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Thomas Stearns EliotThomas Stearns Eliot

Compiler:Compiler: H.Poursharafoddin H.PoursharafoddinIsfahan UniversityIsfahan University

Winter 2008Winter 2008

hamedpour@yahoo.comhamedpour@yahoo.com

All Rights Reserved to Lodegan Association

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T. S. EliotT. S. Eliot

Born:Born: 26 September 188826 September 1888St. Louis, Missouri,St. Louis, Missouri,United States United States

Died:Died:4 January 1965 (aged 76)4 January 1965 (aged 76)London, EnglandLondon, England

Occupation: Occupation: Poet, Dramatist, Poet, Dramatist, Literary critic Literary critic

Nationality: Nationality: Born American, became Born American, became a British subject in 1927 a British subject in 1927

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Early life and educationEarly life and education:: 1898 to 1905, as a day student at St. Louis's 1898 to 1905, as a day student at St. Louis's

Smith Academy, a school for Washington Smith Academy, a school for Washington

University.University. Eliot studied Latin, Greek, French and German.Eliot studied Latin, Greek, French and German. 1906 to 1909, at Harvard from where he 1906 to 1909, at Harvard from where he

earned his B.A..earned his B.A.. The following year, he earned a master's The following year, he earned a master's

degree at Harvard.degree at Harvard. 1910 to 1911, studying at the Sorbonne and 1910 to 1911, studying at the Sorbonne and

touring the continent.touring the continent. Returning to Harvard in 1911 as a doctoral Returning to Harvard in 1911 as a doctoral

student in philosophy.student in philosophy. He was awarded a scholarship to attend He was awarded a scholarship to attend

Merton College, Oxford in 1914. Merton College, Oxford in 1914. 1915, he married Vivienne in a register office.1915, he married Vivienne in a register office.

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Early life and educationEarly life and education:: During Eliot's university career, During Eliot's university career,

he studied with George he studied with George Santayana, Irving Babbitt, Henri Santayana, Irving Babbitt, Henri Bergson, C. R. Lanman, Josiah Bergson, C. R. Lanman, Josiah Royce, Bertrand Russell, and Royce, Bertrand Russell, and Harold Joachim.Harold Joachim.

In 1917, he took a position at In 1917, he took a position at Lloyds Bank in London, where Lloyds Bank in London, where he worked on foreign accounts.he worked on foreign accounts.

In 1925, Eliot left Lloyds to join In 1925, Eliot left Lloyds to join the publishing firm Faber and the publishing firm Faber and Gwyer.Gwyer.

Wyndham Lewis and Eliot Wyndham Lewis and Eliot became close friends, a became close friends, a friendship leading to the well-friendship leading to the well-known painting produced in known painting produced in 1938. 1938.

Later life in England:Later life in England:

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In 1927, he converted to In 1927, he converted to Anglicanism and then Anglicanism and then became a British became a British subject.subject.

In 1933, Eliot officially In 1933, Eliot officially separated from Vivien.separated from Vivien.

In 1948, won the Nobel In 1948, won the Nobel Prize for Literature.Prize for Literature.

In 1957, he married In 1957, he married Esmé Valerie Fletcher.Esmé Valerie Fletcher.

Later life in EnglandLater life in England::

In 1965, died of In 1965, died of emphysema in emphysema in London.London.

"East Coker": "In "East Coker": "In my beginning is my my beginning is my end. In my end is end. In my end is my beginning."my beginning."

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Literary career:Literary career: French poetry was a particularly strong influence French poetry was a particularly strong influence

on Eliot's work, in particular Charles Baudelaire.on Eliot's work, in particular Charles Baudelaire.

Eliot's work, is often religious in nature and Eliot's work, is often religious in nature and preserve historical English and European values .preserve historical English and European values .

In 1928, In 1928, ForFor Lancelot Andrewes Lancelot Andrewes as classicist as classicist in literature, royalist in politics, and Anglo-in literature, royalist in politics, and Anglo-catholic in religion.catholic in religion.

Poetry should aim at a representation of the Poetry should aim at a representation of the complexities of modern civilization in language complexities of modern civilization in language and that such representation necessarily leads to and that such representation necessarily leads to difficult poetry. difficult poetry.

Not being poetry, interweaving of quotations Not being poetry, interweaving of quotations from other authors into his work, lack of from other authors into his work, lack of originality, and for plagiarism. originality, and for plagiarism.

Literary careerLiterary career:: Charges of anti-Semitism. Ex: Charges of anti-Semitism. Ex:

""Gerontion","Burbank with a Gerontion","Burbank with a Baedeker:Bleistein with Baedeker:Bleistein with Cigar","Sweeney Among the Cigar","Sweeney Among the Nightingales"Nightingales"

In 2003, Professor Ronald In 2003, Professor Ronald Schuchard of Emory University Schuchard of Emory University published details of letters from published details of letters from Eliot to Horace Kallen, which reveal Eliot to Horace Kallen, which reveal that in the early 1940s Eliot was that in the early 1940s Eliot was helping Jewish refugees from helping Jewish refugees from Germany and Austria to re-settle in Germany and Austria to re-settle in Britain and America.Britain and America.

Leonard Woolf, husband of Virginia Leonard Woolf, husband of Virginia Woolf, who was himself Jewish and Woolf, who was himself Jewish and a friend of Eliot's, judged that Eliot a friend of Eliot's, judged that Eliot was probably "slightly anti-Semitic was probably "slightly anti-Semitic in the sort of vague way which is in the sort of vague way which is not uncommon. He would have not uncommon. He would have denied it quite genuinely."denied it quite genuinely."

