MOD B

The power of Modernist literature lies in its artistic creation, in response to technological
advancements that have influenced the fragmented minds of modernity. A contextual
interpretation of T.S. Eliot’s earlier poetic canon, ‘The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock’ (1915),
‘Rhapsody on a Windy Night’ (1911) and ‘Preludes’ (1910-11), combined with his later spiritual
works, ‘The Hollow Men' (1925) and ‘Journey of the Magi’ (1927), reveals the distinctive and
aesthetic qualities that characterise his acceptance of early 20th century decades of
socio-economic turmoil, showcasing his exploration of alienation and fragmentation within
modern life. Hence, Eliot’s critique provides contemporary audiences with an understanding of
Modernist concerns that consider the effect of change on personal identity and their outlook
towards an uncertain future.

The transcendental value of Eliot’s work is through his skilful control of aesthetic
characteristics in his artistry, expressing his fragmented psyche within his alienating
circumstances. Eliot self-consciously expresses his cynical perspective towards modernity by
illustrating the struggle to find purpose within the mechanical disposition of the modern
condition. He characterises his distinctive poetic voice by introducing a literary persona
engaged in self-imposed isolation in his first poem, ‘The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock’. Eliot
voices Prufrock’s self-detrimental awareness to mirror his own insignificance in life as he
struggles to find meaning in a Modernist world devoid of hope. Prufrock’s dramatic monologue
criticises the psychopathic modern man who expresses his fragmented psyche with his
self-voluntary alienation, “In the room women come and go/ Talking of Michelangelo”, the
juxtaposing allusion of the impotent persona with the embodiment of masculinity positions
modernity as separated from the literary past. Distinctive sensory vignettes are used to
portray the degrading nature of the progressing revolution of industrialisation, with the city’s
characterisation as “sawdust restaurants with oyster shells” and “one-night cheap hotels”. The
persona’s futile search for moments of connection in a debased urban setting reflects the
internal decay of the individual’s psyche as they struggle to find belonging in a society they
believe is meaningless. The internal decay of Prufrock is similarly echoed in ‘Rhapsody on a
Windy Night’ through the flaneur as he observes the degradation of modern society.
Delineated by non-linear time stamps to represent certain times of the night, “Twelve o’clock”,
“Half-past one”, Eliot creates a sense of disconnect through the distinct sections of this poem,
each embodying the fractured human consciousness and a sense of being out of sync with
the world. This disorienting disruption to the chronological flow of life emphasises the
deteriorating internal state of the persona, marking the decay of the individual psyche
impacted by the urban world. Eliot’s portrayal of the persona’s psychological destruction is
symbolised through the trope of “The street lamp sputtered/ The street lamp muttered”, where
the lamplight is personified to represent the persona’s disjointed mental state from the
external reality of the urban world. Eliot’s depiction of the external modern world in ‘Preludes’
contrasts to the idealist imagination of the Romantics and instead adopts a realist portrayal
that exposes the disconnecting elements of the urban environment which inhibit individuals
from achieving a sense of purpose. This is conveyed through the repellent olfactory imagery
of “smell of steaks”, “stale smells of beer”, ironically juxtaposed with the naturalistic imagery of
“sparrows in the gutters”, demonstrating a distinct portrayal of the conflict between the
spheres of the natural and urban world. Contrary to the fascination with nature held by the
Romantics, the urban landscape is pictured as destroying the human soul and depicted
through the synecdoche of human body parts in “short square fingers stuffing pipes” to
represent the industrial workers. Although Eliot’s personas are a reflection of his mental
psyche, his poetry does not offer an explicit solution to the fragmented internal and external
world he suffers from. Thus, contemporary audiences can empathise with the uncertainty of
the future in Eliot’s work, and appreciate its aesthetic structure as a powerful medium for
authentic poetry.

Despite the aesthetic construction of Eliot’s poetry maintained throughout his life, his journey
of alienation as a fragmented individual continues through his later spiritual conversion. His
encounter with hope through spiritual enlightenment is reflected in his later poems, now
employing a collective identity of “we” rather than personal pronouns to reflect the shared
experience of futility in their post-WWI context. In ‘The Hollow Men’, Eliot depicts the withered
and lifeless environment during his interwar context through the repetition of ‘dry’ in “Our dried
voices…wind in dry grass…In our dry cellar”, expressing the decaying psyche of individuals in
a chaotic world. As a result, Eliot’s conversion to Anglo-Catholicism through the enigmatic
biblical allusion in “Death’s dream kingdom” highlights the liminal description of Eliot’s
transition to God, communicating his attempt to seek a solution for his fragmentation of the
impotent modern condition. Although many individuals lost faith in God after the war, Eliot’s
conversion conveys his belief that God provides a framework to make sense of the complex
human existence, depicting the sense of solace and salvation offered by religion. The opening
alliteration of /c/ in “A cold coming” from ‘Journey of the Magi’ notions the chilly environment
making the Magi’s spiritual and physical journey arduous, portraying a sense of spiritual
scepticism in Eliot’s path towards spiritual enlightenment. Eliot’s own realisation that his
spiritual interaction with Christ has brought a metaphorical death to his past way of viewing
modern life and his suffering is seen through the paradoxical ending, “I should be glad of
another death”. Hence, Eliot offers spiritual awakening as a cure for the hopeless reality of
modern life. Although Eliot’s approach to escaping modern reality is through faith rather than a
lphysical solution, contemporary audiences are invited to consider the perplexity of the future
and view the relevance of a fragmented psyche in society.

The meaning of poetry is communicated through the aesthetic qualities of poetic form to
enhance its authenticity. Eliot’s skilful craftsmanship of transcendental value alongside a
contextual study of Modernism provides audiences with a depiction of the fragmentation and
alienating conditions of modern life. While Eliot struggles to adapt to change, his critique of
alienation and fragmentation caused by the conditions of modern society allows responders to
reflect on the relevance in their contemporary contexts.