Eliot’s idea of tradition is directly linked with his
impersonal theory of art, as he insists on the poet’s duty to transcend the
private self by loyalty to the tradition of European literature as a whole. He
has expressed his views on the impersonality of poetry and the poetic process
in his essay “Tradition and the Individual Talent” (1919). He says that poetry
is not the expression of the personality of the poet. Revolting against the
romantic theory of poetry as the expression of self, Eliot propounds a theory
of poetry which views poetic process not as an externalization of personal
feelings, but as a complete surrender of personality. He insists on viewing the
whole of European literature as a continuity where each work of the present
modifies the past works and is in turn modified by them. Eliot’s views on the
nature of the poetic process are also noteworthy. Poetry according to him, is
not inspiration, it is an organization. A great number of varied feelings,
emotions and experiences are stored up in the mind of the poet who amalgamates
them and forms a new whole out of them. The poetic process, therefore, is that
of organization of fusing a new whole out of them. The poetic process therefore
is that of organization, of fusing different experiences and feelings into a new
whole. Perfect Poetry can be produced only when there is “unification of
sensibility”. The greatness of a poem does not depend not depend on the types
of pleasure it gives or the quality of moral improvement it effects, but on the
order an unity it imposes on the chaotic and disparate experiences of the poet.
A good poem must give the impression of a perfect organization experiences.
Eliot elucidates his impersonal theory by examining, first,
the relation of the poet to the past, and secondly the relation of the poem to
its author. The past, Eliot says, is never, dead; it lives in present. “No-
poet, no artist of any sort, has his complete meaning alone. His significance,
his appreciation, is the appreciation of his relation to and comparison, among
the dead. “Eliot insists on the importance of the relation of the poem to other
poems by other authors, and suggests the conception of poetry as a living whole
of all the poetry that has ever been written.
The artistic process, according to Eliot, is a process of
depersonalization, the artist’s continual surrender of himself as he is at the
moment to something which is more valuable. He must surrender himself totally
for the creative work. “The progress of an artist is a continual
self-sacrifice, a continual extinction of personality. Eliot also points out
the relation of the poem to its author; the poem, according to him, has no
relation to the poet. The difference between the mind, of a mature poet and
that of an immature one is that the mind, of a mature poet is “a more finely
perfected medium in which special” or very varied, feelings are at liberty to,
enter, into new combinations”.
Emotions and feelings are the elements which entering the
presence of the poet’s mind which acts as a catalyst, go into the making of a
work of art. The final effect produced by a work of art may be formed out of
several emotions into one; it may be formed out of a single emotion or out the
feeling evoked in the poet by various words and images. It is also possible
that it may be composed of feelings alone, without using any emotion. Thus,
“the poet’s mind is a receptacle for seizing and storing up numberless
feelings, phrases, images, which remain there until all the particles which can
unite to form a new compound are present together”.
1.
What could be the source of this passage?
A.
Poetry is not true according to Eliot?
B.
Poetic
process is not just an external expression of personal feelings
C.
The past has no reflection on the present
D.
The poem has no relation to the poet
2.
What is the style of writing employed in this
passage?
A.
Eliot’s idea of Tradition
B.
Eliot’s impersonal Theory of Art
C.
Nature of Poetic Process
D.
Eliot’s impersonal Theory of Poetry
3.
What does Eliot mean by the term “unification of
sensibility?
A.
A joining together of ideas in life
B.
An amalgamation of influences on European
literature
C.
An organized presentation of chaotic and
disparate experiences of the poet
D.
A unified record of the poet’s perceptions
dipped in tradition
4.
What does the romantic theory of poetry advocate?
A.
Poetry should follow the poet’s own imagination
and his individualism
B.
Poetry is a process of the artists continual
surrender of himself to the art form
C.
Poetry is expression of the poet’s own
experiences in terms of the established rules of literature
D.
Poetry, as an art form, has no relation to the
poet
5.
What is Eliot’s view on the past works European
literature?
A.
All the past works of European literature are
dead and have no validity in the present day
B.
European literature is a dynamic entity where every present work has its influence on
the past works and is simultaneously modified by them
C.
All the past works of European literature have
only modified the thought process of the poets of the preset day.
D.
All the past works of European literature advocate
the individualism of the poets
Answer:
1.
C Refer
to paragraphs 1, 2 and 3-all statements except C are stated. In paragraph 2,
Eliot clearly states that the past is never dead; rather, it always lives in
the present. Hence C.
2.
D The passage does not elucidate A, there is
only a passing reference.
B is too general since the passage does not talk about art in general.
C refers to only one of the
aspects discussed and hence is too narrow in scope. Hence D.
3.
C Refer
to paragraph 1, last three lines.
4.
A Para
1 state that the romantic theory of poetry propounds that poetry is an
expression of the poet’s own self. Therefore, the poet’s own perceptions and
his individualism are of utmost importance. Hence A.
5.
B Eliot
believes that the past is never dead, thus ruling out option A. option D is not
mentioned anywhere. Option D highlights
only one aspect, that of the past influencing the present and not of the other
way around. Hence B.
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