Thomas Stearns Eliot

Thomas Stearns Eliot (1888-1965)

A thorough knowledge of Eliot is compulsory for anyone interested in contemporary literature. Whether he is liked or disliked is of no importance, but he must be read.

_Northrop Frye

• Born on 26th September 1888 in USA.
• Modern Poet and dramatist. One of the great Poets in 20th century English literature.
• Known as Invisible Poet. He called himself OLD POSSUM
• Influence on him: his mother and grandfather, his teachers- George Santayana and Irving Babitt and the book he read The Symbolist Movement inLiterature by Arthur Symons
• His interests: Classical literature and Comparative literature
• In 1914 he met Ezra Pound whom he called his II Miglior Fabbro
• From 1917 to 1919 he worked as an assistant editor of THE EGOIST.
• In 1923, he became the editor of THE CRITERION.
• HE WON NOBEL PRIZE IN LITERATURE  IN 1948.

Important Works:

Drama

• Murder in the Cathedral
• The Family Reunion
• The Cocktail Party
• The Confidential Clerk

Poetry

• The Waste Land
• The Hollow Man
• A Cooking Egg
• Journey of the Magi
• Portrait of a Lady
• Boston Evening Transcript
• Ash Wednesday

Features of his Works:

• Revolt against traditional poetry
• Rejection of contemporary life
• Use of new techniques
• Borrowings
• Absence of logical link
• The urban setting
• Rejection of Nature and love
• Use of myths