T. S Eliot's “The Wasteland”: A Spiritual Pilgrimage through Allusions

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to explore the interconnectivity of different parts of the poem depicting the journey from social and individual barrenness of human ethics and morality to the proposed means of spiritual contentment in "The Wasteland" (1922) by T. S. Eliot. This most successful and intricate work of the author, reputed as an exemplary modern poem, portrays this journey in the form of allusions. This objective is achieved by applying the theory of intertextuality by Julia Kristeva in 1966. The extensive utilization of allusions in this poem, with references made to over thirty writers and an excess of one hundred allusions, imbues it with a substantial amount of intellectualism. Eliot employs a wide range of allusions in his literary technique, which proves to be highly effective in making the reader travel from spiritual emptiness to spiritual fulfillment. These portraits from religion, history, society, psychology, and other sources design a trail to let the reader experience spiritual realization.