'Tradition and the Individual Talent' s an essay written by a poet and literary critic T. S. Eliot. This essay was first published in The Egoist in 1919 and later on in Eliot's first book of criticism, "The Sacred Wood" (1920). The essay is also available in Eliot's "Selected Prose" and "Selected Essays". Tradition and the Individual Talent" is the well known works that Eliot produced in his critical capacity. It formulates Eliot's influential conception of the relationship between the poet and preceding literary traditions.
How would you like to explain Eliot's concept of Tradition? Do you agree with it? What do you understand by Historical Sense?
Eliot sees tradition as an integral part of the living culture passed down from the past, shaping our present. Tradition embodies a connection to history, carrying forward a sense of continuity. However, when discussing tradition, there's often tension between being rooted in the past and embracing modernity. Understanding Eliot's view requires recognizing that his concept of tradition isn't merely about being conventional.
"The historical sense involves a perception, not only of the pastness of the past but of its presence."
He talks about history in a way that shows it's not just about the past being deep, but how it keeps affecting us now. Writing in this tradition means not only focusing on today but also considering all of literature. It's like making a connection between history and what's happening now, kind of like drawing lines or building a bridge between these two time periods.
"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."
For example, In "Lagaan," the villagers challenging the British rulers reflect Eliot's idea of tradition. Just like Eliot talks about connecting the past and present, this movie connects history (British rule in India) with current ideas of unity and fighting injustice. It's like Eliot's idea of bridging literature from different times—here, the past and present come together in a story that feels both historical and relevant to today's feelings about fairness and working together.
Eliot talks about how tradition should connect to the past, criticizing romantic writers for breaking away from it. He values this historical connection but also mentions that poets don't necessarily need it to create something new. This idea clashes with how the Romantic writers, who had lots of individual talent, approached their work. So, in this aspect, some might disagree with Eliot.
Morover, Eliot presents contrasting ideas about the timeless and the temporal. He suggests that certain aspects of literature should endure through time, being timeless. However, as time progresses, what we consider Timeless can change. This raises questions about whether all classic works fit into this category over time. Some works that were once considered timeless might not resonate or hold the same significance in a different era. Eliot's discussion prompts us to reconsider what truly stands the test of time and whether everything deemed as a classic remains universally relevant as time evolves.
What is the relationship between “tradition” and "individual talent,” according to the poet T. S. Eliot ?
T.S. Eliot sees tradition and individual talent as interconnected yet in tension. He values tradition as a link to the past, emphasizing the importance of historical continuity in literature. However, he also celebrates individual talent, believing that new, innovative work can emerge from talented individuals. Eliot's idea isn't to completely discard tradition but to encourage a fusion of tradition and fresh, individual creativity. He argues that true talent doesn't reject tradition but rather engages with it, transforming and rejuvenating it through new perspectives and ideas. In essence, he sees tradition as a foundation upon which individual talent can build, evolve, and contribute to the ongoing development of literature.
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".
Eliot uses the line "some can absorb knowledge the more tardi must sweat for it." Initially he says that to become creative is not easy as it is said that,
"Great epoch of creativity doesn't come often."
So to be a creator of literary art one must need wide reading. The writer should have vast reading and wide knowledge of every field of the past as well as of the present. Certainly! Here's a revised version:
Later on, Eliot mentions that some individuals can absorb knowledge effectively without extensive reading. He presents the possibility that those who aren't extensively educated can still produce valuable work, much like Shakespeare did despite not attending university. Eliot acknowledges anticipated questions about Shakespeare's scholarship. He points out that Shakespeare not only read the classical works of figures like Horace, Romans, and Greeks but also engaged with various people from his society. This interaction and engagement enabled Shakespeare to absorb knowledge from diverse sources, highlighting his capacity for learning beyond formal education.
Explain: "Honest criticism and sensitive appreciation are directed not upon the poet but upon the poetry."
This idea stresses looking at the poem itself rather than the poet. It means we should judge a poem based on its content, language, and techniques rather than the poet's personal life or beliefs. "Honest criticism" means giving a fair, unbiased assessment of the poem's strengths and weaknesses without letting our opinions about the poet get in the way. "Sensitive appreciation" means understanding the emotions and artistry in the poem and recognizing the poet's intentions. In short, it asks us to value the poem independently, without letting the poet's life influence how we see it.
How would you like to explain Eliot's theory of depersonalization? You can explain this with the help of a chemical reaction in the presence of a catalyst agent, platinum.
For Understanding Chemical Reaction and thr role of Catalyst this video is helpful.
Catalyst
SO₃ + H₂O —---------> H₂SO₄
Platinum (Poet)
In the making of sulfuric acid, bits of platinum are crucial. Without platinum, the reaction won't occur. T.S. Eliot compares this to poetry creation, saying poets are like catalysts, just like platinum in the chemical reaction. But here's the twist: just as platinum doesn't stay in the sulfuric acid, Eliot suggests poets shouldn't show up in their poetry. They should influence the creation without being visibly present, letting the poetry speak for itself without the poet being a noticeable part of it.
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."
Eliot's stance on poetry contrasts with Wordsworth's view of poetry as an overflow of emotion. Eliot believes that poetry isn't a release of raw feelings but an escape from one's immediate emotions into a deeper self capable of synthesizing various influences. He emphasizes the importance of tradition and the role of the poet as a receptacle for these influences, molding them into new expressions of human emotions. Eliot's argument isn't a dismissal of the self but a call to delve deeper into the self to create richer and more complex poetry that captures authentic emotions by transcending one's immediate feelings.
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