Tradition and individual essay Establish a relationship between Tradition and individual, summary, controversial and What is Tradition and individual talent according to TS Eliot
From this topic, we will try to elaborate on the points that are onward. What is tradition and individual talent according to TS Eliot? How does Eliot establish a relationship between tradition and individual talent in his essay Tradition and the Individual Talent, Why is T.S Eliot tradition in the individual talent controversial? What is tradition according to TS Eliot?, How is individual talent related to tradition? and Tradition and individual talent by T.S Eliot summary in brief details. Tradition and individual talent by T.S Eliot have been regarded as the unofficial manifesto because he discussed the principles forming poetic creation. He has advised to artists follow the past in order to create the best work.
Tradition and individual talent by T.S Eliot summary consists of three parts.
• Concept of Tradition
• Theory of impersonality
• Conclusion
Tradition and individual talent by T.S Eliot summary go ahead in this way the essay involves the discussion about the tradition of creative and poetic work. He contains all the principles regarding the tradition and the poetic work of the artist.
Concept of Tradition
Eliot is of the view that no poetic work can be ideal if there is no glimpse of tradition. The artist must follow the traditional path of his ancestors in order to create the best outcome. The significance of the poetic work lies in tradition. No one can create the best result if he remains aloof from his tradition. He cannot do anything in isolation. He considers the individuality of the work of the poet or artist if he follows the traditional path. The best part of their work is regarded which reminds the literature of the past. The literature of the past must be the essence of the artist’s work. it will be present in the bones and the soul of the artist if he will follow the path of his ancestors. He must be addicted to gaining the influence of his ancestors through poetic work, The best and fundamental part of the work will have a history of the past of ancestors and their work. If you want to see a video on this topic please click here
Eliot’s sense of interdependence
It involves the historical sense in order to create a poetic work. The past must be modified by the present literature and the present era by the work of ancestors and the past. There is interdependence in his case to create work by the artist. He cannot reject his past while creating artistic work. The whole literature will be reminded by him in his work. he must have a sense of historical tradition. The relationship depicted between the present and the past is a reciprocal concept. It is not about a single and one-sided idea. The new work is directed by the past literature. The new artist seeks help from his art and creates new inventions in the literary line. They add a new literary work to the whole literature and the literary tradition gets modification by this addition. When a new work is created the whole literature of the past gets a new essence by this addition.
Novelty is better than repetition
He gives much importance to the addiction of tradition. But he differentiates his ideas on different levels. To him, the concept of tradition is much more valid and wider. He does not impose the idea of copying or mimicry of past events and works by the new contemporary writers. He lays great significance to the discovery of contemporary literature. To him, literature is not the name of repeating the same idea and concept. He does not allow copying the old literary work and then adding it to your new work. He is always in favour of generating new ideas and works. His main focus is on the capacity of the artist to generate more novel ideas. He says that there should be the production of new literary work in order to create a novelty in the line of literature. He is interested to give more significant work to the tradition of the literature of the past. He does not focus on the repetition of the same idea. He lays importance on the discovery of ideas for the creation of the poetic process. He says that it is not about static or fixed ideas. There is always a capacity for the modification of the ideas. He gives wider significance to the idea of novelty and tradition.
Historical sense involves a perception
He has employed the idea of historical sense in order to create a unique work. He is of the view that it is about the pastness of the past and also involvement about the presence of the past in the contemporary era. He stresses upon the idea that when an artist composes an idea he must consider the work of the past as a guide for him. He must cultivate the tradition and the past work in his bones. He must inherit historical sense in order to create individual work. He must consider the literature of the past from the time of Homer to the literature of Europe. The artist must have a perception of the literature of his own country and the tradition raging from the time of Homer.
Comparison between works of the past and the present
Eliot is of the view that new literary works must be compared and contrasted with the traditional work of the past. The comparison is made to analyze the new features the new writers and poets introduced. The purpose of this analysis is never to determine their good and bad qualities. This will hint at the perfection of the literary work. This will lead to understanding the new creative works. It will enhance the better perception. It will try to differentiate between the individual part of the artist’s work.
Examination of the past
It does not involve the examination of past work without any discrimination. There should be a critical understanding of the past and the only significant parts should be picked for the new literary works. There should not be discriminative behaviour towards the smaller poets because they also contribute towards the new novel works. They will also help you understand certain past realities and help you in the modification of your work.
Theory of impersonality
In the second part of the essay, he develops the theory of impersonality. He rejects the definition of poetry by Wordsworth. He is of the view that the best and the most significant work is created only when the port does not include his own notions and emotions. It is about the depersonalization of the expressions and feelings of the poet. The poet cannot relate his own life to the creative and poetic works. Eliot is of the view that he must remain in the background when the poetic process is being completed. He is of that the poetical emotions and expressions should be complex and crude in order to give a possible interpretation of the idea. He lays stress on the idea that the poet should create his work with the ideas stored in his mind. He considers the poet’s mind works as a catalyst and does not involve the personality of the poet in the poetic process.
Conclusion
Eliot concludes the essay by making his judgment about the process of poetic creation. He lays due to stress to the impersonality of the poet. He must surrender himself to the work created by him. He can gain the artistic touch only when he will surrender himself to the literary work. he must consider the individual part of his work as the best one. The impersonality of an artist is only achieved when he resigns himself to his work only. He does not consider his own emotions and ideas. Now, the Tradition and individual talent essay by T.S Eliot summary is ended up here with this hope that we have done our work according to readers’ hopes