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Use of Myth and Symbols in ‘The Waste Land’

Literature, Critical Appreciation, Summary

Introduction

T. S. Eliot was the most famous poet of the modern age. His ‘The Waste Land’ is a very important Landmark in the 20^th century Literature. He has used myth and symbols in this poem to show the relation of the present with the past.

In ‘The Waste Land’, Eliot has drawn the myths and symbols from two sources. One is Sir James Frazer’s book ‘The Golden Bough’ and the other is Miss Jessie Weston’s ‘From Ritual to Romance’. He has taken his myth from Frazer’s cultivation rituals and Miss Weston’s Fisher King and Grail myths.

Use of Myths

T. S. Eliot has employed three myths, as –

(i) The Myth Of The Holy Grail.

(ii) The Myth of Fertility.

(iii) The Myth Of Tiresias.

The Myth Of The Holy Grail

The Holy Grail Legend is associated with the adventures of King Arthur and his Knights. Eliot has connected the story of the Holy Grail with the Fisher King. He was a very sensual and sinful King. So he became sick and his Kingdom suffered from drought and famine. According to another legend, the soldiers of the king raped the nuns attached to the chapel of the Holy Grail. As a result of the sin, his kingdom suffered from famine.

‘The Waste Land’ of the Fisher King stands for the wasteland of the modern world. The sick king stands for the sick humanity. The sick king stands for the sick humanity. The sickness of the Fisher King was due to sexual energies. In the same way, the sickness of modern men is due to their sexual perversities. Sex has been degraded to an animal passion and not as a means of the expression of true love.

The Myth of Fertility

In the Waste Land, it has a reference to the land of Emmaus mentioned in the Old Bible. The land became barren and dry on account of the idolatry of the dwellers. Once upon a prophet told them to worship. God and to give up idolatry, so the wasteland may become fertile. There are references to the Biblical Waste Land in words like the rock, the dread tree the dry grass mentioned in the famous poem ‘The Waste Land’.

The Myth Of Tiresias

Another legendary figure in the poem is Tiresias, the protagonist of the poem. Once, Tiresias saw two serpents mating together. He was cursed by them and transformed into a woman. After seven years he saw two serpents mating together. He was cursed by them and transformed into a woman. After seven years he saw the same scene and was cursed and transformed into a man. So he has experience of life both as a man and as a woman.

Later on, he was questioned by Zeus and his wife Hera, as to whether the man is more passionate than a woman. He declared that woman was more passionate the man. For this, Hera cursed him with blindness and Zeus granted him prophetic power for compensation.

Thus Tiresias is a link between the Waste Land of King Oedipus and the Waste Land of the modern civilization. He is an enlightened commentator on the modern Waste Land. He is an embodiment of human conscience and of higher humanity which deplores the loss of faith and moral values in the modern world.

Symbols in the Waste Land

A word has two-fold meaning – original meaning and targeted meaning. Symbolism is the study of the targeted meaning of the words.

Following are some of the most important symbols in ‘The Waste Land’

The Symbolic Meaning of Water

Water is a significant symbol of birth, death, and resurrection throughout this poem. At the poem’s beginning, water stands for life-giver and symbolizes fertility. However, it also stands for death in the ‘Death by Water’. In the “What the Thunder Said” section, water is a symbol of hope because, according to Eliot, the resurrection of a desolate wasteland is only possible as a tree that finds new life in rainwater.

“Ganga was sunken, and the limp leaves. Waited for rain…..”

Drought as a symbol of Death

Although the poem deals with physical and emotional effects of war, the speaker of the poem deals with physical and emotional effects of war, the speaker of the poem uses drought as a symbol of death.

“Here is no water but only rock
Rack and no water and the Sandy Road.”

Drought is a Symbol of death. To raise concerns about waiting for rain, the speaker says that even lightning, which indicates the possibility of rain, is “Infertile”. So there is hope of rain in this infertile land if the purification of modern people is done.

