Thinking Activity On T.S.Eliot : Traditional and Individual Talent

Q.1  How would you like to explain Eliot's concept of tradition ? Do you agree with it ? 

Ans.  Yeas i agree with the Eliot concept of tradition. Tradition is not only slavish imitation of the past but it was the relation of the past and the present. Eliot sees tradition in very positive way and says that we have to learn positive and good things from tradition and also see negative things and not repeat this negative and bad  things in present and that way we can make better present.

             " We have to learn tradition but not blindly follow tradition". 

Q.2  What do you understand by historical sense ? ( Use these quotes to explain your understanding) 

Ans.  "The Historical sense involves a perception not only of the pastness of past but of its presence" 

It mean tradition is not dead but something is live. it give idea about good or bad things and it help to make better present with positive idea. 

"  The historical sense,which is timeless as well as of temporal and of the timeless and temporal together is what makes writer tradition" 

It means history has not any past or present. The historical sense writer anables to write not only with his own generation in mind but from past to present with continuity of tradition. sense of timeless and temporal, many historical character is alive in our life even we never see them, for example ' Radha and Krishna'. 

Q.3  What is the relationship between "tradition" and "individual talent" according to the poet T.S.Eliot. 

Ans.  According to T.S.Eliot tradition obtain with an effort and inheret. there is not slavish imitation of tradition. A poet or writer have to developed great judgement from  traditional writer  and shift of greatness. His significance, his appreciation is the appreciation of his relation to the dead poets and artiste. 

Q.4  Explain "Some can absorb knowledge the more tardy must sweat for it shakespeare acquire more essential history from plutarch  than most men could from the whole British museum". 

Ans.  Eliot demands first wide reading but here give example of shakespear, we see in history there is no mention that shakespear went to any school and university and he was not known other language than English but he has wide knowledge of entire cross section of character,theme,ideas in his work. shakespear seemed to absorbed his age and became great writer. 

Q.5  Explain "Honest criticism and sensitive appreciation is direct not upon poet but upon poetry".

Ans.  In this critic should appreciate the work without any personal intention. while reading poetry there has no any effect of poet. criticize poetry without any bias or prejudice, if we like any work its because of quality of work not because of poet. 

 Q.6 How would you like to explain Eliot's theory of Depersonalization ? you can explain with the help of chemical reaction in presence of catayst agent platinum. 
                       

    
Ans.  Eliot trys to bring the elements of science into humanities.The combination of sulphuric acid, takes place only if the platinum is present. platinum played very important role in this process so this also connect with poet's mind. Eliot says that emotion and feelings are the elements which entering the presence of poet's mind and acting as catalyst. 

Q.7 Explain "Poetry is not a turning losse of emotions but an escape from emotion it is not the expression of personality but an escape from personality". 

Ans.  It means that poet write poetry to escape from his emotions of his personal life and create something different. when we read any poetry and think same way about poet so it is not right way. for example, we like any hero in movie but in personal life he was so different in same way poet is different and impersonal from his personality. 

Q.8 Write two points on which one can write critique on 'T.S.Eliot as critic'. 
Ans.  " Honest criticism and sensitive appreciation is directed not upon the poet but upon the poetry". 

"Poetry is not turning to losse of emotion but an escape from emotion it is not the expression or personality but escape from personality". 



Thank You...