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Tradition and the Individual Tradition and the Individual TalentTalent He influenced the school of New Criticism. The He influenced the school of New Criticism. The

value of one work of art must be viewed in the value of one work of art must be viewed in the context of all previous work. Ex : critical essay context of all previous work. Ex : critical essay “Tradition and the Individual Talent”“Tradition and the Individual Talent”

Published, in two parts, in "The Egoist" (1919) and Published, in two parts, in "The Egoist" (1919) and first book of criticism, "The Sacred Wood" (1920).first book of criticism, "The Sacred Wood" (1920).

Relationship between the poet and the literary Relationship between the poet and the literary tradition.tradition.

"in English writing we seldom speak of tradition, "in English writing we seldom speak of tradition, though we occasionally apply its name in deploring though we occasionally apply its name in deploring its absence."its absence."

"simultaneous order," by which Eliot means a "simultaneous order," by which Eliot means a historical timelessness – a fusion of past and historical timelessness – a fusion of past and present – and, at the same time, a sense of present present – and, at the same time, a sense of present temporality.temporality.

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Tradition and the Individual Tradition and the Individual TalentTalent

Great works do not express Great works do not express the personal emotion of the the personal emotion of the poet. "escape from emotion" poet. "escape from emotion"

"What happens when a new "What happens when a new work of art is created is work of art is created is something that happens something that happens simultaneously to all the simultaneously to all the works of art that preceded works of art that preceded it. " it. "

Talent is acquired through a Talent is acquired through a careful study of poetry, and careful study of poetry, and Tradition, "cannot be Tradition, "cannot be inherited, and if you want it, inherited, and if you want it, you must obtain it by great you must obtain it by great labour."labour."

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Eliot's PoetryEliot's Poetry:: Prufrock and Other Observations Prufrock and Other Observations (1917) (1917)

The Love Song of J. Alfred PrufrockThe Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock Portrait of a Lady (poem)Portrait of a Lady (poem)

PoemsPoems (1920) (1920) GerontionGerontion Sweeney Among the NightingalesSweeney Among the Nightingales

The Waste LandThe Waste Land (1922) (1922) The Hollow MenThe Hollow Men (1925) (1925) Ariel PoemsAriel Poems (1927-1954) (1927-1954)

The Journey of the MagiThe Journey of the Magi (1927) (1927) Ash Wednesday Ash Wednesday (1930) (1930) CoriolanCoriolan (1931) (1931) Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats (1939) (1939) The Marching Song of the Pollicle DogsThe Marching Song of the Pollicle Dogs and and Billy Billy

M'Caw: The Remarkable ParrotM'Caw: The Remarkable Parrot (1939) in (1939) in The The Queen's Book of the Red CrossQueen's Book of the Red Cross

Four QuartetsFour Quartets (1945) (1945) 1111

Eliot's PlaysEliot's Plays::

Sweeney AgonistesSweeney Agonistes (published in 1926, first (published in 1926, first performed in 1934) performed in 1934)

The RockThe Rock (1934) (1934)

Murder in the Cathedral Murder in the Cathedral (1935) (1935)

The Family ReunionThe Family Reunion (1939) (1939)

The Cocktail Party The Cocktail Party (1949)(1949)

The Confidential Clerk The Confidential Clerk (1953)(1953)

The Elder Statesman The Elder Statesman (first (first

performed in 1958, performed in 1958, published in 1959) published in 1959)

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Eliot's NonfictionEliot's Nonfiction::

The Second-Order MindThe Second-Order Mind (1920) (1920) Tradition and the Individual Talent Tradition and the Individual Talent (1920) (1920) The Sacred Wood: Essays on Poetry and The Sacred Wood: Essays on Poetry and

CriticismCriticism (1920) (1920) "Hamlet and His Problems" "Hamlet and His Problems"

Homage to John DrydenHomage to John Dryden (1924) (1924) Shakespeare and the Stoicism of SenecaShakespeare and the Stoicism of Seneca

(1928) (1928) For Lancelot AndrewesFor Lancelot Andrewes (1928) (1928) DanteDante (1929) (1929) Selected Essays, 1917–1932Selected Essays, 1917–1932 (1932) (1932) The Use of Poetry and the Use of CriticismThe Use of Poetry and the Use of Criticism

(1933) (1933) After Strange GodsAfter Strange Gods (1934) (1934)

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Eliot's NonfictionEliot's Nonfiction::

Elizabethan EssaysElizabethan Essays (1934) (1934) Essays Ancient and ModernEssays Ancient and Modern (1936) (1936) The Idea of a Christian SocietyThe Idea of a Christian Society (1940) (1940) A Choice of Kipling's Verse A Choice of Kipling's Verse (1941) made by (1941) made by

Eliot, with an essay on Rudyard Kipling, Eliot, with an essay on Rudyard Kipling, London, Faber and Faber. London, Faber and Faber.

Notes Towards the Definition of CultureNotes Towards the Definition of Culture (1948) (1948)

Poetry and DramaPoetry and Drama (1951) (1951) The Three Voices of PoetryThe Three Voices of Poetry (1954) (1954) The Frontiers of Criticism The Frontiers of Criticism (1956) (1956) On Poetry and PoetsOn Poetry and Poets (1957) (1957)

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