Symbols of disconnection between the human and natural worlds

The poem’s speaker in the “A Game of Chess” section presents how the modern world has lost contact with nature. Organic life-giving spirit has become inorganic inert matter:-

“The Chair she sat in, like a burnished throne Glowed on the marble”,

River

The poem refers to the Ganges in the Himalayas. The river is called the mother of civilization. The river symbolizes the flow continuity of life. Rivers are considered serene also. It symbolizes destruction as well as construction.

Buddhist

‘The Fire Sermon’ is the title taken from a sermon given by Buddha. Buddha encourages his followers to give up earthly passion. Budda preached non-violence and wanted his followers to rise spiritually. He symbolizes universal Non-violence and piece.

Conclusion

Thus in the poem “The Waste Land”, the poet has successfully brought about the use of myths and symbols to represent his theme of the sterility of human intellect and conscience as a parallel to the past and present. He conveys the profound spiritual and cultural, decay of the post–World War I era through the use of myth and symbols in the poem. He paints a bleak picture of a world in crisis, emphasizing the urgent need for spiritual renewal and cultural regeneration.

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Toril Moi Sexual/Textual Politics Who is Afraid of Virginia Woolf

Literature, Critical Appreciation, Critics, Poets

Introduction

Virginia Woolf is one of the most influential and celebrated writers of the 20th century, but also one of the most misunderstood and misrepresented by some feminist critics. In her essay Who Is Afraid of Virginia Woolf, Toril Moi challenges the negative and reductive readings of Woolf’s work by Elaine Showalter and other Anglo-American feminists and offers a more nuanced and positive perspective on Woolf’s feminism and literary achievements.

Toril Moi Sexual/Textual Politics Analysis And Critical Appreciation

The essay Who is Afraid of Virginia Woolf by Toril Moi, Sexual/Textual Politics: Feminist Literary Theory, was published in 1985. Moi’s essay is a feminist critique of the negative and dismissive readings of Virginia Woolf by some of her Anglo-American feminist successors, especially Elaine Showalter. Moi argues that Showalter and others have misunderstood Woolf’s concept of androgyny and have failed to appreciate her complex and innovative literary techniques. Moi also proposes a different, more positive feminist reading of Woolf, based on a recognition of her radical challenge to patriarchal norms and values.

In her essay “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?”, Toril Moi argues that the title of the play is a question about the fear of female creativity. She argues that Woolf’s work challenges traditional notions of gender and sexuality and that this challenge makes her work threatening to those who benefit from the status quo.

Moi begins her essay by discussing the critical reception of Woolf’s work. She notes that Woolf has been criticized for being too feminine, too intellectual, and too experimental. Moi argues that these criticisms are based on a patriarchal view of art and literature, which privileges male creativity over female creativity.

Moi asking the question posed in the title: who is afraid of Virginia Woolf? She suggests that quite a few feminist critics are because they have found Woolf to be a frivolous bohemian, a negligible Bloomsbury aesthete, or a troubled feminist who fled into androgyny to escape her own painful femaleness. Moi focuses on Showalter’s chapter on Woolf in A Literature of Their Own, which she considers to be representative of the negative feminist response to Woolf.

Moi criticizes Showalter for reducing Woolf’s concept of androgyny to a myth that helped her evade confrontation with her own anger and ambition, and for ignoring the political implications of Woolf’s rejection of gender binaries. Moi also challenges Showalter’s claim that A Room of One’s Own is an extremely impersonal and defensive book, which uses techniques such as repetition, exaggeration, parody, whimsy, and multiple viewpoints to create an illusion of spontaneity and intimacy. Moi contends that these techniques are not mere distractions, but rather essential elements of Woolf’s feminist strategy, which aims to subvert the authority of the male-dominated literary tradition and to open up new possibilities for women writers.

Moi then proceeds to offer an alternative feminist reading of Woolf, which takes into account her historical context, her literary innovations, and her political vision. Moi argues that Woolf was not a liberal humanist who believed in the transcendence of gender differences, but rather a radical feminist who exposed the oppression and violence of patriarchy and who advocated for a transformation of society and culture.

Moi shows how Woolf’s concept of androgyny is not a flight from reality, but a creative resistance to the rigid and hierarchical gender roles imposed by patriarchy. Moi also demonstrates how Woolf’s use of multiple perspectives, irony, parody, and fragmentation is not a sign of weakness, but a powerful way of challenging the monolithic and authoritative discourse of patriarchy and creating new forms of expression and representation for women. Moi concludes her essay by summarizing the main features of the feminist response to Woolf’s writings, which she divides into two categories: those who reject Woolf as irrelevant or reactionary, and those who embrace Woolf as an inspiration and a precursor.

Moi then turns to a close reading of Woolf’s work. She argues that Woolf’s writing is characterized by its fluidity and its refusal to conform to traditional gender roles. Moi also argues that Woolf’s work is deeply political and that it challenges the patriarchal structures of society.

Moi’s essay is an insightful and persuasive analysis of the feminist reception of Woolf’s work, which exposes the limitations and biases of some of the previous readings and offers a more nuanced and appreciative interpretation.

Moi’s essay is also an important contribution to feminist literary theory, which shows how Woolf’s writings can be seen as examples of sexual/textual politics, that is, as interventions in the cultural field that challenge the dominant ideology and create new spaces for women’s voices. Moi’s essay is thus a valuable resource for anyone interested in Virginia Woolf’s life and work, as well as in feminist criticism and theory.

Moi concludes by arguing that Woolf’s work is still relevant today. She argues that Woolf’s work continues to challenge traditional notions of gender and sexuality and that it continues to be a source of inspiration for feminists and other progressives.

Moi’s essay is not only a defense of Woolf’s feminism but also a tribute to her genius and legacy. Moi celebrates Woolf’s courage, honesty, humour, and imagination, and invites us to read her work with fresh eyes and open minds. Moi’s essay is a valuable contribution to the feminist literary theory and criticism of Woolf’s work, and a compelling invitation to revisit one of the greatest writers of all time.

Conclusion

Thus, Moi’s essay is a powerful defense of Woolf’s work and a reminder of the importance of female creativity. Toril Moi‘s Sexual Textual Politics essay Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Feminist Readings of Woolf offers a compelling alternative to Elaine Showalter’s negative critique of Woolf’s essay A Room of One’s Own.

Moi defends Woolf’s feminism and literary innovation by showing how she uses various textual and structural techniques to create a complex and radical message that challenges patriarchal discourse and proposes a new form of subjectivity and community for women writers.

Moi shows how Woolf’s essay is not only a personal testimony but also a political intervention that exposes the material and ideological conditions that oppress women writers and calls for a collective struggle for freedom and creativity.

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The First Century After Beatrice Summary And Analysis

Literature, Analysis, Critical Analysis, Critical Appreciation, Novel, Summary

Introduction

The First Century After Beatrice is a thought-provoking novel by the Lebanese-French writer Amin Maalouf. It was published in 1992. This Novel is written in French Language but it is translated in English by Dorothy S. Blair. The story is set in the near future, where a pharmacological company, tries to make a drug, by which parents can choose to only have sons.

The novel explores the consequences of a world where that bean can ensure the birth of a male infant. This drug led to a drastic decline in the female population. The story is told from the first-person point of view of an entomologist. This novel explores the potential consequences of our choices. It is a warning about the dangers of gender bias and the importance of gender equality.

About Amin Maalouf

Amin Maalouf was born in Beirut, Lebanon on February 25, 1949. He is a renowned author and journalist who has gained international recognition for his works. Although his native language is Arabic, he writes in French, and his works have been translated into over 40 languages. Maalouf’s writing often reflects his multicultural background, addressing themes of identity, displacement, and the clash of cultures.

He wrote various Fiction and Non-Fiction Books. His famous Fiction books are Leo Africanus, Samarkand, The Gardens of Light, The First Century after Beatrice, The Rock of Tanios, and Ports of Call, etc. Of his several works of nonfiction, The Crusades Through Arab Eyes is probably the best known. He received the Prix Goncourt in 1993 for his novel The Rock of Tanios, as well as the 2010 Prince of Asturias Award for Literature.

Summary and Analysis Of The First Century after Beatrice

The narrator was a young French Entomologist. He discovers a Scarab Beans. It is claimed the beans, derived from the scarab beetle, have magic powers; specifically, the power to guarantee the birth of a male infant. He discovers the incidence of female birth has become increasingly rare. He is left with no doubt that the world has entered into a critical phase of its history. He is trying to understand the consequences of the bean, which has led to a drastic imbalance in the male-to-female birth ratio.

Entomologists came from Cairo (the Capital Of Egypt). Clarence was a young beautiful Journalist who visit Entomologist for an interview about Egyptologists. He likes Clarence after the first meeting. After some meetings, they quickly realized that they had a lot in common. They both loved nature and they were both passionate about their work. They started dating and soon fell in love. They got married.

They trying to have a child. They have been trying for years, but Clarence has been unable to conceive. The drug is said to help women conceive, and it is especially effective for women who have been unable to conceive in the past.

Entomologists and Clarence decide to try the drug, and they are thrilled when Anne becomes pregnant. They name their daughter Beatrice.

Beatrice grows up to be a bright and beautiful young woman. She is also very intelligent, and she is determined to make a difference in the world. She studies hard in school, and she eventually goes on to become a scientist.

Beatrice’s work as a scientist leads her to study the effects of the drug that leads to born male infants. She learns that the drug has had a devastating impact on society. The male-to-female birth ratio has become so imbalanced that there are now only a few women for every man. This has led to a society that is dominated by men, and it has had a negative impact on women’s rights.

Beatrice is determined to change things. She starts a movement to raise awareness of the dangers of the drug, and she works to promote gender equality. She eventually succeeds in getting the drug banned, and she helps to create a more just and equitable society.

As the narrator’s daughter, Beatrice becomes increasingly concerned about the future of humanity. He sees how the drug has led to the rise of a society that is dominated by men, and he fears that this will ultimately lead to the destruction of the planet.

“The First Century after Beatrice” novel is set in the near future, but it is not too far removed from our own reality. The technology that is used in the novel is already being developed, and the social and political issues that are explored are already present in our world.

The novel is told from the first-person point of view of the Entomologist. This gives the reader a unique perspective on the events of the novel. Entomologist is a complex and sympathetic character, and his journey is one that is both personal and research about Scarab Bean.

The novel is a warning about the dangers of gender bias. It shows how gender bias can lead to inequality, injustice, and even violence. The novel is a call for action, and it urges readers to work to create a more just and equitable world.

Maalouf’s novel explores the consequences of a world where female births become rare due to a mysterious drug. The people want to bear male infants because they think that man’s working capacity and power maintain the generation of the future. Females got kidnapped because of the male population rise and decreased population of girls.

The story follows the narrator, a French entomologist, and his lover, Beatrice, an English historian, as they witness the social, political, and ecological upheavals caused by the gender imbalance.

The novel is a compelling blend of science fiction, historical fiction, and romance, as it portrays the personal and global effects of a dystopian scenario.

“The First Century after Beatrice” novel raises important questions about the value of human life, the role of women in society, the ethics of biotechnology, and the impact of environmental degradation. The author uses his background as a Lebanese-French journalist and historian to create a realistic and diverse setting, spanning from Paris to Cairo, and from India to Brazil. The novel also shows violence because of the increase in gender inequality.

The novel is written in a clear and elegant style, with vivid descriptions and engaging dialogues. The characters are well-developed and complex, each with their own motivations and dilemmas. The plot is fast-paced and suspenseful, with twists and turns that keep us hooked until the end.

Conclusion

“The First Century after Beatrice” has received critical acclaim for its thematic depth, masterful storytelling, and exploration of complex existential questions. Amin Maalouf‘s ability to seamlessly blend history, philosophy, and personal introspection, along with his elegant prose style, has made this novel compelling and thought-provoking.

Thus we can say that “The First Century after Beatrice” novel spans several decades, from the late 20th century to the early 22nd century. It depicts a dystopian scenario where women are reduced to a minority and subjected to violence, exploitation, and oppression. The novel also explores the themes of gender, identity, culture, religion, and history. It raises questions about the value of human life, the importance of males and females in society, the role of science and technology, and the responsibility of individuals and nations in shaping the future of humanity.

