The Universality of Eliot

T.S. Eliot was a man of progression in terms of religion and his literary works. Slowly Eliot moves from the clarity and conciseness of “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” to the musicality and often covert thoughts of “The Four Quartets”. Eliot allows religion to seep into his writing which allows for his variability, seeing as his religious views were evolving. Yet, he never loses his focal point, the audience who may not be affiliated with religion or of a different faith. While “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” and “The Waste Land” are negative portrayals of the world and humanity; “The Four Quartets” takes a more positive approach to life and the possibility of redemption. Despite the discrepancies in theme, Eliot manages to create a unifying quality to all his works.

In “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” the main character is constantly questioning his every thought and action or lack thereof. Lines sixty-eight and eighty repeat the same question of “And how should I begin?” Alfred is clearly puzzled by the concept of initiation of a conversation and lacking social skills. Eliot asks a similar question in “The Waste Land” when he writes, “What shall I do now? What shall I do?” (line 131). This repetition of the query again shows the confused and searching qualities to his characters. A bridge between these two works is thus created, because of the reverberation of the sense of being lost and seeking a solution.

Although “The Waste Land” and “The Four Quartets” may seem like two unrelated poems there are overlapping themes. One of the most striking being the motif of water. Both “The Waste Land” and “The Four Quartets” use water as a symbol of rebirth and renewal. Water is viewed as a source of life and therefore, takes on the quality of redemption as well. The juxtaposition of the lines “April is the cruellest month” and “Midwinter spring is its own season” (line 1 The Burial of The Dead, line 1 Little Gidding) convey the same idea of a lack of rebirth when natural rejuvenation should occur. The line 'What! Are you here?' from Little Gidding part two reflects a similar question asked in “The Waste Land”. With regards to “The Waste Land” the question is phrased, “What is that noise?” and is also referenced in a later portion saying, “Who is the third who walks always beside you?” (line 117, line 360). All three questions are referring to G-d and the presence of G-d. These commonalities also create a bridge between Eliot's works and exemplify his tendency to reuse certain main principles that affect his life.

To summarize, Eliot's writings may appear to be disjointed on the surface, however through further analysis a common threads are revealed. His basic core beliefs appear in each of his works and are meant to remind the reader of their importance. Eliot does not limit his use of repetition solely to his separate works, rather he also uses juxtaposition and references throughout his individual works. One example is that of London in “The Waste Land”. In the beginning of the poem London is described as a city that is in pristine condition and bustling with people. By the end of the poem the nursery rhyme “London Bridge is Falling Down” is being quoted to show that London is in a state of shambles. While this may be the progression of London described in “The Waste Land”, “The Four Quartets” paints a completely different picture. Throughout that poem London is elevated and meant to be looked upon as an archetype of regeneration. This goes to show that while Eliot's works are a bridge to one another they are not mutually exclusive in their representation or interpretation.