THINKING ACTIVITY: ESSAY TRADITION AND INDIVIDUAL TALENT BY ELIOT

 Introducation:

Essay published  in 1919. The egoist the times literary supplement later, essay was published in sacred wood:essay on poetry  and criticism in 1920. Essay described  by David lodge as the most celebrated  critical  essay in English 20th century.  Essay divided into the three parts.

Essay in three parts:

In the first part Eliot  gives us a concept of tradition in the second part he exemplifies theory of depersonalization and poetry.in third part poet sense of tradition and impersonality of poetry.

Tradition is favourable term in English who generally utilize  the same censer. The English do not possess criticism as the French do.

For the better understanding our professor suggests  us to watch the videos and here I give my understanding  of  that videos  realted this subject or this essay.

Very Firstly here the speaker  talks about Eliot and his contemporaries like I.A.RICHARDS and many other are also there. They all were in the school of  New critism.  As I mentioned in the introducation  there is three parts in Eliot essay. So a reader raised a question  that how the three parts are realted to Eliot. 

Here the speaker gives the example of the work by Eliot  that work preface to Lancelot.  

In the next part here speaker gives the concept  of tradition and how individual  talent is associated  with tradition?

So in the answer that tradition  means particular  place overall period of time people living a life believe in certain principles and carry out way of life. In that there is certain aspect was negative  certain aspects was positive.here speakers gives two meanings and that is modern&traditional.  Here modern means good, traditional  means not so good.

Meaning of word tradition 

Here Eliot see the word tradition  with very  positive way or positive sense. He wants to assert that he is seeing the term in positive way.  He puts great deal of responsibility  on the individual author. 

Term of anthropology 

In the reading of Eliot  poetry we came across the term anthropology, as well as French symbolism, shakespeare Christian religion manner, mythology. He brings these type of elements in his poetry.

Now he I being aware with all of thes type of tradition.

Criticism of romantics:

On the other hand Eliot criticises Romantics. This word is the opposite of romanticism. 

Review of mathew  Arnold 

Mathew  Arnold says that no individual writer senses one's own. In the Same essay Eliot says the author makes sense by himself.

Oftquoted sentences 

Some can absorb knowledge  the  more tardy they must sweat for it. Shakespear acquired  more essential  history from Plutarch  than most men could from the whole British museum. 

 

Here the readers can find  that Shakespeare  I expectional,  as the readers already know about Shakespeare,  he does not go to any university, while Marlow is a university Wits. 

          As matthew  Arnold says In the function of criticism  that great epochs of creativity doesn't  come often.

 

Here  in the essay by Eliot it I also become very  important  that critics  should give the readers fresh ideas

Comparison of poetic process with chemical reaction

Here Eliot gives a reference of chemical reaction he also compares  chemical reaction with poetic process.

 Different views of some critics

Here Plato gives an explanation: Poets are franzy. Aristotle says that poet means a person who makes poetry.dryden says that the creative process Is in three different  stages: first is invention, fertility and the third one Is clothing. When words worth saying that  poetry Is all about spontaneous overflowing powerful feelings.

In the last part Eliot describes a Shakespeare lecture on the soul and he also says that an unaffected  mind is like the script of platinum. 

Conclusion 

To sum up this essay by Eliot readers can come across that it is divided in three parts.how tradition and  historical sense are connected  with one another. Idea of tradition, that tradition  does not mean following the dogmas or customs. It is much more than that.

For Eliot tradition has three fold  significance  

1. Tradition can not be inherited 

2. It involves  the historical sense

3. Enables writers to write not only their own generation's literature.

A poet must know about  contemporary  writers.