The Theme of Salvation in The Waste Land
The Waste Land 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, to various questions of The Waste Land.
Answer
Write a note on the theme of salvation as you find in The Waste Land.
Or,
Do you find any moral meaning in The Waste Land?
Or,
What prospect of salvation does Eliot offer in The Waste Land?
Or,
Is Eliot a religious poet? Discuss with suitable illustrations.
T.S. Eliot’s (1888-1965) landmark poem, ‘The Waste Land’ (1922), presents a fragmented and desolate world, reflecting the disillusionment and despair prevalent after World War I. Salvation is a significant theme among the various topics discussed in ‘The Waste Land,’ offering hope amidst the disarray. Eliot mixes different viewpoints on salvation, from religious to secular, throughout the poem, highlighting how humans seek redemption and regeneration in a fractured world.
The Wasteland as a Metaphor for Desolation: The poem’s title, ‘The Waste Land,’ implies a symbolic barren and desolate landscape, indicating modern civilization’s moral and spiritual decay. The wasteland is a metaphor for humanity’s spiritual emptiness, and the quest for salvation becomes an essential theme to mitigate this desolation.
Religious Imagery and Redemption: Eliot uses religious metaphors throughout ‘The Waste Land’ to investigate the concept of salvation. The Fisher King, a figure from Arthurian legends who represents a king whose land suffers due to his misdeeds, is one of the most famous references. In ‘The Waste Land,’ the Fisher King portrays a wounded civilization needing healing and restoration. Eliot emphasizes the possibility of salvation via faith and divine help by drawing on the religious aspect of the Fisher King legend.
Fishing, with the arid plain behind me,
Shall I at least set my lands in order?”
Spiritual Wasteland: The poem’s depictions of a stone, trees, and the Sun reflect the spiritual wasteland in the first section, ‘The Burial of the Dead’. There is no shelter from the Sun on the street except the red rock that represents the Christian church. It means that only the church can provide shelter for men. The modern wasteland resembles the biblical wasteland. If Christ could regenerate the then wasteland, he can renew the world now, indicating that we must follow the path of true religion.
Water Imagery and Baptism: Water imagery in ‘The Waste Land’ symbolizes cleansing and rebirth. In the poem’s fourth section, the poet depicts water as a purification and regeneration instrument. Eliot employs two references in developing his idea: Shakespeare’s ‘The Tempest’ and the Egyptian fertility god. In this section, the poet narrates the story of Phlebas, an elegant young sailor who drowns after a dull trade career. He has no opportunity for purification because he does not adhere to spiritual values.
The Fire Sermon: Eliot discusses themes of desire and lust in this section, relying on the Buddha’s Fire Sermon, highlighting human needs’ fleeting and unsatisfactory nature. Chasing worldly desires leads to misery, and salvation is found in conquering them.
“Burning burning burning burning ,
O Lord Thou pluckest me out
O Lord Thou pluckest.”
The Chapel Perilous: The mention of the Chapel Perilous from Arthurian legend in Part V shows the spiritual dangers and challenges faced on the path to salvation. It symbolizes the journey towards self-discovery and redemption. Fisher King and his troops molest his fellow women, making his land barren. A Knight’s successful expedition to Chapel Perilous, a dangerous place that must be traversed to look for the Holy Grail, a sacred item containing divine grace, is necessary for the king’s resurrection. The Knight’s journey is a metaphor for pursuing enlightenment and spiritual redemption.
References from the Upanishads: The poet ends the poem by describing an event in ancient Indian history when people were entrapped by drought and famine. They seek divine help, and God replies to them in thunders. Eliot prescribes three remedies to reconstruct the human heart from the Upanishads: ‘ Da, Da, Da.’ The first ‘Da’ means Datta (‘to give’). The second ‘Da’ (Dayadhavam) is for sympathy. The last ‘Da’ (Damyata) refers to self-control’. Eliot terminates the poem by repeating the Sanskrit word “Shantih” three times, meaning “The peace which passeth all understanding.”
T.S. Eliot goes into the multifarious theme of salvation in ‘The Waste Land,‘ depicting a world seized by spiritual degradation and longing for restoration. Eliot offers several aspects of finding redemption, ranging from the secular to the divine, through religious allusions, water imagery, and character descriptions. The poem explores humanity’s longing for meaning and restoration amid a fractured and lonely world.