliot achieved universality of thought by recalling the mytho-historical answer to contemporary malaise?
Nietzsche presents the idea of the Übermensch, also referred to as the Overman or Superman, in works like "Thus Spoke Zarathustra", "The Gay Science", and "Beyond Good and Evil". By declaring "God is dead," Nietzsche argued that humanity had reached a point where it could seize control of its own fate. According to him, religion, particularly Christianity, had fulfilled its role, and it was time for humans to break free from such dependencies. Nietzsche believed that Christianity falsely offered otherworldly promises, diverting people from earthly concerns. He claims that man has grown up since so long, and has become 'Superman'. Nietzsche considers human being as highest kind of species in universe.
In a sense, Nietzsche's perspectives contrast with those of Eliot. In Eliot's contemporary epic poem, "The Waste Land," he incorporated numerous religious allusions, not limited to Christianity but encompassing various religions globally, including Hinduism. Additionally, Eliot delved into the foundational aspect of literature, which is mythology, referencing various myths to convey the poem's central theme of sexual perversion and spiritual degradation.
Nietzsche perceived the diminishing influence of Christianity and the concept of "God" as a form of liberation. In his view, this presented a chance for individuals to establish their own existential significance instead of being constrained by otherworldly moral standards. The "übermensch" symbolizes the complete fulfillment of human capabilities once these constraints are eliminated. Eliot's poem uses ancient stories, myths, and initiation ceremonies not to go back to them in a backward way but to understand why the hope for meaning and renewal seems empty in the 20th century. Unlike Nietzsche, Eliot is not completely saying no to these old traditions. instead, he is showing how they point to a lack of spiritual fulfillment.
Nietzsche wants us to move forward from the values we've been handed down. On the other hand, Eliot is saying that our modern feeling of being lost is like a sickness caused by not having strong connections to our past.
Nietzsche's Perspective:
- Sees Christian morality as severing people from reality by overly restricting natural impulses and promising fictional afterlife rewards
- Argues this false belief system cultivates childish dependency, preventing people from taking control of their own destiny
- Believes the "death of God" presents opportunity for liberation and revolutionizing values that impoverish life on earth
- Envisions the "übermensch" as the realization of human potential once freed from religious obstructions and slave morality
Eliot's Perspective:
- Deploys myth and rituals not to revive them in regressive sense but to highlight their loss as root of modern spiritual sterility
- Sees characters wandering without purpose in fractured, arid wasteland as symptom of abandoning inherited structures of meaning
- Resurrects symbols of cyclic renewal (Fisher King, Chapel Perilous, etc) to diagnose and remedy cultural fragmentation post-WWI
- Weaves historical echoes and timeless motifs as glints of redemptive possibility against the wilderness of secular modernity
- Laments the loss of connection to tradition: "These fragments I have shored against my ruins"
In conclusion, T. S. Eliot made use of various religious references and mythical allusion to convey the message that what was happening in the past that is still happening in the contemporary time. So, if we look through the lens of historical sense, we come to know that Eliot's views are not so regressive.
[NOTE: I utilized ChatGPT to improve my comprehension for this question]
Q) Prior to the speech, Gustaf Hellström of the Swedish Academy made these remarks: (read in the blog)
What are your views regarding these comments? Is it true that giving free vent to the repressed 'primitive instinct' leads us to a happy and satisfied life? Or do you agree with Eliot's view that 'salvation of man lies in the preservation of the cultural tradition'?
The idea that allowing repressive primitive instincts to roam freely can lead to a happy life is represented by Freud in his work "Civilization and Its Discontents." In contrast, Eliot presents the opposing notion that to avoid unhappiness and achieve salvation, individuals should strike a balance between their primitive instincts and cultural traditions.
I would agree more with Eliot's perspective of balancing primitive desires with cultural traditions for happiness. The poem itself serves as a prime example of the idea that what occurred in the past continues in contemporary times. Thus, we must learn from our cultural traditions to understand what to avoid for salvation. This concept of historical sense is also evident in Eliot's other work, "Tradition and the Individual Talent."
Eliot depicts individuals in his poem who follow their immediate desires in less-than-ideal situations. Yet, these characters feel a lack of meaning and purpose in their lives. The hints of mythology and history amid the poem's disorder imply that redemption comes from re-establishing connections with lasting traditions that link human experiences through generations.
Freud says holding back instincts causes mental problems, and letting them loose brings a more "natural" fulfillment. Eliot disagrees, saying unchecked desires lead to chaotic cravings and more fragmentation. He thinks reconnecting with rituals and shared identity can bring control in the midst of chaos and excessive freedom.
In Eliot's vision of the 1920s wasteland, being relatively free doesn't assure enlightenment.
[NOTE: I utilized ChatGPT to improve my comprehension for this question]
Q) Write about allusions to Indian thoughts in 'The Waste Land'. (Where, How and Why are the Indian thoughts referred?)
