T.S. Eliot is considered “one of the twentieth century’s major poets”. He was born in the United States, but settled in England in his later years of life. Eliot was heavily influenced by religion and modernism – a new and upcoming type of poetry during the 1910’s. T.S. Eliot’s use of allusions, symbols, theme, and unique compositions of his poems create a signature melancholy, yet aesthetical style. In almost every T.S. Eliot poem, there is a use of allusions, or references to a well-known work, song, or person. Allusions are typically used in order to make the reader simply understand a complex concept. In his poems “Ash Wednesday”, “The Waste Land”, and “The Hippopotamus” there are many references to religion or the Bible. Eliot uses these to show the reader his feelings about religion. Unlike these poems, “The Naming of Cats” has many different types of allusions in it; the poem starts with the following: The Naming of Cats is a difficult matter, It isn't just one of your holiday games; You may think at first I'm as mad as a hatter… (1-3)
Many are familiar with the “Mad Hatter”, a quirky man from Lewis Carol’s “Alice and Wonderland”, Eliot uses this comparison to exaggerate his mind state and the audience’s opinion of the narrator. In this same poem he lists the names …show more content…
A reoccurring symbol in T.S. Eliot’s poetry is water. Water is generally associated with the themes of purity and life, as every living thing needs it to survive; however, Eliot uses water to symbolize both life and death in his works. Phlebas, a sailor in Eliot’s poem “The Waste Land”, dies from drowning. In this same poem, Eliot describes a civilization and their longing for rain to end their drought. This need, in a sense, shows the idea that water restores life, which contrasts Phlebas’ water-caused death. In “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” the narrator mentions that he likes to spend time by the
Many are familiar with the “Mad Hatter”, a quirky man from Lewis Carol’s “Alice and Wonderland”, Eliot uses this comparison to exaggerate his mind state and the audience’s opinion of the narrator. In this same poem he lists the names …show more content…
A reoccurring symbol in T.S. Eliot’s poetry is water. Water is generally associated with the themes of purity and life, as every living thing needs it to survive; however, Eliot uses water to symbolize both life and death in his works. Phlebas, a sailor in Eliot’s poem “The Waste Land”, dies from drowning. In this same poem, Eliot describes a civilization and their longing for rain to end their drought. This need, in a sense, shows the idea that water restores life, which contrasts Phlebas’ water-caused death. In “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” the narrator mentions that he likes to spend time by the