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Ladhva Sagarkumar G.
Submitted to:Smt. S.B. Gardi
Department of EnglishM.K.Bhavnagar University, Bhavnagar.
Roll No. : 25Enrollment No: 14101022Semester – M.A. Sem. 3Paper : 9 (Modernist Literature)Year :2015- 16Email. Id : [email protected]
Gothic Elements in T.S. Eliot’s Postmodern Classic
“The Waste Land”
From the Germanic barbarian tribe, the Goths, derives a common term describing something that is crude, or uncivilized, or incongruous.
It became a popular genre in the late 18th Century, and its conventions have been used by authors ever since.
“Gothic” describes architecture, literature, persons, and places.
Definition of Gothic (adjective)
General Characteristics of Gothic Literature
• A helpless victim• A powerful
victimizer.• Victimizer
fascinates his victim.
• Atmosphere is mysterious, oppressive
• Victim is “imprisoned”
General Characteristics of Gothic Literature
Generally combines elements of the Horror and Romance genres.
Sinister settings – castles, dungeons, secret passages, winding stairs, haunted buildings.
Isolated landscapes – rugged mountains, thick forests, run down backstreets and alleyways,
Bad weather – storms, lightning, thunder, mist, fog.Evil portents, dark symbolism, familial curses and secrets…big secrets…
Elements of the supernatural – ghosts, hauntings, poltergeists, doppelgangers, twins…
Introduction - The waste Land
T.S. Eliot’s “The Waste Land” is a dark and gloomy view of a modern experience. In accordance with the views of representing the fear seen in postmodernism, Eliot uses Gothic images to show the bleakness of the modern world in all of its terror.
Thus, “The Waste Land” utilizes Gothic imagery and structures as a way to represent the modern fear of the unknown.
Postmodern Gothic
Postmodernism took Gothic elements and twisted them to fit a more modern context.
First and foremost, postmodernism adapted Gothic principles of fear and haunting terror as a way to represent the fear of modern life.
Thus, research shows that “its central intelligence is in its appropriation of the Gothic mode to try to represent the violence and terror of postmodernity”
Gothic Elements in The Waste Land There are several gothic elements which have an
important dimension in “The Waste Land,” one of which being the image of death. The concept of death in Eliot’s masterpiece brings significance in its symbolic nature, not necessarily purely physical.
Eliot presented a spiritual and emotional death, rather than purely emphasizing the physicality of the experience.
Thus, there are dead men walking.
Those within the cities have died a “symbolic death,” refusing to
move on towards an area of more spiritual significance.
Gothic Elements in The Waste Land
Moreover, there is the element of haunting that is common within Gothic literature and is replayed in Eliot’s image of the world’s Metropolis death. Haunting plays an important role within postmodernism and Eliot’s work “The Waste Land.”
Eliot makes this image very clear. Empty bodies now haunt overcrowded cities in the modern metropolitan experience;
“He who was living is now dead/ We who were living are now dying/ With a little patience,” (Eliot- what the thunder said.).
Gothic Elements in The Waste Land
They are spiritually and emotional dead. yet remain in their physical form which embodies the postmodernist attitude of how modernity has killed humanity’s emotive and spiritual selves. Eliot presents a world where “Where the dead men lost their bones,” (Eliot 115). They have died in a much more spiritually significant manner.
The Structure of The Waste Land
The structure of the poem itself also helps portray Gothic imagery. There is “Gothic imaginary at work on a number of different levels supporting the theme of terror and linguistic frustration.
The introduction is in Latin and Greek, which anchors the gothic themes of the past that is so far removed from us. From there, Eliot consistently writes in fragmented words and phrases which then represent the fragmented lives being lived within the context of modernity.
Thus, “the nightmare of fragmentation will persistently haunt the ego as a recollection of its fictionality,”. This creates a chaotic reader experience seen in “A heap of broken images,” (Eliot 22).
The Structure of The Waste Land
Yet, still Eliot shows humanity as trying to understand ourselves, although failing to embark on the rebirth that would save our wondering souls. There is a struggle to make sense of the modern world to alleviate the stress of being unrecognizable. Yet, the unity we seek is a paradox. We are looking for a rebirth through the death of their physical bodies . Yet, the idea of rebirth invokes great pain and effort;
“April is the cruelest month, breedingLilacs out of the dead land, mixing
Memory and desire, stirring Dull roots with spring rain,”(Eliot 1-4).
Because rebirth is so painful, many in the waste land continue to remain spiritually dead, refusing to move on towards a greater understanding.
four Examples of the Gothic images in the Waste Land
I will show you fear in handful of dust• ''in handful of dust'', is a fearful image
that he will show the reader that his life worth nothing.
• It may also remind them of their end.
“Looking into heart of light, The Silence’’ • ''The silence'' is horrific. They wish to
hear a sound to pacify and calm him. • Loneliness and isolation are not the
romantic any more.
The dweller of the waste land is not a dweller who enjoy a sense of exile.
“Those are pearls that were his eyes. Look!”• This is an image of ugliness and horror. It is horrific
image of white ball of the eye that is shining like the pearl in the bottom of the water.
• ''Look'' is an invitation to see the actual death, destruction and alienation of the person. Nothing remains of him but a blank look in the eyes. It is a fearful ugly horrific picture.
