Thinking Activity on T.S.Eliot : "Tradition and Individual Talent"

Thomas Stearns Eliot was one of the major poet of the 20h century. He was also an essayist,publisher,playwright and literary and social critic.His essay Tradition and Individual Talent is an attack on certain critical views in Romanticism particularly up on the idea that a poem is primarily an expression of the personality of the poet.Eliot argues that a great poem always asserts and that the poet must develop a sense of the sense  of the pastness of past.

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

                             

 Yes, I agree with Eliot's concept of tradition.Eliot takes the tradition in a positive way as well as in a larger sense. He also points out that following the tradition is not only slavish imitation. The countries and nations try to preserve their tradition as heritage which is essential part of their culture and also handed down from generation to generation. Here one should not merely imitate the tradition but one has to add something new or creative in it and must write with the history in his bones.Tradition is not inherited but it must be acquired with great labor. So we can say that he put emphasizes on mingling the past and present with historical sense.

2. What do you understand by Historical Sense? 

     Eliot explains the concept of tradition with the use of Historical sense.There is quote from his essay on historical sense.

"The historical sense involves a perception, not only of the pastness of the past, but of its presence"

Which means that It involves perception of the presence of the past not only its pastness. It is not only to know about historical fact but mainly its about that in which way people were living in the past and how that past is presented in the contemporary time. Further he says that...

This historical sense, which is a sense of the timeless as well as of the temporal and of the timeless and of the temporal together, is what makes a writer traditional. 

Which means that with the help of historical sense a writer can create the work which has timeless and temporal both toghther

3.What is the relationship between “tradition” and “the individual talent,” according to the poet T. S. Eliot?

Here the tradition is a matter of much wider significance. The title words of the essay "tradition" and "individual talent" have a interconnection. New writers are not merely imitating the tradition but by their own individual talent they add something new and creative in already existing history or tradition. They give a new charm and beauty to the tradition.

4. Explain: "Some can absorb knowledge, the more tardy must sweat for it. Shakespeare acquired more essential history from Plutarch than most men could from the whole British Museum".

Here in this quotation Eliot talks about the greatness of Shakespeare. This was a kind of satirical quote. Shakespeare was not highly educated man than even he had a great historical sense. While on the other hand there are many people who even after a much reading not able to create anything.He gained much knowledge only by reading Plutarch's life.He was a great creative writer who very well.Here Shakespeare became an exceptional. 

5.Explain: "Honest criticism and sensitive appreciation is directed not upon the poet but upon the poetry"

Here in this quote T.S.Eliot talks about the honest criticism. For the fair judgement critic's main concern should be the work of art not an artist. If the main concern of the critic is related with an artist than he/she can not able to judge the work fairly. At the same time critic have to remain free from all the preconceived ideas of an artist.

6. How would you like to explain Eliot's theory of depersonalization? You can explain with the help of chemical reaction in presence of catalyst agent, Platinum.

Eliot explains the theory of depersonalization with the help of science which makes it quite interesting as well as easy to understand. He describes the process of making sulfuric acid. The Sulfuric acid is made from sulfur dioxide and water,but entire process can't take place in the absence of Platinum. In this process Platinum is essential element. In the same way the man who suffers and the man who creates both should different. Poet's emotion is necessary to create poetry but it should not reflect in the work.

7.Explain: " Poetry is not a turning loose of emotion, but an escape from emotion; it is not the expression of personality, but an escape from personality."

This quote also explains the idea of depersonalization. Whenever poet creates work of an art at that time he should remain detach or aloof from his emotions and feelings.Eliot further says that poetry is not for showing poet's own feelings or emotions but it is about escape from that emotion and personality. 

8.Write two points on which one can write critique on 'T.S. Eliot as a critic'.

   As per my understanding one can write critique on following two points...

   1. Theory of depersonalization

   2.Eliot's concept of tradition