Hollow Men

T.S. Eliot's poem "The Hollow Men" is a haunting meditation on the human condition.
The poem is a complex and dense work that explores themes of emptiness, despair,
and spiritual emptiness. Eliot wrote the poem in the aftermath of World War I, a time of
great social and cultural upheaval, and it reflects the disillusionment and despair that
many felt at the time.
The poem opens with the lines "We are the hollow men / We are the stuffed men," a
paradoxical statement that sets the tone for the rest of the work. The "hollow men" are
empty and devoid of substance, while the "stuffed men" are bloated with meaningless
material possessions. Eliot's use of paradox and irony throughout the poem serves to
underscore the emptiness and futility of the human condition.
The hollow men are described as "shape without form, shade without colour," indicating
their lack of identity and individuality. They are "quiet and meaningless," existing in a
state of apathy and resignation. The poem also features several allusions to Dante's
Inferno, with references to the "twilight kingdom" and the "dead land." These allusions
serve to reinforce the sense of spiritual emptiness and despair that permeates the
poem.

Psychology of Hollowness

The spiritual explanation of the hollowness, as depicted by T.S. Eliot can be explained
through the Psychoanalytic Theory and Shattered Assumptions Theory.

Psychoanalytic model

"The Hollow Men" by T.S. Eliot is a complex poem that can be interpreted in many ways.
Using a psychoanalytical approach, whether Jungian or Freudian, can offer a unique
perspective on the text. Below are a few interpretations based on both approaches:

Freudian Interpretation:

Freudian psychoanalysis focuses on the conscious and unconscious mind, and divides the
psyche into three parts: the id (instinctual desires), ego (mediator between id and reality),
and superego (moral conscience).

1. Id, Ego, Superego: "The Hollow Men" might be seen as people who are
entirely ruled by their superego, resulting in repression of the id. They are
"hollow" because they are disconnected from their instinctual desires and
emotions. This aligns with Eliot's depiction of them as dry, sterile, and
devoid of meaningful existence. Their inability to form meaningful
connections or actions might reflect a state of internal conflict or paralysis,
 with the ego unable to mediate between the demands of the id and the
superego.

2. Death Drive (Thanatos): The recurring themes of death and inertia in the
poem could be linked to Freud's concept of the death drive (Thanatos), an
instinctual drive towards death and self-destruction.

Jungian Interpretation:

Jungian psychoanalysis, on the other hand, emphasizes the collective unconscious,

archetypes, and the process of individuation.

1. Shadow and Persona: The Hollow Men could represent the "shadow"
archetype, the repressed, darker side of the human psyche that is
disowned and projected onto others. Their hollow and stuffed state may
suggest the superficial "persona" we put on to meet societal expectations,
while concealing our true selves.
2. Collective Unconscious: The poem's abundant use of shared cultural
symbols (like the biblical references, the broken column, the fading star,
etc.) may reflect the workings of the collective unconscious, a shared
reservoir of archetypes and symbols.

3. Individuation: The Hollow Men's yearning for some form of salvation or

resolution could represent the Jungian process of individuation, the journey
of the self towards wholeness. Their state of being "neither living nor dead"
might suggest a transitional stage in this process.

Shattered Assumptions Theory

According to shattered assumptions theory, when individuals experience an

event that damages their worldview they no longer perceive the world as
benevolent and predictable or themselves as competent and invulnerable. The
subsequent state of defenseless, terrifying, and confusing awareness of
personal vulnerability gives rise to the anxiety and physiological reactivity
that characterize PTSD. Importantly, it is not only that worldviews are
undermined, but that individuals become intensely aware of their own
mortality when those beliefs are stripped away.
trauma symptoms are caused by shattering of worldviews.

Here's what we found about "shattered assumptions theory" and "The Hollow
Men" by T.S. Eliot

*The Hollow Men by T.S. Eliot:*

This poem, published in 1925, is a reflection of the disillusionment and
despair felt by many people after World War I. The poem's themes include:
- Post-war Europe
- Religious conversion
- Hopelessness
- The state of the world in disarray

The poem explores the theme of shattered assumptions, as the speaker

describes a world that has been turned upside down by the traumatic events
of the war. The "hollow men" are those who have lost their faith and are
struggling to find meaning in a world that seems devoid of hope. The poem's
imagery and allusions to Dante's Inferno and the Bible reinforce the idea that
the characters are trapped in a state of limbo, unable to move forward or find
redemption. The poem's final lines, "This is the way the world ends/Not with
a bang but a whimper," suggest a sense of resignation and despair, as if the
characters have given up hope of finding a way out of their situation.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ( PTSD)

PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) is a mental health condition that can
develop after a person experiences a traumatic event, such as:

- War or combat
- Sexual assault
- Physical abuse
- Natural disasters
- Car accidents
- Other life-threatening events

Symptoms of PTSD may include

- Flashbacks or nightmares about the traumatic event

- Avoidance of people, places, or things that remind you of the event
- Hyperarousal (feeling "on edge" or easily startled)
- Hypervigilance (always being "on the lookout" for danger)
- Difficulty sleeping or concentrating
- Irritability or anger
- Guilt or shame

Here is an explanation of PTSD in the poem "The Hollow Men" by T.S. Eliot
:

