T.S Eliot's Tradition and Individual Talent
This post is a response to the questions asked here
1) Eliot's classical mindset is clearly reflected in his ideas about tradition. Tradition according to Eliot, though considered as something 'stereotypical' or 'orthodox', is something to be inspired from for the new generation. Specifically, for the new writers, tradition provides historical sense which in turn helps to have a better understanding of the current trends. He also argues that the best and the most individual part of the poet's work is that which reflects maximum influence of writers of the past.
2) As mentioned earlier, for Eliot, the knowledge of tradition provides a writer with historical sense. He defines this historical sense as the knowledge of 'the pastness of the past and its present'. This simply means that the sense of the older conventions and their relevance today is what a writer must possess to create the best work. He also argues that this sense of timelessness and temporal is what makes a writer traditional. Thus, by this argument Eliot removes all those negative connotations from the term Tradition.
3) Once established that tradition is a source of knowledge, Eliot moves on to discuss its relation with the individual talent. He says that not all writers are able to use the knowledge efficiently. He states,'some can absorb knowledge, the more tardy must sweat for it.'
4) Through the given quote Eliot hints at the idea that a writer must have the skill to use the gained knowledge. He gives the example of Shakespeare, stating that he was able to gain more knowledge of history from Plutarch than most people could from an entire British museum. Thus the skill to utilize the historical sense is equally important.
5) This is where Eliot hints at the emergence of New Criticism. He argues that any critical analysis of a text must remain free from the reference to its creator's life or personality. A text should be understood and analyzed in its individuality.
6) Eliot argues that a work must be free from the personal likes, dislikes, prejudices or biases of the writer. A writer's mind must function just as a catalyst in the creation of literary text. For this uses the example of platinum, which functions as a catalyst in the formula of sulphuric acid and in whose absence the chemical reaction can't work. Yet when the acid is made platinum is completely absent from it.
7) Eliot's disagreement with the Romantics is reflected in his argument on depersonalization. As mentioned earlier, Eliot expects the work to be free from the personal experiences of its writer.. He furthers this idea in his definition of poetry, wherein he insists a complete objectivity while writing poetry.
8) Though T.S Eliot seems to emphasize the idea of objectivity and depersonalization, his arguments on traditional knowledge seem to be a part of his own prejudice towards the novelty of the Romantics. Also, what gives him the authority to define what is great and what is mediocre, is the question.
1) Eliot's classical mindset is clearly reflected in his ideas about tradition. Tradition according to Eliot, though considered as something 'stereotypical' or 'orthodox', is something to be inspired from for the new generation. Specifically, for the new writers, tradition provides historical sense which in turn helps to have a better understanding of the current trends. He also argues that the best and the most individual part of the poet's work is that which reflects maximum influence of writers of the past.
2) As mentioned earlier, for Eliot, the knowledge of tradition provides a writer with historical sense. He defines this historical sense as the knowledge of 'the pastness of the past and its present'. This simply means that the sense of the older conventions and their relevance today is what a writer must possess to create the best work. He also argues that this sense of timelessness and temporal is what makes a writer traditional. Thus, by this argument Eliot removes all those negative connotations from the term Tradition.
3) Once established that tradition is a source of knowledge, Eliot moves on to discuss its relation with the individual talent. He says that not all writers are able to use the knowledge efficiently. He states,'some can absorb knowledge, the more tardy must sweat for it.'
4) Through the given quote Eliot hints at the idea that a writer must have the skill to use the gained knowledge. He gives the example of Shakespeare, stating that he was able to gain more knowledge of history from Plutarch than most people could from an entire British museum. Thus the skill to utilize the historical sense is equally important.
5) This is where Eliot hints at the emergence of New Criticism. He argues that any critical analysis of a text must remain free from the reference to its creator's life or personality. A text should be understood and analyzed in its individuality.
6) Eliot argues that a work must be free from the personal likes, dislikes, prejudices or biases of the writer. A writer's mind must function just as a catalyst in the creation of literary text. For this uses the example of platinum, which functions as a catalyst in the formula of sulphuric acid and in whose absence the chemical reaction can't work. Yet when the acid is made platinum is completely absent from it.
7) Eliot's disagreement with the Romantics is reflected in his argument on depersonalization. As mentioned earlier, Eliot expects the work to be free from the personal experiences of its writer.. He furthers this idea in his definition of poetry, wherein he insists a complete objectivity while writing poetry.
8) Though T.S Eliot seems to emphasize the idea of objectivity and depersonalization, his arguments on traditional knowledge seem to be a part of his own prejudice towards the novelty of the Romantics. Also, what gives him the authority to define what is great and what is mediocre, is the question.
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