Teodora Sovrlic 'The Waste Land' is a poem by British poet T. S.

Eliot published in 1922 after WWI, in general note he stated thath the title, the main, theme and the main symbolism derives from Jessie Western`s book ``From ritual to Romance`` - 1920 which is its chief symbol and the other one is Frazer`s The Golden Bough. This poem consists of five sections: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. The Burial of the Dead A game of chess A fire sermon Death by Water What the Thunder Said

Dedication: It is dedicated to Ezra Pond Il miglior fabbro (the better craftsman) The main theme of Eliot`s Wasteland is disillusionment and disgust after WWI as well as the exemplification of the chaotic life of the 20th century society and its individuals. The sterility and waste which are all pervading motifs replaced traditional order and fertility. This poem is not only about the hopelessness, despair, fertility of the land but it represents a view of the total spiritual exhaustion that has overtaken the modern world and human society desperately longing for a revival and regeneration that may never come. So this poem also signifies the quest for spiritual salvation or moral regeneration. We can draw parallels between this poem and Coleridge`s The Rime of the Ancient Mariner because they are both concerned with the need for redemption through prayer, penance, abstinence and forbearance after a life full of sins. This poem is based upon the story of Holy Grail and the story of Fisher King that consist of many versions but all have in common that Fisher King is wounded in the upper part of his leg and his lack of potency is the cause of his country becoming a waste land. Heal the Fisher King, the legend says, and the land will regain its fertility. But according to Eliot modern society is not only unable to find the way to heal the Fisher King but unwilling to do so as well. WWI has a huge impact on this poem as it created a feeling of nihilism defined as the state of emptiness and nothingness in humans due to massive death and destruction. Thus Wasteland represents a symbol of decadence of modern civilization which is to be perceived in every aspect of life, both social and emotional. People being trapped in their own inner wastelands, a sort of depression of the spirit, became materialistic and distant from nature and its beauties severing the bonds with nature modern men have lost their spiritual beauty. Apart from urbanizations and industrialization there also occurred some serious issues and more intricate problems in post-war ere and those are of psychological nature. Because of inner frustration, loss of faith in God,

deterioration of values and morality modern people have no true warm feelings for their fellow sufferers, dryness and emptiness prevail. Inner description of men and their state of minds deprived from any human values reflect the outer description of the post-war world. `The Waste Land`` opens with an invocation of April described as ``the cruelest month``. That spring, generally a period of bloom, is depicted as cruel may be a curious choice on Eliot`s part but it actually represents a typical example of Eliot`s juxtaposition of imagery that is contradictory comparison. Spring stereotypically rekindles old lover`s flame and spring rain might normally bring new life but in this case in can only ``stir dull roots`` which also supports the fact that Eliot conceptualized modern society as a wasteland in which neither land nor the people could conceive with people being sexually frustrated and dysfunctional and the land being barren due to the chemical weapons that ruined its plant life. Winter may also have the positive connotation in this context as it covers the barren land and makes people forget the wastefulness and infertility of land as well as their fragile psychological state.