T.S. Eliot, one of the most influential poets and critics of the 20th century, developed several key concepts in his critical work. These ideas, including "Tradition and Historical Sense," "Impersonality Theory of Poetry," "Objective Correlative," and "Dissociation of Sensibility," have had a profound impact on literary theory and criticism.
Tradition and Historical Sense
In his essay "Tradition and the Individual Talent," Eliot argues that the appreciation and creation of poetry are rooted in an understanding of tradition. By tradition, he does not mean a mere reverence for the past but a continual awareness of how past literature informs and shapes contemporary writing.
Eliot asserts that poets should possess a "historical sense," an awareness of the "pastness" of the past as well as its "presence." This implies that writers must engage with previous literary works not as separate entities but as part of a living continuum.
According to Eliot, true innovation arises when a poet is attuned to tradition, understanding and assimilating the works of the past. Eliot suggests that new work should reshape our perception of past works by creating a dialogue across generations of writers.
T.S. Eliot’s own poem, The Waste Land, draws on various classical and modern sources, from Dante and Shakespeare to contemporary poets. His use of myth, religious allusions, and historical references showcases how he synthesizes diverse influences, making his work simultaneously innovative and deeply rooted in tradition.
Impersonality Theory of Poetry
Eliot’s Impersonality Theory is another central idea from "Tradition and the Individual Talent." He contends that poetry should be impersonal, meaning that poets should suppress their personal emotions and experiences and allow the poem to be shaped by universal truths rather than individual expression.
Eliot believes that poets should act as a “catalyst” in the poetic process. Just as a chemical catalyst facilitates a reaction without being changed itself, poets bring together various feelings and ideas to create poetry, but their personal emotions should not overshadow the work.
This theory argues against the Romantic notion of poetry as a direct expression of personal feelings. Instead, Eliot calls for a depersonalized art form in which the poet’s emotions are transformed into a more universally resonant form.
In The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock, Eliot uses the character of Prufrock to explore themes of isolation, indecision, and disillusionment . Eliot himself does not reveal his personal feelings directly but uses Prufrock as a vehicle to address universal concerns, thus embodying his impersonality theory.
Objective Correlative
Eliot’s concept of the “Objective Correlative” is his theory of how emotion should be conveyed in poetry. He describes it as a set of objects, situations, or events that serve as a formula for a particular emotion, enabling readers to experience that emotion without explicit articulation.
An objective correlative is an image, event, or symbol that evokes a specific emotion in the reader. Rather than stating an emotion directly, poets should present situations or symbols that inherently carry the emotional weight.
Eliot believes that a precise correlation between the object and the emotion allows for a deeper, more authentic reader experience, as readers come to feel the emotion by engaging with the imagery or situations, rather than being told what to feel.
In Macbeth, Eliot praises Shakespeare’s use of the knocking sound at the end of the murder scene as an objective correlative. The knocking externalizes Macbeth’s overwhelming guilt and dread without explicitly stating these emotions, thereby intensifying the emotional impact.
Dissociation of Sensibility
The concept of "Dissociation of Sensibility" is Eliot's term to describe a shift he identifies in English poetry after the metaphysical poets (such as John Donne). He argues that earlier poets possessed a unified sensibility, blending thought and feeling seamlessly, whereas later poets experienced a split between intellect and emotion.
According to Eliot, poets like Donne and his contemporaries could unify intellectual thought and emotional response. They create a poetry that was intellectually stimulating and emotionally engaging. However, this integration fractured after the 17th century, resulting in a "dissociation of sensibility" where poetry became either too intellectual or overly emotional.
Eliot’s concept encourages poets to reintegrate thought and feeling, drawing inspiration from the metaphysical poets who maintained a balanced synthesis.
Eliot found this integration in Donne’s poetry, such as in The Canonization and A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning etc. where Donne blends intellectual exploration with intense personal feeling. In contrast, he criticized the poetry of later periods, like the Victorian era, where he believed this unified sensibility was lost, and intellect and emotion were often treated as separate entities.