TS Eliot's Literary Criticism

Final Review Overview

  • Review materials will focus on content covered since the last exam.
  • Important to revisit first two reviews available on D2L platform.
  • Expect to receive graded exams back by Thursday.

TS Eliot's Literary Criticism

  • Eliot's writing about writing is crucial to understanding his poetry.
  • Key Concept: Verlibroit Does Not Exist
    • Eliot argues that free verse is not about creating nonsense; it is a deliberate craft.
    • Formalist Approach: Meaning derives from form as well as content.
  • Poetical Genius:
    • Eliot believes that genius lies not in what is said but in how it is expressed.
    • Analyzes construction of poetry, emphasizing rhythm in free verse.

Characteristics of Free Verse

  • Definition: No strict meter or repeated rhythm, yet retains a sense of rhythm.
  • Rhythm vs. Meter: Free verse utilizes various metrical feet to create rhythm without strict periodicity.
  • Sound Techniques:
    • Importance of internal rhyme, alliteration, assonance in absence of rhyme.
  • Imagery & Allusion:
    • Allusions create a complex interplay within the text, revealing deeper meanings.