Write a short note on ‘structural emotion’.
Tradition and the Individual Talent is a notable literary work by T. S. Eliot. A complete discussion of this literary work is given, which will help you enhance your literary skills and prepare for the exam. Read the Main texts, Key info, Summary, Themes, Characters, Literary devices, Quotations, Notes, and various study materials of Tradition and the Individual Talent.
Answer
Write a short note on ‘structural emotion’. [2020]
T.S. Eliot (1888-1965), in his essay “Tradition and the Individual Talent” (1919), explains the idea of structural emotion. This concept illustrates how various emotions are combined in art. It is not a matter of personal emotion, but rather artistic balance.
Meaning of Structural Emotion: Structural emotion means the emotional balance created by the dramatic situation in poetry. Eliot gives an example where two opposite emotions (love for beauty and hatred for ugliness) exist together. The positive and negative emotions are contrasted in one dramatic moment. This mixture forms a new emotional structure. This new structure belongs to the poem itself, not to the poet’s personal life.
Balance of Contrasted Emotions: Eliot says that real art is not one simple feeling. It is a union of many opposite emotions. These emotions exist in the poem’s structure, not in the poet’s mind. He refers to this balance as “structural emotion.” The dramatic situation holds these feelings together. So, art becomes more complex and powerful. This artistic fusion of contrasts produces what Eliot calls “a new art emotion.”
Impersonal Expression: Eliot’s idea of structural emotion is related to his theory of depersonalisation. The poet’s personal emotion is not important. What matters is the combination of emotions within the poem. The poet’s mind acts as a neutral medium. Thus, the poem expresses universal feelings, not private experiences.
In short, Structural Emotion shows how poetry becomes impersonal and unified. It is the harmony of opposite emotions within a poem’s structure. This makes poetry artistic, controlled, and timeless.