T.S. Eliot, a notable Western scholar, was inspired by Indian philosophy, and he incorporated this influence into his major work, "The Waste Land." In the 1920s, Eliot, who was a leading voice in poetry, employed a unique and indirect writing style to express his belief that contemporary Western city life was unproductive and unfulfilling.
In is his poem The Waste Land, he had used many literary, mythical and religious references to carry out the central theme of the poem which is sexual perversion and spiritual degradation.
Jessie Weston's work, "From Ritual to Romance," greatly influenced T.S. Eliot's "The Waste Land." She not only inspired the title but also influenced the overall structure and many symbolic elements of the poem. Weston highlighted similarities between the religious practices of ancient Aryan people in India and those of Western civilizations in classical and medieval times, encompassing Grail stories and contemporary folk customs.
"The Waste Land" came out in 1922 and earned T.S. Eliot the Nobel Prize in 1948. The poem tells the story of the Holy Grail and the Fisher King, mixing in scenes from modern British life. Eliot uses references from Western literature, Buddhism, and Hindu Upanishads in the poem. The phrase "What the thunder said" is borrowed from the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, where T.S. Eliot's focus is on Vedic ideas. In the most intricate section called "What the Thunder Said," Eliot presents his perspective on the human condition and the challenges people face in the contemporary world. He also suggests a solution based on Vedic principles, encapsulated in three Sanskrit words: Datta (Give), Dayadhvam (Sympathize), and Damyata (Control). The poem concludes with the repetition of the word Shantih, meaning a peace that surpasses all understanding. Eliot implies that if modern individuals learn to give, sympathize, and exercise control, Western culture might improve and attain shantih.
The poem is divided in five different sections,
The Burial of Dead:- Divers themes of disillusionment and despair.
A Game of Chess:- The strategic and symbolic aspect of human connection and power struggles.
The Fire Sermon:- Influence of Augustine and Eastern religion.
Death by Water:- a symbolic immersion, conveying ideas of cleansing, rebirth, and the cyclical rhythm of life and death.
What the Thunder Said:- Features the Indian thoughts on the poet.
First Da
Datta: what have we given?
My friend, blood shaking my heart
The awful daring of a moment’s surrender
Which an age of prudence can never retract
By this, and this only, we have existed
Which is not to be found in our obituaries
Or in memories draped by the beneficent spider
Or under seals broken by the lean solicitor
In our empty rooms
Second Da
Dayadhvam: I have heard the key
Turn in the door once and turn once only
We think of the key, each in his prison
Thinking of the key, each confirms a prison
Only at nightfall, aethereal rumours
Revive for a moment a broken Coriolanus
Third Da
Damyata: The boat responded
Gaily, to the hand expert with sail and oar
The sea was calm, your heart would have responded
Gaily, when invited, beating obedient
To controlling hands……..
Datta. Dayadhvam. Damyata.
Shantih shantih shantih
The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad mentions Prajapathi, the Creator, having a conversation with his three children — Devas, Demons, and Men. In Chapter V of the first Brahmana, it talks about virtues linked to the thunder's voice, representing Damyata (self-control) for the Devas, Datta (self-sacrifice) for humans, and Dayadhvam (compassion) for the Demons. T.S. Eliot was strongly impacted by the Bhagavad Gita. 'The Word of the Thunder' brings a hopeful light into the overall despair of the poem. Eliot once told Bertrand Russell, "Not only the best part but the part that justifies the whole". Eliot uses ideas from Sanskrit texts to form a structure and underpin the various thoughts that make up the human mind's spiritual journey.
This is what the voice of God echoes through thunder, saying 'Da Da Da,' which signifies damyata (self-control), datta (giving), and dayadhvam (compassion). So, the lesson here is to understand and practice these three virtues: controlling oneself, being generous, and showing compassion. This narrative is a part of the ancient Indo-European prose, and in the Great-Forest-Upanishad, it gives these virtues the approval of a supernatural revelation.
The Waste Land portrays a lifeless place of moral and spiritual decay, where people struggle to find spiritual guidance. Even though the setting is Christian, Indian ideas act like revitalizing waters. Starting by the Thames, the poem concludes along the Ganges. The influence of the Rig Veda is evident, seen in the descriptions of nature and references to Indian rituals throughout the poem.
While the specific reason for his interest in Vedic thought is unclear, it is documented that T.S. Eliot engaged with Sanskrit, Pali, and the metaphysics of Patanjali. In "The Waste Land," he emphasizes three key virtues: Restraint, Charity, and Compassion. The last line "Shantih, Shantih, Shantih" in the poem makes Eliot's connection to Vedic ideas clearer. Eliot is conveying that the repetition of "Shantih" three times is both a neutral and a religious practice in the Vedic way of living.
Q) Is it possible to read 'The Waste Land' as a Pandemic Poem?
