THE WASTE LAND
Read the poem and complete the discussion
1. Read “The Waste Land” by T. S. Eliot.
2. Read the following analysis of the poem by Dr. Oliver Tearle (and be sure to watch the 3.5 minute video at the end): https://interestingliterature.
3. Answer the following questions.
- Do you think the intended audience in 1922 understood all of the allusions in this poem?
- Why is this poem considered such an important text in the modernist movement?
- What do you believe the deeper meaning of the poem is?
- There are many references to different languages, cultures, myths, and religions. How is this typical of a modernist writer?
Answer preview
In the 20th century, Thomas Eliot’s poem was recognized as the most significant poem of the time, because it conveyed the modernist type of writing. In his poem, Eliot uses cultural allusions that address the Western world (Eliot, 1922). Apart from portraying poverty and the rural world, this was the norm with the poetry of the time, images that Eliot reveals aspects of the modern world. In the text, Eliot incorporates religious…
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