Post-war London is the setting for this richly allusiveSuggesting rather than explicitly mentioning. Modernist text in five sections. It features a varied cast united by a sense of loss and meaninglessness. Just as London Bridge is falling down, there is an uneasy tension between the modern wasteland and a yearning for salvationBeing saved from harm or ruin, or in a religious context, sin. . Published in 1922, it vacillates between opposites: expanses of lonely desert and ocean against the throngs of the metropolis; the Bible, Hinduism and Buddhism; the supremacy of poetry and the supremacy of music. Its textured intertextual references are not for all — William Carlos Williams reproached Eliot for "return[ing] us to the classroom" — but for some, it is a celebration of all that is right about human creation, even if it is also a lamentShow passionate sadness. of its brokenness.
The Waste Land
Post-war London is the setting for this richly allusiveSuggesting rather than explicitly mentioning. Modernist text in five sections. It features a varied cast united by a sense of loss and meaninglessness. Just as London Bridge is falling down, there is an uneasy tension between the modern wasteland and a yearning for salvationBeing saved from harm or ruin, or in a religious context, sin. . Published in 1922, it vacillates between opposites: expanses of lonely desert and ocean against the throngs of the metropolis; the Bible, Hinduism and Buddhism; the supremacy of poetry and the supremacy of music. Its textured intertextual references are not for all - William Carlos Williams reproached Eliot for "return[ing] us to the classroom" - but for some, it is a celebration of all that is right about human creation, even if it is also a lamentShow passionate sadness. of its brokenness.
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The first lines of The Waste Land allude to the poem's preoccupation with death: "April is the cruellest month, breeding/Lilacs out of the dead land." Although Eliot conceived of the poem in 1914, it was written after he had a breakdown precipitated by his father's death. Many critics have taken this bereavement into account when reading the poem, which uses death as a frequent metaphor.
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Is imagination what makes us human? Hilary Mantel's gift for inhabiting the minds of people from other ages and cultures made her one of the most admired novelists of our time.
Should digital lives have a time limit? Scientists in the US claim they have found a way to create versions of human beings that will survive long after they are dead.
The seasons and weather are used symbolically in The Waste Land. Spring is depicted as a period of both rejuvenation and death, where although renewal is possible, it is invariably accompanied by more death and a reminder of loss. By contrast, winter is perceived as a time of stillness, and rainfall is symbolic of rejuvenation.
Shouldn't New Year's Day be on the first day of spring? After all, it is the season of new beginnings - and is proven to be a time when we are generally happier and at our most energetic.
Is this the year to go fake? Everyone wants to reduce their environmental impact, but experts warn there are no easy solutions when choosing an eco-friendly Christmas tree.
Does heat create the best plots? As much of the world swelters, we ponder the alchemy behind many of the greatest novels and movies set against a backdrop of sweaty exhaustion.
The Waste Land is read by many as a comment on the hopelessness of post-war Europe. Eliot implies that World War One obliterated Europe's core values and produced a trauma of horrors never seen before, rescinding the innocence of pre-war society.
Are we ignoring the true damage of war? The human impact of the war in Ukraine is clear to see. But the conflict also casts a menacing shadow over wildlife and the climate.
Could nuclear terrorism start World War Three? British border guards discovered radioactive uranium in a shipment of scrap metal. Some worry that it was intended to power a devastating device.
Death of a genius: Hilary Mantel 1952-2022
Could there be another Russian revolution? Protests have swept Russian cities following the announcement of "partial mobilisation", but many worry that Russia has lost its revolutionary spirit in the midst of repression.
The Waste Land has been described as a "portrait of a broken modern civilisation." The poem's original epigraphA short quote at the start of a book, or writing on a building or statue. is from Conrad's Heart of Darkness, reading "The horror! The horror!" - a phrase which, in some ways, has become a byword for the realisation of civilisation's evils, and its title is a nod to the complete collapse of civilisation.
Is the collapse of civilisation inevitable? The potential for the climate crisis to end humanity remains "dangerously underexplored", scientists warn. Are we in a climate endgame?
Should learning to cook be compulsory for everyone? Marks & Spencer launched a new TV show. Marcus Rashford launched an online course. Cooking seems to be all the rage.
Is maternal love what makes us unique? The amazing story of Qafzeh, aged 13, who lived 100,000 years ago, raises profound questions about the origins and power of human devotion.
For Eliot, religion is no longer the driving force behind society, and his waste land is one of spiritual emptiness. The poem makes frequent allusions to Biblical imagery, as well as to Hinduism and Buddhism. A dearth of religious feeling and faith is, for Eliot, one of the hallmark features of modernity's bleakness.
Is wisdom the new stardust? Today's most attractive possessions may be wealth, health, happiness, friends and looks. But in times of crisis, humanity demands deeper qualities.
Do better rules of life make us happier? Though the number of people living in monasteries and convents has shrunk in modern times, some say we have much to learn from them.
Is giving things up a good idea? The start of Lent is when Christians traditionally deprive themselves of something they enjoy. But the practice is common to other religions too.
Keywords
Allusive - Suggesting rather than explicitly mentioning.
Salvation - Being saved from harm or ruin, or in a religious context, sin.
Lament - Show passionate sadness.
Epigraph - A short quote at the start of a book, or writing on a building or statue.
The Waste Land
Cry for help? In happier times, TS Eliot described The Waste Land as "just a piece of rhythmical grumbling". Glossary
Allusive - Suggesting rather than explicitly mentioning.
Salvation - Being saved from harm or ruin, or in a religious context, sin.
Lament - Show passionate sadness.
Epigraph - A short quote at the start of a book, or writing on a building or statue.