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4.03 AVERAGE
4.03 AVERAGE
Prufrock is still my cowardly, lovable bud as always.
I enjoy his work though many times I feel as though I am not smart enough to understand his meanings.
The last time I read Eliot was for a high school English Literature paper, and the only sentence that stuck with me since then has been "I have measured out my life with coffee spoons." I was drawn to read Eliot again after realizing that many of his echoes about time and the relationship of decay and dereliction to time feel relevant to a lot of present-day postmodern visions of dystopian industrial landscapes and deteriorating climate health.
I also like that this edition speaks appropriately and carefully to Eliot's antisemitism by providing contextual notes and thorough annotations from many of his first publishers, his first audiences and even from literature critics/historians of our time.
There were definitely some poems where I felt as though the sheer volume of references have been lost to time, and took me away from the atmosphere of the work from having to chase down every footnote. This was also exaggerated by the annotations and analyses provided in text sometimes, that I was too busy trying to understand what the thing means rather than experience the poem.
I also like that this edition speaks appropriately and carefully to Eliot's antisemitism by providing contextual notes and thorough annotations from many of his first publishers, his first audiences and even from literature critics/historians of our time.
There were definitely some poems where I felt as though the sheer volume of references have been lost to time, and took me away from the atmosphere of the work from having to chase down every footnote. This was also exaggerated by the annotations and analyses provided in text sometimes, that I was too busy trying to understand what the thing means rather than experience the poem.
Pretty sure this 2Star rating is more of a reflection on me than on T.S. Eliot. Maybe I read these poems too quickly and thusly didn’t savor them properly. The majority of the poems did not grab me, especially Waste Land. Again, it’s a me problem honestly. One of days I’ll return to these poems and sit down and actually take my time with them.
The Love Song of J Alfred Prufrock was one of the best poems I've ever read, and Hollow Men resonated as well. The Waste Land was good, if a bit esoteric, and then no other poem in the book really did it for me. Also - there are entire poems in French so... missed out on those.
Decided to re-visit some Eliot for the Literature GRE studying.
I am not a big poetry fan. It was well written, but not my favorite.
I didn't read much poetry in my youth- but the ones I did either spoke of nature (Robert Frost) or were for children (Robert Louis Stevenson, Shel Silverstein). Somehow, I managed to get through college without reading renowned TS Eliot. I am here now, to remedy that oversight. I have mixed feelings about this collection. Certain poems really spoke to me, and brought me into turn-of-the-century America and England. His observations of city life were vivid, dirty, and real. This is where he's at his best. Morning at the Window- although one of his shortest in the collection, was my favorite. I can almost see the city waking, the housemaids already on the streets, the fog covering everything. Just beautiful imagery. The same goes for Preludes parts 1-4. He speaks of dirty, sawdust-filled streets. Of chimneys, of cab-horses. Some of it rhymes, some of it doesn't, and that's okay here- we're catching a glimpse of 1915 city life.
However, there are many things I didn't care for. Some of his poems are just a jumble of nonsense. I read some in-depth reviews to be sure I wasn't missing anything. He's attempting to intelligently comment on certain parts of society- but bounces around so much and twists his verbiage in such a fashion that the meaning gets lost. I didn't care for his major work, The Waste Land, which illustrates my previous complaint. Yes, the man was smart. Yes, he was trying to show that. No, it doesn't help that three of his poems were completely in French. I might be interested in more of his poetry, if he stuck to what he was good at.
However, there are many things I didn't care for. Some of his poems are just a jumble of nonsense. I read some in-depth reviews to be sure I wasn't missing anything. He's attempting to intelligently comment on certain parts of society- but bounces around so much and twists his verbiage in such a fashion that the meaning gets lost. I didn't care for his major work, The Waste Land, which illustrates my previous complaint. Yes, the man was smart. Yes, he was trying to show that. No, it doesn't help that three of his poems were completely in French. I might be interested in more of his poetry, if he stuck to what he was good at.
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced