Contents

Acknowledgments

Abstract

摘要

Chapter One Introduction-1

1.1 Introduction to Thomas Stearns Eliot-1

1.2 Introduction to The Waste Land-1

1.3 Research Status of The Waste Land-2

1.4 Organization of the Thesis-2

Chapter Two Poetic Ideas Revealed in the Poem-3

2.1 Idea of Salvation by Resorting to Christianity-3

2.2 Idea of Non-personality-3

2.2.1 Setting of Special Narrative Perspective-4

2.2.2 Creating Picture of Divergent Clamor-4

2.2.3 Using Intertextuality Technique-5

2.2.4 Expanding Scope of Poetic Narration and Description-6

2.3 Idea of Objective Correlative-6

Chapter Three Causes for Poetic Ideas in the Poem-8

3.1 Modern Literature Background-8

3.1.1 European Poetic Ideas to Non-personality-8

3.1.2 Influence of Ezra Pound and Dante on Eliot-8

3.2 Religious Environment-9

3.2.1 Unitarianism and Christianity-9

3.2.2 Hinduism and Buddhism-10

3.3 Personal Experience-10

Chapter Four Conclusion-12

References-13

Abstract

Eliot, the famous British modern poet, playwright, literary and social critic, has the greatest influential in the twentieth century. His master work The Waste Land is also a milestone in modern English and American poetry. The poet describes western world as the barren wilderness, in which God loses connection with His people, and people no longer love and respect each other. The outer world is in a desolate state, while the inner world, exactly human’s mentality, is empty and deserted and they are eager to be saved, revealing Eliot’s unique poetic ideas. 

Through Eliot’s Tradition and the Individual Talent, and based on The Waste Land, the thesis will analyze allusions, mythology, images and other “objective correlative” revealed in the long poem, the purpose of which is to study Eliot’s three main poetic ideas. Eliot believes that humans in modern society could regain meaningful life only if they restore religious spirits and wisdom of the East and the West.

Keywords:  The Waste Land；T.S. Eliot；poetic ideas