Saturday, March 3, 2018

The Curious Case of Water in The Waste Land

Water in The Waste Land seems to take on an interesting identity. At first, it is antidote to the infertility of the earth, especially the dryness Eliot describes. Moreover, many of the images the poem conjures up involve deserts, which normally sit in silent, dull desperation for water.

However, there is also warning of death by water, and the pretty consistent allusion to the drowned sailor. The whirlpool image also implies death, but almost in a peaceful way.

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