What does Eliot mean by ‘dissociation of sensibility’? Discuss.
The Metaphysical Poets 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 The Metaphysical Poets.
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What does Eliot mean by ‘dissociation of sensibility’? Discuss. [NU: 2018, 22] ★★★
Thomas Stearns Eliot (1888-1965) was a famous modern critic and poet. His essay, “The Metaphysical Poets,” was published in 1921. In this essay, Eliot talks about changes in poetry. He discusses an important idea called ‘dissociation of sensibility.’ Eliot uses this term to show a big change. He says this change affected all later poetry. His essay helps readers understand the deep history of poetry. Let us discuss this in detail.
The Concept of ‘Dissociation of Sensibility’: Eliot created the term ‘dissociation of sensibility.’ It means the separation of thought and emotion. He indicates a separation in poets’ minds. Before this change, poets effectively combined thought and emotion. After this change, poets could not do this easily. Eliot says that thought and feeling became separate. He writes,
“In the seventeenth century a dissociation of sensibility set in, from which we have never recovered.”
This quote describes the division within poets’ minds. It means poets could no longer mix thought and emotion in poetry. Their minds started to work differently. Poetry lost its special mixture of both.
Before the Dissociation: Eliot believes old poets had a unified sensibility. Thought and feeling worked together as one unit. Poets like Donne wrote with a joined thinking and feeling. Eliot gives proof of this unity. He says,
“The poets of the seventeenth century… possessed a mechanism of sensibility which could devour any kind of experience.”
This quote explains their strength. Every life event changed both their feelings and their thoughts. This made their poetry strong and natural. Their lines were full of life and heart. Poetry felt close to the real world.
After the Dissociation: Eliot says that after the seventeenth century, poetry changed. Poets like Tennyson and Browning started to think and feel separately. The unity of thought and emotion was lost. Eliot shows this problem in later poets. He writes,
“They think; but they do not
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