Thinking Activity on T.S.Eliot : Tradition and Individual Talent

Thomas Stearns Eliot (1888-1965) was born in St. Louis, Missouri, of an old New England family. He was educated at Harvard and did graduate work in philosophy at the Sorbonne, Harvard, and Merton College, Oxford. He settled in England, where he was for a time a schoolmaster and a bank clerk, and eventually literary editor for the publishing house Faber & Faber, of which he later became a director. He founded and, during the seventeen years of its publication (1922-1939), edited the exclusive and influential literary journal Criterion. In 1927, Eliot became a British citizen and about the same time entered the Anglican Church.

1.How would you like to explain Eliot's concept of Tradition? Do you agree with it?

Ans :- Yes i agree with Elliot's concept of tradition. He talked about erudition to gain the knowledge. Tradition can't come in Inheritance. one have to do to much hard work and than and than only he can be a part of a tradition via his writing.

2. What do you understand by Historical Sense? 

     Eliot explains the concept of tradition with the use of Historical sense. It involves perception of the presence of the past not only its pastness. It is not only to know about historical fact but mainly its about that in which way people were living in the past and how that past is presented in the contemporary time. Than he invludes that with the help of historical sense a writer can create the work which has timeless and temporal both toghther

3.What is the relationship between “tradition” and “the individual talent,” according to the poet T. S. Eliot?

The New writers are not merely imitating the tradition but by their own individual talent they add something new in already existing history or tradition. They give a new charm and beauty to the tradition.

4. Explain: "Some can absorb knowledge, the more tardy must sweat for it. Shakespeare acquired more essential history from Plutarch than most men could from the whole British Museum".

Ans:- Eliot talks about Shakespeare ans his creativeness. he talks about that shakeShakes is not a learned man but he is still famous and there were many man who were more learned than shakeShakes but no one remers them so the the point is it doesn't matter how much you have learnt but what matters is how much creative you are.

5.Explain: "Honest criticism and sensitive appreciation is directed not upon the poet but upon the poetry"

Ans - T.S.Eliot talks about the honest criticism. For the fair judgement critic's main concern should be the work of art not an artist. If the main concern of the critic is related with an artist than he/she can not able to judge the work fairly. At the same time critic have to remain free from all the preconceived ideas of an artist.

6. How would you like to explain Eliot's theory of depersonalization? You can explain with the help of chemical reaction in presence of catalyst agent, Platinum.

Eliot explains the theory of depersonalization with the help of Science. He describes the process of making sulfuric acid. The Sulfuric acid is made from sulfur dioxide and water,but entire process can't take place in the absence of Platinum. In this process Platinum is essential element. In the same way the man who suffers and the man who creates both should different. Poet's emotion is necessary to create poetry but it should not reflect in his work.

7.Explain: " Poetry is not a turning loose of emotion, but an escape from emotion; it is not the expression of personality, but an escape from personality."

This is the idea of depersonalization which was talked by Eliot earlier. Whenever poet creates work of an art at that time he should remain detached from his emotions and feelings.Eliot further says that poetry is not for showing poet's own feelings or emotions but it is about escape from that emotion. 

8.Write two points on which one can write critique on 'T.S. Eliot as a critic'.

Ans :- Theory of Individual talent ans Depersonalization.