The Waste Land
Poetry
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T. S. Eliot
The Waste Land Full Poem
‘Nam Sibyllam quidem Cumis ego ipse oculis meis vidi in ampulla pendere, et cum illi pueri dicerent: Σίβυλλα τί θέλεις; respondebat illa: άποθανεîν θέλω.’
For Ezra Pound
il miglior fabbro.
I. The Burial of the Dead
April is the cruellest month, breeding
Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing
Memory and desire, stirring
Dull roots with spring rain.
Winter kept us wa...
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The Waste Land Key Facts
Key Facts
Original Title: He Do the Police in Different Voices
Writer: Thomas Stearns Eliot OM (26 September 1888 – 4 January 1965)
Written Date: Autumn 1921
Publication Date: October 1922
Tone: Agonizing, Disillusionment, and Frustrating
Genre: Modernist Poetry
Sections: Five Sections
Total Lines: 433 Lines
Time Setting: Post-World War I
Place Setting: London
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The Waste Land Summary
Summary
Section I: The Burial of the Dead
The Meaning of April and the Sense of Barrenness: The poem opens with the famous line, “April is the cruellest month.” Here Eliot reverses the traditional idea of spring as a season of hope and new life. Instead of joy, April brings pain because it awakens memories and desires buried under the forgetfulness of winter. Winter, though cold, offered comfort...
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The Waste Land Literary Device
Symbols
The Waste Land: The Waste Land symbolizes spiritual barrenness and decay. It represents a world without meaning, where human life has lost its vitality, and there is no hope for renewal or redemption.
Unreal City: Unreal City represents a dehumanized society. It symbolizes modern urban life that is crowded, empty, and disconnected. Cities like London and Paris are shown as places of moral...
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The Waste Land Theme
Themes
Spiritual Desolation: The poem explores spiritual emptiness in the modern world. People are increasingly disconnected from faith, meaning, and one another. This leads to a lack of purpose and a sense of moral decay.
The Cycle of Life and Death: The Waste Land portrays the cyclical nature of life, where death and rebirth are constant. Death often leads to spiritual renewal, as seen in refer...
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Notes
Explore 12 detailed notes related to The Waste Land. Each note provides in-depth analysis, explanations, and critical insights.