Q : Character of
J Prufrock.
Ans : Prufrock is an
embodiment of split personality – a separation of head and heart, a paralysis
of the will and too much worry regarding a love proposal. Prufrock refers to Hamlet and this enables us
to understand Prufrock’s psychological malady.
This introspection is the result of emotional frustration. His irresolution is complicated by the fact that though he is
middle-aged, bald in the head, he is not hot-blooded. He dresses smartly, smiles to ladies but he
is unable to express his inner state. His
excuses for postponing the making
of the love proposal arise from neurosis and from his fear of rejection. The poem highlights the dilemma and
indecisiveness as well as the squalor and barrenness of modern urban civilization.
Q : Symbolism
Ans : The Love Song
of Prufrock is a symbolic poem which gives the mood of the modern
city-dweller. It expresses the
barrenness, the mental tension, the frustration and the irresolution of the
modern man. Eliot depicts the mind of
the modern man and the frustration of
modern civilization through images and symbols
which are mainly functional, precise and compact. He has drawn
largely on the works of English metaphysical poets and the French
Symbolist poets. He has combined their
practice in such a way that his technique becomes quite original.
Q : Imp of Game of Chess
Ans : A Game of Chess
is a device used by Middleton in the play entitled Women beware Women where
this game is played to hide the
seduction of a young girl by a noble man.
In this section the poet
indicates the failure of sex-relationship in the modern world. Sex
has has become a purely physical kind of entertainment and has lost its moral and social
purpose. Sex has become a purely
physical kind of entertainment and has lost its
moral and social purpose. Sex perversities both in high and low life,
have become a matter of mechanical
routine.
The story of Philomen, the raped girl who was transformed into nightigale- is
a symbol of purification through sufferings but in modern times, love has
degenerated into lust and there is no hope of regernation.
Q : The Fire Sermon :
Ans : The title has a reference to Buddha’s famours sermon
which is popularly known as the fire sermon.
According to Buddha “the whole
world is on fire of hatred, fire of
infatuation, world’s old age and death, sorrow, lamentation, miser, grief and
despair”. St. Augustine, the Christian
monk has made a similar confession of his youthful temptation. He said : “To Carthage, then, I cam where a
Cauldron of unholy loves sang all about my ears.” Both pieces refer to the human life lived on
the sensual plane. The remedy for
excessive sex craving is continence, without discipline; sexual appetite will
ruin both men and women.
Q Role of Tiresean
Ans : Tiresias is a kind of all-knowing universal
person who belongs to the past as well as to the present. He may be compared with “Narad muni” of the
Indian tradition. He is a prophet who
told King Oedipus of Thebes, that his land had been made desolate by his own
action. He visited the underworld, Hades
and other regions. Here, Tiresias
comments on the strength of his own experiences among the poor in Thebes. He could understand and explain feelings of
the poor people involved in occasional sexual meetings. In the context of the modern world, mating or
sex contact has become a mechanical and routine experience.
Q: Title
Ans : As the title of
this sectionsuggests, “ The Fire Sermon” refers to the universal flame of sex which is burning
in this world. Buddha’s fire sermon
reminds one that the fire refers to the
lust, hatred, and infatuation. The remedy suggested by Lord Buddha and St.
Augustine for putting out this fire is self control and moral discipline, which
tames this strong desire. Eliot believes that the degeneration of the
modern world is due to sex-perversion, and violation of the sanctity of sex and dignity of woman.
Q: Death by Water
Ans In this
section – Death by Water, Eliot shows the significance of water as a means of purification and
re-birth. There are two associations – one from Shakespeare The
Tempest and the other from the ancient Egyptian myth of the god of fertility.
The death of Phlebas, the Greek sailor, is an example of people who devote
themselves to worldly pursuits. Their
youth and strength ultimately will be consumed by death.
There is no chance of re-birth for the modern man, because
there is no desire to follow spiritual values.
The rejection of higher values is the cause of the inevitable decay of
modern civilization.
Q : Title
Ans : Water is a
symbol of purification and
re-birth. In The Waste Land, water has
become a source of death, because a man leads a life of the senses and in
pursuit of wealth. Phlebas, the
Phoenician sailor is an example of
the modern businessmen, caught in the
whirlpool of activity and accounting, he meets
his death. There is no re-birth
for him because his life has no element of moral values.
A : Title
Ans Eliot refers to an event in ancient Indian history when India
passed through a great crisis. Drought
and famine compelled people to pray to
God for divine help. God spoke to them
in thunder. The words Da Da Da contain
the secret of man’s spiritual re-birth. The first Da means Datta i.e., to
give. We must dedicate ourselves to a
worthwhile cause. Martyrs and saints
have shown the way of spiritual achievement.
Secondly, Da means Dayadhavam i.e. to sympathize. We must sympathize with
our fellowmen. We must give up our ego
and isolation and work for the good of community. This alone can bring a spiritual
satisfaction. Thirdly, Da means Damyata
i.e., self-control. Discipline of the
mind is necessary for spiritual achievement.
Control over men’s desire is the only way to peace and spiritual
achievement.
Q ending
In the closing lines, Eliot strikes a personal note and
wishes to find out remedy for the reform of spiritually decadent society. The poet has given the three remedies to save
the modern man from destruction. The
first remedy suggested is derived from Dante namely self-purification. This means willing acceptance of suffering
for self-reform. The second remedy is
derived from a Latin lyric. The poet
finds the nightingale and the swallow
singing with a great joy. What is the
secret of their joy? The secret lies in
spiritual discipline. The third remedy is derived from a French sonnet. It is the complete detachment from worldly
possessions which is the condition for spiritual re-birth. The poet wishes to
re-build the world with these three important components.
Then only will blessing of heaven come to the suffering
humanity like gentle drops of rain, like “Shantih” or peace which gives
understanding. Thus the poem ends on a
hopeful note.
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