Waste Land

A detailed Summary of Waste Land


There is no place on earth that is entirely without flaw. In the poem, The Waste Land by T. S. Eliot, the author examines the possibility of human destruction in a harsh environment. The description presented in this poem is far from the world we know. It is entirely possible, however, for human existence to take a turn for the worse and follow the path displayed in The Waste Land. Not only is there a perversion in the landscape but also in the feelings of the inhabitants. There are three distinct distortions of love in the poem: one of physical nature, one of spiritual nature, and a final perversion of romantic nature.

The most direct form of love's perversion comes through physical transformation of characters in the poem. One of the earliest instances is when Philomel's innocence is lost to the barbarous king and she is changed into a common object of desire (99-104). These lines show how the feelings of one person may be swayed under the right circumstances. It would seem as though every human being would look at birth as a joyous occasion, this is far from the trut


It seems as though even the most righteous things can be converted into something negative in the waste land. Within the first lines of the poem, the author takes a direct a blow to all that live in the waste land. Eliot says that "Son of man, you cannot say, or guess, for you know only a heap of broken images" regarding the lack of faith in God (20-22). People must mold their own fate, no one can decide for them. The reader finds out that Madame Sosostris, although able to tell the future, is very dishonest in her ways (43-46). It seems odd how a woman of this much corruption can receive clear visions. Some lines also depict Mrs. Porter and her daughter, Eliot states how "they wash their feet in soda water" (201). Just as Christ washed the feet of his disciples, so these two prostitutes attempt to wash off all blemishes. These examples show how even God may be portrayed as something taboo. In the waste land, there seems to be a sort of natural selection present. One line states how some persons feel that God must pick them out since they fit certain criteria (309-310). Thi

Some common words found in the essay are:
Madame Sosostris, Waste Land, Land Eliot, Eliot Son, waste land, , waste land eliot, land eliot, porter daughter,

Approximate Word count = 730
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English

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