Eliot, T.S. - Use of Poetry & the Use of Criticism (Faber & Faber, 1933).pdf

 U F c •"R Y     �M

k by    * COLETED POMS

1909-35

FUR QUARTES

M I TH CHEDL TH W 

 

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  NI LE

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AY C  O

    ISM  F A     

 E O P H

WA  A C? PON

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' l U 

K 

 

 USE OF PRY AND TH S  CIM TDI IN H  OF   POY  NGLD BY

T. S ELIO Chrls Bl1ot Nrn Pfes  P i Harvrd nwemt 19J-

LONDO

B  B MI 24 RUSE SQUARE

FIRS PUB!HED NOVR XUI BY ABE AN BE LMT 24 E QAE OO W.C  C MEN JAY CX�V E CBE CXXXV A NA CML,  MCMJi CTE CX  X FEBA AN DCEMB L   N  GEA  BY   A A     W A G EEE

     Y       k

 PRFAORY NOTE  IRODUCON

 

 . OLOGY OR H ONTSS O MBROK

37

.  A OF DRN

5

V. WORDSORH AND CORD

6

 LY AN KEA

87

V MA ARNOLD

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 H ODR N

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I COCLON

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hes ecurs, dhvrd a arvrd Umvy dung h r of  ow u to an audic oy oo edy o a pp lad nt d c onon dft; bt  am awar a s sss as ty ad was largl drama, and h y w b sl mor dsa ppog o hos who ar t h hy w  b o hos who drd o.  sod   p o lav  adios w1 whv css0 h h v  bu  h rms o  Fodato by M. Slman  s ms b sb o  puhan and w a xd pnod. Thu   p y o ss1o o anoer nssary  book. I a ga owvr o  oppum o cor   my ogao o h Pd n  and llows o Ha r Co llg  o h Nr ossors p Coi, ad   a l   gad o Profsso Joh L1go Lows to h Ms oEo Hos ad Mrs. M w1h ost pasat mmos o  Assoas and Tutors o  Hos o Dr Thdor S a o Mr nd Ms. A Dw  Sld fr al cticsms and sggsos. I m rgrt h whl I was rarg s lcturs o y  An M I. A. Rihars ws  Egl; ad  wl I wa  pr  o  pbht  gd   w  Ana I  ad  pd tht  g   a   b of s cr 1s T.SE

   

  4th, 9 '  he whole count I ow xcid by e poca capg ad  a codto of maoa eoo. The be of he ospec   a reogaao of pae ee o ey a a d1ec e of e pee coe bewee he Repbca ad he Deoca  B a adca chage 1 o o be hoped o hee wod occ  a ee we by Chae Eot Noo o Sepebe 4 86 The pee ece   have o coce wh poc;   have beg Wth a po ca qoao oy a a ede of he vaed ee of he choa ad h who h fodo co eoae he ece o ch  fodao  foe  who ca e, a  o ypay ad adao o e  whoe eoy he ece ae eded o keep  vg ae o Noo had he o d p qae of a Oc d,  wch ae pobe ho e bee of eveed eg0 d he ea gf wch ae pobe wo ge o o e e g o a e coageo g o coepae e bea hg: ha  eogh fo oe a e Few e ve ko bee   he how o gve jU pace o e ca of he pbc d  he pve fe few e hae had be  few of oe hav  p  v

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NN

ae e  1t bet tha e T ul poc he a of pbic irs  rarly b to go to th 'pb pce out aung te pub fc: Noton aw peved  pacy. An vg s e    no· Cs socy and  a old hh  he sa t  oh de o the Atltc shoed gns of eay   ed the tanda of th ay a hua t  he ke H wa abe, even at a a ag to loo   pg ore wout rgt ad tows the co ore wout ope   lettr of Dcebr   e spa or strongy a moe copenvely thn  tht which I hve quotd The futur  vry dk  Europ a to  t looks   f we were nten upon  po uite ne  hstor one  wlch e queton o ch ptes  Vde d fom hch outbra ftr outbe of paO d volec  as wll not onger be potcal but m mdately oc   Whehe ou peod of ecooc etepe ted copeto nd este dvidsm s t ghet stage of hun poge  to  very doubtul; nd some, whe I see te xg codos of uropea (to sa nog of ec) socal ode bad a ey re fo he  a of upr  lowe clase, I oner hethr our cvtn c atan te gat the focs ch ar bng oge fo  desco of any of h ttuons  wc   s bodd or wher   not to v aor o  c fa nd ru  revvl  ht of  rs t hudr yar of our r. It woul ot gv  much o kow  ths wr to  h s o  who

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N  R   C    N

n ht ty t th pnt dy ry  bt  gr tht tht 1t  nt t pvg pvg n t pnt b 1 T  d t h mny h pprh n tmpry pbm th m dgm mptn thn Ntn' n giv n Yt f hm th pmnnt mprtn mprtn f tt tt f nt n t f dgm   xd pt. T pp h  t  f It y hn bm bb th pp h  t pd rt  t mv  thght nd nby. Th ptry f  pp t t f fm h pp' ph nd  tn gv  t It nd rprnt It hgt pt f nn It gtt p nd It mt d nbty n th t I v  d  mh  m h im f pty  h py If nd my bjt  nt my th n f m t pty f by tht  m th   dy  py   nd d nd IS fr ndd  gd pt f im h ntd mpy  h prut f n t t qn qn Lt m trt  th pptn tt  d n  ht ptry IS r h It d r gt t d  f ht  t  d t  t nd   xmng h n n f pty d   h  f b f hm  W my vn dvr tht  hv n vry  d f t   t n rt  hd btt nt m tht  n I h nt bg t y gnr dn f ht  d t  nt py, r  r ny dn f f hr pty nd b y  vr r ny ndtin f h df 1y quoo om Norton's lee a ken o th L  L    (ogho, · 2 vo) <

TT

frce bw� oey-v autei d h  h po po  oe  oe nhei. Ctim, howee ho wee ma be epate om he begmg o o tw kd bu adg t o wo tendeos. I aue tat o is at dee  thght wch ether eek   ou wh pe i wht t e i wht dee I e wh It i we d hy ed o etd o wIh mg o cocous o  we d w thee g, uco0u un tat  we t  h aee cul oe We  d h goo  t e degn th thee bu hee e the oe wh t  ed t prf. cm o coue eve doe  t what pe i  the ee  vg    de de qua e deno) bt I d t    w o wh wh e uh  eno wo ld be i 1 wee ou No c cm eve ve at   p o �t  . Bu ee e hee wo heoe t o nm:  e o whh we e o we he queo wh wh  oe?'     he he  gent wi ce o   goo oem o heoen i ge we he eod queno beue o heo a t   w  not odd upon   exee o  good  good oe; bu bu o the the ohe hd o e peee o oe o oe vove  g del o ge esg v The wo queno wh ee he m b oulo o wht 1 fa f beig  bc v y ech ohe he cc who em woh edg h ed, i h h  1 e ecd wee boh que   At ode m wh t  we oe oe o  wg upo o doe  I t, qUke ou peco peco o he h e Geek e  a at; Coledg  m h ee  h e oo    o ge b e 6

INODUCTO

wh re o the geates mteest; d Wodso, i hs expnon of hs o poey kes sseons bout the aue o poe ch  exeSSve have a de beag  eve e y have esed.  I  Rhads o ough o o  anyone does  eqpet he sen cc eeds tes s tat 'boh a pss0te ko edge o poey d  piy o dspsioae psyoo  yss ae eqed. M Rad e eve seous c o poe s  seous oas  e Hs ecs o heoy o vue 1s oe  I cno aep o ahe I aot acept y su heoy hh IS eeced upo puey  dVdu-psyhoog  dVdu-psyhoog  oudons oudons  Bu his psychoogy o he poec expeece is bsed upon s o epeiee o poey s ty s ls heoy o vue ses o o hs syhooy Yo ay be ssased h s posop ocusos but s beeve (  do)  his dsig tste m poe But o the ohe had you hd hd o   he s aby to e  good poe o  bd oe you  oud pt e ee upo upo  the vy o  oes  ode to yse e ejoye d ppeao o  ood poe he c us ave expeened he enJoy et d he ust oe oe us o hs se se Fo he expe expe ee o eoyg  bd poe e hg  is a good oe s vey ee ee o h o enog a good poe e do expect e  ho theoses o o  good  poe he he he sees t t S ot ys y s ue h  peso  o os o s a good go od poe e he h e sees     te us hy  s a ood ood poe poe The expeee o poey e y ohe ohe epeee s oy pay asbe to o to  h   h says   eve hat a poe 

1

U



 hat , but wht t  Ad  ko hat o popl who a mncut ad caot ay hy hy   po y hav dp d o dcatg iby th o otr who ca alk gby abo 1t; w  be too that pot 1 ot wt ply o poVd al fo covo. Ev th o acco phd of cc c  th d oy pot to  pot wch s to  to b t l tg Nl o g about poty  a pat of a x0 of ou xp  of  d  a good dal of thmg ha go o h ag of poty o a good dl y w go o h udy  of t T t of cc 1 h aby to c a good po d JC a bad po ad 1 o    of t ab o ct a good  po o pod poply o a  uano ' xpc of poy a t dlop  th coc1u ad at po  o ly  u of t xpc of good po Educano  poy  q  ogao of th xpc h 1 o o of  who  bo wth o who ddly ac a pb o la  bl dcao ad a h po who xpc 1 td 1 alay ab o b k  by  ha o t adulta acl ad w  no a ao of ud ad bg k  by h ha ad h adlt  t ow n dd pf  fo hy a o al aabl t th  nc Yt a  g b o popl I b ha h anv capac fo joyg  good po: ow h o how ay dg of capacty ay poabl b hd 1 ot pat of y p p o   It  oly  xcpo ad cay

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N N

who  he ourse o me omes o ass and ompare s experenes, o see one  he gh o ohes and who, as DS poeiC expeenes mupy, w e ae o undersan eah more auraey. The eemen o enoymen s e arged o appreaOn, wh rgs a more eeua add0n o he og ens1y o eeg    seon sage  our undersang o poey, when we no onge merey see and ree, bu orgase e may even spe o a d sge, one o reorgsaon a age  wh a person aready eduaed  poery mees wh somehg new  s own me and ds a ew pae o poery arangg se  onsequene Ts pae, whh we orm  our own  ou o ou own readg o poery ha we have enoyed,  a k o answer, wh we make eah o mse o he ues on wha IS poery? A he s sage we nd ou wha poery  y eadg 1 and enoyg some o wha we ead a  aer sage our perepon o he resemnes and d erenes eween wha we ead or he rs me and wha we have aready enjoyed se onues o our enjoy men e ea wha poery 1s we eve earrom eag  u one gh say ha we shoud no e abe o eogs poey  partiuar ness we had a nae dea o poer  gener. A any rae, the ueso wha s poey?' ssues qe nauray rom ou expeene o poems Even, hereore, ahough we may ad ha ew orms o eeua atvty seem o hae ess o show o hemseves, n he ouse o sory,  the way o ooks oh eadg hn does sm  oud appea ha rsm e any posop aty s vae an 

N  R O D UO N

q no JUscaon. T ask 'what Is poey? is t ps he ucal fnn I sppse ha  may pepe e hgh ms hae crred, a a sme peods when great poetry s  en here was n ren s; and hat n ome  eds  wh mch CrOISm has been Wen the a f e pe has been feor s fa has sg gsed an anheSS beeen he al and he reave  beteen cal ages and reae ages; nd I IS omemes hg ha ccsm shes ms a es when rea e VIgr 1s  defe  S h ch a prejde  md ha peple hae pled Wh cl ages he adee Alexandan eera gs assmpons ndee s pre dce lg a cnfn between eer ren gs d beeen wr f ery erent qay  cded der rsm I am sg he er cs gh these lecres   hpe y wl dscer w a pret nar exensn I hae n desre t exenae the ce f e  nmber f bs wh pass by tha desgna r  ae  az habt o bstg for a el sdy f e ex e aSSaon of her peopes pns  pele y re hen tey had mehg  say d eer merely beae hey ed t re a  b r becase the ed a pn sh that e g f bos wa expeed of e he as o sm d  be why  f prpron to e m nmber of cal bs r reag Neere  les hse h spe as  ccs were an cpaon f deadene ad a sympo f n a ase of e reae t f a peple slate he rsnes f ltera

  R O D    O 

ture, to te etent of falscaon from the circumstanes of fe Such changes as that fom the epc poem oposed to be rected to the epc poem compose to be rea or hose wch put a en to the popula balla are separable from socal changes o  vast scale, such chges  have alays taken place a always i W P Ker,  h essay on 'The Forms of Engsh Poety, observe hat he art of the Mle Ages generay  coporate an soca; e sculpure or example, as  s oun on he grea catherals. W1th the Renaissance e mve of poery s change. In the Mdde Ages there  a natural leness to the Gree condons after the Renassace there  a conscous ad tenona reproducion among the moe natons of the condons wich prevae  he poetry o Rome Gree poety  many respecs s meaeal e Lat poety o te grea age s Renassace a taton o types eve rom Greece w1h qe erent crcum staces an a derent relaon of he poet o  auence Not tat La or mode poy  s usoalIt s te  that the tenency of moe art cug poy is often co n o he popular taste of s tme the poes are oten et o temselves to d the temes a elaborate ther modes o expresson i soltue, wth reslts tat are oen ou as perpleg ad oensve, ad as neggbl as Brogs oro was geeray found to be. ha s tre o he or changes  the form o poetry s   tue also of the change om a preccal o a ctcal age t s true o the change from a preplosophcal o a posopcal age; you o eplo S uess o deprecate plosophy Yo may say hat te develo

1

I  T I O 

e o cncis 1s a sympo of th e develo pm e , o cage o poey; d he develope o oey  el  sym pto o soca cages. Te Ipott omet o he appearace o cnc ee to be e e we  poer ceases o be the expess o e d o  wole  peop  The m o Dyde, wc fue e ce occas10 o s cal  wg s o ed by Dyde' pe ceo a te  possbes of  wg  e mode o Sespeae were exausted, he for  pests  te  agedies o sc a  wt  Suey ( wo  m c oe p o dat  Ius co edes) aft  d ad sesby o Egad as ateed Bt Dy de  was o wg pl o e woe peope he was wtg  a o u ad ot gow  o o op la ato o opl eemets  o te accpce o wrc had eeoe o coe by d10 og a m socey. Soetg sla ad e pd y he Seeca dass. B  p  o soCey o wc Dyde's wok ad a o  Resoao  coeda, cold mdily ae cosed soethg e  eeca asocacy e e poe d   a age   wc ee 1s o eeca asocacy we powe s  he  d o  cass so deocased a ws sa cass  epeses se o e e  woe a;  we te oy eaes see o be o a  o a coene o o sooqse he fces o e po e ad   o m ecoe geae\  e essay o wch I ae JU oed Ke says: Tee 1 o dob  m e eee cey poes ae oe le o teees ha  ey ee  e egee ad e es s Wstae   egt ad wek22

INTRODUCIO

 ness  he herc deendence oBrowg ad deed a te advenrous cacus oety o te neteen centuy s cosey reated to ccsm, and to te ececc eang c ranges ove he oe word  seach  arstic beauy The themes ae tae om a the ages a nd countes the oets are ececc stdns and ctc ad ey ae JUsed as exorers ae jsted; they sac ce at exorers sacce en tey eave ther nave home    I sha not be sundestood  I rema that te v1ctoes rg aong th them some danger  not or temsees at east or the ash10n the traon   oety The gradu cges  the uncto o oetry as socety aters   hoe emerge somewhat ater we have con sidered seea ccs as reresenaves o sevea genera ons Dug tee hundred years ccsm has come to moi ts assumiOns and 1ts uoses and t w sure conue to do so There are severa ors wc rtCS may take there Is aays a arge rorton o ccism c I retrograde or rreevant ee are aways many  wters wo are qaed ehe by nowedge o the ast  nor y awaeness o t�e snsty and the roems o e  reset u eaest ccsm uder the uence  cassca studes and o taan ctcs made vey arge ssumons about the nature and ucon o terature Poetry was a decorave art an art or wch someme extravagnt ms were made ut  art In c e same rcies seemed to od good or evy cvsa ad or every society; t was n art deey aected  te e o a new soca cass oy oose (at bes) ssociated