- *Despair and Disillusionment*: The poem is a reflection of Eliot's

disillusionment with society following World War I. The hollow men
represent those who have lost their faith and are unable to find meaning or
purpose in a world devastated by war. This feeling of hopelessness and
despair is a common symptom of PTSD.
- *Trauma and Loss*: The poem alludes to the trauma and loss experienced
by those who fought in the war. The hollow men are described as being
"stuffed" with straw, implying a sense of emptiness and hollowness. This can
be seen as a metaphor for the emotional numbness and disconnection that
often accompanies PTSD.
- *Fear and Avoidance*: The speaker of the poem describes their fear of
meeting the eyes of others, which can be seen as a symbol of judgment and
accountability. This fear of being judged or held accountable for past actions
is a common symptom of PTSD, and can lead to avoidance behaviors.
- *Disconnection and Isolation*: The hollow men are described as being
disconnected from the world around them, unable to engage with others or
find meaning in their lives. This sense of disconnection and isolation is a
common symptom of PTSD, and can lead to feelings of loneliness and
despair.
- *Loss of Faith and Purpose*: The poem explores the theme of lost faith
and purpose, as the hollow men struggle to find meaning in a world that
seems devoid of hope. This loss of faith and purpose can be a symptom of
PTSD, as individuals struggle to reconcile their experiences with their sense
of identity and purpose.
- *Allusions to Dante's Inferno*: The poem contains allusions to Dante's
Inferno, which can be seen as a metaphor for the hellish experiences of those
who have suffered trauma. The river that the hollow men gather beside can be
seen as a symbol of the boundary between the living and the dead, and the
inability of the hollow men to cross it can be seen as a symbol of their
inability to move on from their trauma.

Post World War 1

World War I or The Great War in historical terms that lasted 4 years between 1914 and
1918, had affected many individuals whether or not they participated in the war. The
effects of the war are not only reflected in those years but particularly started to appear
during the 1920s as well. Especially, many young Americans who left for the war
returned home as changed men, and most importantly the home they left behind had
changed too.
For many soldiers that had returned, the United States of the time was different from the
United States before the war. Especially increasing the voice of women in the society
and their change in the social status during the war was something new for the many
veterans who returned to the United States.
Veterans started to have problems with integrating into the 20s society, both in the
working place and at home. In the poem The Hollow Men , Eliot starts the poem with the
lines “ we are the hollow men/ we are the stuffed man.” as the veterans are the hollow
characters in the United States at the time, stuffed with the pain and effects of the war
troubling them still. Usage of “we” instead of a more individual approach also suggests
that this situation is not an individual problem but a common struggle among the
veterans.
Moreover, this struggle to integrate into the society and therefore the feeling of not
belonging to a certain place keeps coming back in the poem by the narrator. “Between
the idea/And the reality/Between the motion/And the act… Between the conception/And
the creation/Between the emotion/And the response”(Eliot) stuck in between, the
narrator of the poem is lost, yet not alone.
Furthermore, the style of the poem and how it is constructed also suggest that the
narrator in particular shares his/her own perspective on the situation, in a way more
subjective approach to the matter. The style of the poem is generally a free verse poem,
reader delves more into the opinions of the narrator. As Carl Krockel also states in his
book War Trauma and English Modernism: T. S. Eliot and D. H. Lawrence, “ Eliot’s aim
in his poetry was to transcend personal history, not objectify it”.
In a way, Eliot reflects the emotions and feelings of a war veteran rather than writing a
poem about the war itself. In this aspect, very different from the traditional war poetry,
Eliot’s style considered as “[He] duplicates the modernist appropriation of history
through formal strategies that seek not so much to displace as to master, and in
mastering, to articulate its own authentic stance.”
Alienation according to Jean-Paul Sartre
Alienation, according to Jean-Paul Sartre, occurs when humans refuse to accept
responsibility for their freedom ¹. In his philosophy, Sartre argues that humans have
complete freedom to choose their actions and create their own meaning in life. This
freedom is the source of both human dignity and human suffering. When humans deny
or escape from the reality of their situation, this is what Sartre calls "bad faith," and it is
a form of alienation. Authenticity, on the other hand, is achieved when humans assume
responsibility for their choices and, in turn, the creation of their selves.
Here are some key points about alienation according to Sartre:
- Alienation is a refusal to accept responsibility for one's freedom.
- Freedom is the source of both human dignity and human suffering.
- "Bad faith" is a form of alienation where humans deny or escape from the reality of
their situation.
- Authenticity is achieved by assuming responsibility for one's choices and the creation
of one's self.
- Alienation can occur in various forms, such as denying one's actuality or denying one's
possibilities.
Here's a comparison of Sartre's concept of alienation and "The Hollow Men" by T.S.
Eliot:
- *Alienation*: Jean-Paul Sartre's concept of alienation is more ethical than ontological,
as he argues that alienation occurs when humans refuse to accept responsibility for
their freedom.
- *The Hollow Men*: This poem is a reflection on the sorry state of European culture
after the First World War. The poem's speaker describes the world he and his fellow
hollow men inhabit as "dead" and implies that death is their ruler.
- *Societal decay*: Sartre's concept of alienation and "The Hollow Men" both explore
the idea of societal decay. Sartre argues that alienation is a result of humans refusing to
accept responsibility for their freedom, while Eliot's poem describes a world that has
been turned upside down by the traumatic events of the war.
- *Existential crisis*: Both Sartre's concept of alienation and "The Hollow Men" explore
the idea of an existential crisis. Sartre argues that humans must take responsibility for
their choices and create their own meaning in life, while Eliot's poem describes a world
where the characters are struggling to find meaning and purpose.
- *Despair*: Both Sartre's concept of alienation and "The Hollow Men" explore the idea
of despair. Sartre argues that alienation can lead to a sense of despair, as humans feel
trapped and unable to change their circumstances, while Eliot's poem describes a world
that is filled with despair and hopelessness.