I think we are in rats’ alley, Where the dead men lost their bones.
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Answer
Explain with reference: “I think we are in rats’ alley, Where the dead men lost their bones.” [NU: 2019, 21]
T. S. Eliot (1888–1965) wrote “The Waste Land” in 1922. It is one of the greatest modern poems. The poem shows the spiritual emptiness of modern life. The line “I think we are in rats’ alley, Where the dead men lost their bones” comes in Part II, A Game of Chess. It is spoken by a male voice to a nervous woman.
War Memory: The words “rats’ alley” suggest the trenches of World War I. Soldiers often fought in muddy ditches filled with rats and dead bodies. “Where the dead men lost their bones” recalls the mass deaths and unburied corpses of war. Eliot uses this image to show the horror that still haunted Europe after the war.
Death and Decay: The image is not only about the battlefield. It also shows the general decay of modern life. “Rats’ alley” becomes a symbol of corruption, filth, and spiritual death. The bones of dead men stand for the loss of values, hope, and love in the modern world.
Breakdown of Relationship: The line is also part of a dialogue between a woman and her partner. She speaks nervously, but he replies with this dark image. His words show alienation and hopelessness. Instead of love or comfort, there is only death and emptiness. This reflects the collapse of personal relationships in the modern city.
Thus, the given line has deep meaning. It refers to the horror of war, the decay of society, and the emptiness of human relations. Eliot uses this short image to show how modern life is haunted by death and spiritual waste.