MOD B - TS Eliot

Prufrock and Preludes - 289

Eliot explores the insignificance of modern life by juxtaposing self-imposed isolation in The
Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock with the monotonous routine depicted in Preludes, reflecting
early 20th-century disillusionment and existential angst. Eliot deviates from a rigid, romantic
poetic structure with free verse to reflect chaos, emphasising modern society’s fragmentation
and individual isolation. Prufrock’s jarring simile “like a patient etherised upon a table”,
suggests his paralysis, symbolising his inability to communicate and act upon desires, further
isolating him from modern society. Additionally, the juxtaposition of the grand existential
question “Do I dare disturb the universe” with the trivial concern “Do I dare to eat a
peach” highlights his paralysis from self-doubt and isolation, suggesting the insignificance of
his existence. Furthermore, the monotonous aspects of life are showcased through the
metaphor in “I have measured out my life with coffee spoons”, signifying the lack of
meaningful experiences and the imagery underscores existential insignificance, reinforcing
feelings of futility, reflecting Eliot’s modernist critique of the fragmented, impersonal urban
life. Similarly, Preludes highlights urban monotony and life’s insignificance through a
repetitive day and night cycle, aligning with Eliot’s aim to capture modernist disillusionment.
The metaphor “burnt out ends of smoky days'', highlights life’s mundanity. At the same
time, the vivid imagery in “The worlds revolve like ancient women/ Gathering fuel in
vacant lots'' represents the purposeless daily activities and the endless cycle of routine,
perpetuating across generations. Eliot’s manipulation of language emphasises Prufrock’s
existential despair through the cyclical nature of Preludes, contrasting modern society’s
mundane routine with Prufrock’s profound isolation. Despite juxtaposing ideas, both poems
explore life’s insignificance; Prufrock through individual isolation and Preludes through life’s
futility, reflecting Eliot’s critique of modern discontent and decay of personal significance.

Preludes and Rhapsody on a Windy Night - 276

TS Eliot’s poems ‘Rhapsody on a Windy Night’ and ‘Preludes’ focus on urban decay and
modern societies' disconnection from nature, symbolising the loss of hope for the survival of
mankind. The fragmented structure of Preludes and the disjointed form of Rhapsody reflect
modern life’s disorder, emphasising despair in both poems and mirroring the disintegration of
nature and morality in society. In Preludes, Eliot critiques the superficiality of the developing
society where individuals work merely to survive, abandoning their surroundings highlighted
through the visual imagery in “grimy scraps/ Of withered leaves” and “Broken blinds and
chimney pots” evoking a sense of a neglected neighbourhood. The individual’s abandonment
of nature is underscored by “mad man shak[ing] the dead geranium” in Rhapsody,
symbolising the destruction of natural beauty and reflecting environmental and moral decay
caused by modern society’s focus on self-indulgence and urban expansion. Furthermore,
nature symbolises purity and morality, and its destruction by modern society underscores
humanity’s pursuit of greed and power. “The thousand sordid images of which your soul is
constituted” reveals the pervasive moral corruption using a hyperbolic metaphor, suggesting
individuals contribute to and are shaped by a self-destructive environment, reflecting Eliot’s
commentary on modern society’s disillusionment of ethical integrity. Additionally, the
personification of street lamps in Rhapsody through “the street lamp sputtered the street
lamp muttered the street lamp said” showcases the flaneur focusing on “humanising” non-
living things rather than naturally living things highlighting further disconnection of modern
society from nature. Both poems illustrate modern society's disconnection from nature, with
Rhapsody’s ending, “the last twist of a knife”, symbolising the ultimate realisation of
pervading alienation and despair, emphasising Eliot’s critique of modern society’s moral and
existential decay.

The Hollow Men and Journey of the Magi - 335

Eliot criticises the modern collective’s detachment from spiritual faith, which he suggests
results in an individual’s fragmented identity through the ‘Hollow Men’.
Written two years before Eliot’s conversion to Anglicanism, the Hollow Men reflects his
period of hopelessness through the poem’s fragmented, free-verse structure, symbolising
modern society’s fractured nature and evoking a profound sense of desolation. The paradox
in “Shape without form, shade without colour” creates a lifeless image, symbolising a
colourless existence devoid of meaning or purpose. This is furthered through the fragmented
biblical allusion in “For Thine is/ Life is/ For Thine is the” reflects modern society’s loss of
spiritual faith, with the incomplete prayer echoing the pervasive sense of disconnection and
existential decay, resulting in the lack of purpose and desperation for hope amidst a spiritual
void. Eliot however, portrays a symbol of hope through the Hollow Men’s desperate search
for hope through the metaphor of praying to a stone in “Here the stone images/ The
supplication of a dead man’s hand”, suggesting that despite their plea to a lifeless object,
the enduring nature of the stone symbolises the persistent, albeit faint, presence of
spirituality. This sense of hope gained through spirituality is furthered through Journey of the
Magi, written by Eliot directly after he converted. The sense of hope through visual imagery
and vitality of life is showcased in “Then at dawn we came down/ smelling of vegetation”,
symbolising the renewal of hope after Christ's birth. Dawn represents the rebirth of spiritual
faith, while the scent of vegetation suggests a new life and revival. However, the past
principal caesura in “Were we led all that way for Birth or Death?” underscores the
Magi’s disillusionment with their spiritual journey, revealing the dichotomy between the
enlightenment, longed by the Hollow Men and the challenging reality of achieving it. Eliot
scores modern life as fundamentally hopeless but suggests potential for renewal through
spirituality in The Hollow Man and Journey of the Magi while emphasising that individuals
are left in despair and disorientation without faith.