NRODCO

 wih he Crc, a cass seonco  Is posseio f e mystee of Lan nd Geek. n Egad he cical foce e o e new coa bewee a ad veaca me i he xeen cey wjs he  degee o eiace Tha S o ay o e ae wc 15 epeee fo us by Spene an Shaeeae, e ew oe m ae he nae ge a dd o ovwem 1 he p oe of my eco ece Wl be o ve o e m f s  peo he de wh  oes o eem o me o ae eceed I he ex ae e ea wo o De i ccm  I , ha a he gh ome he ecme conc of he necey of amg the ae eeme   eae Dden S  oe concOy Eg lU  y a wee s eecsos; s eay o e daa and o he a of anao ae coscO sde of he ae f he Eng eae  e E nguage ad ee  adapaon of Chauce 1s  aeo of he ave ao -ahe hn wa 1 as omeme bee ae o e  ag  aec f o apecae he ea of e Caucean angae and e Wee he Ezaehan cc o e mo a wee awae of someg o e boowed o aae om aboad Dyde was awae of omeg o be eeed a home B ougou s eo nd fo c oe one aumpo emaed he same: e ampon a o wa was he ue of poey Ay eade of Sney' Aolog for Potry ca ee a  msomouso aa wom e defend poey ae men of aw, ha he  cone o ag e sympay of s ee wh h   he ee eoy ha o as mse e queso wa oe I o  wa  doe o 24

INTRODUCN

wheer  ts desable. Sney's smpon is ha poe gives a once degh an scon, and I n adomen of socia fe an an honor o e naon  am very fr from sseng fro se asspos so far s hey go; my po 1s a for a log e ey ere ever qesone or moe a urg a me grea poer as ren and some ccsm ch js becase of Is assmpons has permen srcon o gve I od dee a  a age  c e se of poe  soeg agreed pon yo are more ely o ge a ne d scrplos eamaon of fecy a blems e by ne  c xs cospcosy absen fo e ccs of or e  ccs ch sees o eand of poery no   sll be el ren b h  s be represene of s age'   s a e g spse oe enon o he coecess of epressOn o he cliy or obscy o e gramacl precon or naccracy o e coce of ors  eer JU or proper eaed or vlgar of or verse:  sor o e good or ba breedng of or poes My po ere is a a gre change i e ade os poe  e epecOns an emas made pon  t come  e may say for convenience ors e end of e egheenh cenr Worsoh an Coledge are no erey demoshg a ebased radon b revog gas   hoe soca orer an hey beg o make clms fo poery ch rech her ghes po of eaggeraon  eys famos prase poes are e ncknoledged legsaors of ankd' Eare adaors of poey ad sd e ame g, b   no men he same g: eey (o borro a sccessf phrse o r Bead 

INRODU

Shaw) was th rst  ts tradt0n, of Ntur's MP.s If Wordsworth thought that h was smply ocupd wt form of laguag  was dcvd h was occu  wth rvoluon oflaguag, ad s own languag was as capabl of aca, and no mor capabl of naturanss han that of opas Byron ft, and as Coldg candy ontd out. h dcay of rgn, and th attton of pocal sttuos l dubus fronrs upon wch th ot croachd and th axatons of th pot w lgtsd by th  For  log tm th pot s th pst hr ar s  bv, popl who ag that thy daw gus ant rom Browng o Mr h But th nxt stag  bst mpd by Matthw old. Aold was too tmprat and asoabl a ma to mata acty that rgus struton s bst con vyd by poty ad h hs had vy ttl to convy but h dscovrd a w ormula poty s ot rg, but t s  captal substtut for rgnot vad port ch may ld tsl to hypocsy but co out ca and ta thout tan. Th dotr ofAod was xtdd,  also somwhat travstd,  th doctr of art for ars s' s rd ght sm  rvrson o h slr fath of an ar m  wh th pot was  a dtst, a ma wth a dtjob But t as y a op lss adsson of sponsbty. Th potry of rvot ad th poty of rtrat a not of th sa d   o m w hav movd und vaous  mpusos,  w poos O th on had th study of psychology  pld mn ot oy to vsgat th d of th ot wth a codt s wc has d to som fantastc

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