The Waste Land

The decay of Eastern Europe

T. S. Eliot

Eliot is known as a culture hero, who brings new arts and skills to mankind, just like Prometheus.

Part 4: Death By Water.

" And the deep sea swells"

The death by water would seem to be equated with the death described in Ariel’s song in the Tempest.

Part 5: What the Thunder Said.

"The torchlight red on sweaty faces associates with Christ in Gethsemane, with the other hanged gods.

There are 3 themes being employed. 1) Journey to Emmaus 2) approach Chapel of Perilous 3) present decay of eastern Europe

Here is no water but only rock

Rock and no water and the sandy road

Eliot's "What the thunder said", clearly reflect the spirit of Brihadaranyaka Upanishad

Who is the third who walks always beside you?

Eliot's note: it was related that the party of explorers, at the extremity of their strength, had the constant delusion that there was one more member than could actually be counted.

What is that sound high in the air

Murmur of maternal lamentation

Who are those hooded hordes swarming

Over endless plains

"Already half of Europe, already at least half of Eastern Europe is on the way to Chaos, drives drunkenly in sacred madness along the edge of the abyss, and moreover, sings, sings drunken hymns as Dmitri Karamasoff sang

Quando fiam ceu chelidon—O swallow swallow

He quotes four lines that translate: "Now I pray you by that virtue / that guides you to the top of the stair / be mindful in time of my suffering / Then he hid himself in the fire that refines them." In the poem, Eliot quotes only the last line of the four. The lines are spoken by the Provençal poet Arnaut Daniel, who was an important influence on Dante.