COMPREHENSION

·         “He who was living is now dead” is a reference to Christ’s death and “who walks always beside you?” refers to the now-resurrected Jesus Christ, who is not recognized by his marching disciples. “Over the tumbled graves, about the chapel – There is the empty chapel, only the wind’s home” is a reference to Chapel Perilous, where the Grail is believed to be stored. The decline of culture is instead stated in the verses “Falling towers – Jerusalem Athens Alexandria – Vienna London – Unreal”.

·         All the images of sterility are connected to the rocks and the absence of water, which are two objective correlatives used by Eliot.

INTERPRETATION

·         The Thunder’s triple advice is:

o   Not to be selfish

o   To be sympathetic

o   To be self-controlled

·         The fragments are the ones of the decaying Eastern European culture, which is one the three themes the section is focused on.

·         The final lines convey an idea of final peace, and they’re written in Sanskrit as a further reference to Hindu culture and religion, which is recurring in “What The Thunder Said”.

·         The critical concept of innovative poetry as “displaying all traditions in its bones” is found in this text, which contains many quotations and references to other cultures and poets (Hindu holy book Upanishad, Kyd’s Spanish Tragedy).

·         We find Eliot’s poetry very demanding and obscure because of its countless references and quotations to other works of art and other cultures, which are often very hard to recognize without some notes beside the text.

·         Woolf underlines the disposition of scenes and lines, which are juxtaposed, and the continuity with tradition displayed in his poetry.

·         Woolf, Eliot and Joyce are similar in not following a rational and linear order in their works’ composition, which are made of juxtaposed scenes. In addition to this, in all Modernist works narration is reduced to the minimum.

Carlo Mauri

Daniele Sorrenti