His biography says that Eliot was one of the dominant forces in English poetry of the 20th century. It was like if you got a good review from him, you must be really good. His presence was enough to make him a cultural icon and be a role model for the younger poets.
The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock's footnote tells us that the poem references Dante's Inferno. "Let us go then, you and I, When the evening is spread out against the sky" If the evening is spread out against the sky, it might be talking about the end of life. The evening being spread against the sky would be like maybe the evening is newly happening or that the person doesn't want the day to end. "And indeed there will be time to wonder, "Do I dare?" and "Do I dare?"" The person, Eliot or someone else, is asking if he should risk doing something different. Maybe the character wants to break out of their shell or boring life and do a spectacular stunt. "Do I dare disturb the universe? In a minute there is time for decisions and revisions which a minute will reverse" The man wonders if he should do what he wants or if it will mess up the order of things. He also says that if he takes a minute to think or try it, maybe he can reverse it if it goes wrong.
The Journey of the Magi says its about the journey the Wise Men made to Jerusalem to see baby Jesus. "We had evidence and no doubt. I had seen birth and death, But had thought they were different; this Birth was hard and bitter agony for us, like Death, our death" It says that the Birth was hard and bitter agony, meaning that because they truster God so much, they knew what the child would go through throughout his life. It seems that because they knew of his greatness, their Wise Men title would be thrown out and not count for much since the Messiah was now born. So, their position would die.
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2 comments:
Jennifer,
While I like the passages you quote from these two poems by Eliot, your analysis of them suffers from a careful reading of the text. In "Prufrock," for instance, if you had quoted the entire verse sentence the lines read, "et us go then, you and I, / When the evening is spread against the sky, / Like a patient etherized upon a table." That third line gives the poem an entirely different tone and meaning, implying sickness and unconsciousness rather the happiness and wonder at the beauty of nature which you suggest. This example is why, as I have pointed out several times in comments on your blog, it is crucial to quote and consider the entire verse sentence!
I like your thoughts on Prufrock. The confusion that you present makes me think that maybe the conversation was between himself, asking himself about his place in life
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