The Waste Land is a masterpiece by the modern poet, critic and author T. S. Eliot, which published in 1922. Shortly after the first World War, Spanish flu was spread across whole Europe and claimed many lives. The Waste Land is essentially seen as the war poem, a reaction of against first World War, and the aftermath of war. People were became anxious and fall into anarchy and despair. Western culture was grappled with sexual perversion and moral decline as result of war.
Our concern is that, whether we can analyze this poem with Pandemic lens that was going on at that time. Elizabeth Outka give an answer to this question in her book Viral Modernism, and captures the essence that escaped from our cultural memory.
As mentioned above, The Waste Land is primarily seen as war poem until Elizabeth Outka published her book, in which she stated that during the drafting and publication of The Waste Land, T. S. Eliot and his wife, Vivien were caught into this pandemic in December 1918, and influenza was a constant presence in the mind of both during the second wave of the pandemic. Though Eliot's case was not serious but still it 'left him very weak', and there is possibility that it may affected in his writing of the poem. The relation between Eliot and his wife was not going well at that time. Along with the flu, this also become one of the major disruption in writing the poem, for which Eliot writes, 'long epidemic of domestic influenza'.
Similar to recent novel Corona virus pandemic, which captured our imagination and affected our day to day life, it can also be said that Spanish flu also might have captured Eliot's mind as well. Though it is very difficult task to decipher the pandemic references in the poem as writer did not give any direct reference to the war as well.
Rebecca Onion, in her one the interviews says that, this kind of disease or pandemic often fails to become our cultural memory. Despite of it's devastating effects on mankind, similar to war, it escapes from our mind.
Just as with war, pandemics also result in massive loss of life. Yet unlike wartime sacrifices, the individual battles against disease lack the cultural memorialization granted to soldiers who perish on the battlefield. Those who die from illness are not seen to be fighting heroically for their country in the same manner. Additionally, the sick run the risk of spreading infection to others, rather than protecting the public as soldiers are perceived to do. For these reasons, pandemics fail to achieve the same cultural memory status despite their devastating death tolls. However, it remains virtually impossible for something as impactful as a pandemic to not leave its mark on literature in some form, as literature has a capacity to chronicle the comprehensive range of human experiences - including mass tragedy caused by disease. While pandemic victims may not be immortalized to the extent of war heroes, the widespread suffering they endure nonetheless leaves an indelible imprint through literary portrayal of communities grappling with unfolding crisis.
In many letters written by Eliot, there is a reference to the pandemic. During the year 1921, Eliot had a nervous breakdown, his physical, mental and moral vitality was drained which resulted in enervation. Eliot also had fever dreams which also justify the rosery bead structure of the poem, in which one image leads to another one, and this collage of image leads to a whole new meaning of the poem.
Fragmentary Language of the Poem
The Poem's fragmentation, and the broken language speaks to an experience Eliot had experienced, which can be feverish hallucination, and virus's impact on Eliot's consciousness and the physical and spiritual toll of the pandemic. For example, in ' A Game of Chess', there is a reference of sickroom.
Spanish Flu's Delirium
"A woman drew her long black hair out tight
And fiddled whisper music on those strings
And bats with baby faces in the violet light
Whistled, and beat their wings
And crawled head downward down a blackened wall
And upside down in air were towers
Tolling reminiscent bells, that kept the hours
And voices singing out of empty cisterns and exhausted wells."
The hallucinatory effect intensified in a corresponding moment concerning hair in this lines. Hairs turns into fiddle strings, which turn into sound. The eerie forms from the previous passage have morphed into bats with baby faces crawling down walls.
Tolling of Bells
The poem also refers to the constant tolling the bell, which can also be interpreted as tolling of bell in the cemetery, during pandemic period and many corpses would have been burned. These sounds of tolling bell are not of the battlefields but in the very air of the city and its domestic spaces.
"To where Saint Mary Woolnoth kept the hours
With a dead sound on the final stroke of nine."
Wind and Water
Along with hallucinatory thirst, Eliot depicts an opposite state that paradoxically accompanied the dryness and dehydration of the pandemic, and portrays the threat of drowning, Which is illustrated in fear death by water and the drowned Phoenician sailor. Eliot builds a pathogenic atmosphere of the wind, fog, and the air, such as brown fog, the wind under the door, what is the wind doing and wind's home. This thirst and brokenness speaks to the broader theme of spiritual thirst and sexual brokenness of the Western culture. Language also links to literal thirst caused by heavy fever during the pandemic. The poem serves as a memorial to bodily states, not just spiritual or psychological one, but as a record of suffering and confusion translated into language in both its form and its content.
- GRENANDER, M. E., and K. S. NARAYANA RAO. “The Waste Land and the Upanishads : What Does the Thunder Say?” Indian Literature, vol. 14, no. 1, 1971, pp. 85–98. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/23330564. Accessed 11 Feb. 2024.
.jpg)
.jpg)