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Feminism Reference to The Second Sex | The Second Sex Summary

Literature, Character Sketch, Critical Appreciation, English Literature

Introduction

“Feminism” is a movement influenced by the ideas postulated, popularized, and precipitated by thinkers and authors like “Simone de Beauvoir”, ‘Alice Walker’, ‘Elaine Showalter’, ‘Simone de Beauvoir and Kate Millett, and others. It is a modern movement expressing protest against male domination and involves sociological and political theories concerning gender difference issues. The term ‘Feminism’ was first used with regard to the issues of equality and the Women’s Rights Movement.

Wave Of Feminism

Jawaharlal Nehru once said, “You can tell the condition of a nation by looking at the status of its women.”

Women of any nation are the mirror of its civilization. Feminism has experienced two waves. The First Wave also called liberal feminism, usually refers to the social movement in that women fought for their legal vote rights and basic civil rights in America and Britain from 1820 to 1920.

The second wave is also known as the women’s liberation moment, which focused on the differences between females and males and discussed the origin and operation of gender discrimination in ideology, culture, and society. It was a period of feminist activity that began in the early 1960s and lasted roughly two decades.

The modern feminist movement origins from “The Second Sex” by Simone de Beauvoir,

            “One is not born, but rather
            Becomes a woman. No
            Biological psychological or
          Economic fate determines
            that the human female
            presents in society, it is
          civilization as a whole. That
            produces this creature,
          intermediate between male
          and eunuch, which is
          describes as feminine”.

The Second Sex Feminism

“The Second Sex” is one of the best-known works of the French existentialist “Simone de Beauvoir”. It is a work on the treatment of women throughout history and is often regarded as a significant work of feminist philosophy. Beauvoir researched and wrote the book in about 14 months. She published the book in two volumes – “Fact and Myths” and “Lived Experience.”

Part one is “Destiny” in which she first describes “Biological Data”, the relationship of the ovum to sperm in all kinds of creatures fish, insects mammals. Then Beauvoir proceeds to the human being, comparing the physiology of men and women and saying that women are weaker than men for example, in muscular strength, with fewer red blood cells and a lesser respiratory capacity.

Part two is “History” in which Beauvoir describes two factors explaining the evolution of women’s condition participation in production and freedom from reproductive slavery. She describes man’s gradual domination of women and eventually the opinion of ancient Greeks like Pythagoras who wrote: –

           “There is a good principle
                        that created order, light
                        and man, and a bad
                        principal that created
                        chaos darkness and
                        women.”

She also examines the spread of birth control methods and the history of abortion.

Part Three is “Myths” Simone also writes about women’s menstruation, virginity, and female sexuality including copulation, marriage, motherhood, and prostitution. In mythological literature “women are considered as Goddess”. Still, women have to fight with this society for their rights to which only they have the right. Arthur Rimbaud writes hopefully “One day, women can become fully human beings when a man gives her freedom.” Simone also quoted:

“Her wings are cut and
then she is blamed for
not knowing how to fly.”

In the second volume “Lived Experience”, Beauvoir analyses how girls are typically treated throughout their childhood. She contrasts a girl’s upbringing with a boy who at age 3 or 4 is told she is a “little girl”. A girl is taught to be a woman and “Feminine”. Simone described that females only get dignity in only two works 1st is in household work and 2nd one is to provide bed service to their husbands according to their mood.

Women are always expected to be passive and submissive while men are encouraged to be active. The day when it will be possible for the woman to love in her strength and not love in her strength and not in her weakness, not to escape from herself but to find herself, not out of resignation but to affirm herself, love will become for her as for man the source of life and not a mortal danger.”

Conclusion

Thus, in the early 20^th century, women’s political, social, and economic choices in France were limited due to patriarchal dominance, in almost all aspects of life and business, including the publishing industry. Despite these challenges, de Beauvoir’ were able to break through these challenges, especially with a book such as “The Second Sex”.

Although the book “The Second Sex” received much criticism from notable literary figures, the book also praises and supports many others and most importantly women within the feminist movement. Beauvoir’s book played an important role in the second wave of the “Feminist Movement”, especially after being published in the United States.

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– Varsha Singh

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