Blog task on T. S. Eliot: Tradition and Individual Talent

1. How would you like to explain Eliot's concept of Tradition? Do you agree with it?
2. What do you understand by Historical Sense? (Use these quotes to explain your understanding)
• "The historical sense involves a perception, not only of the pastness of the past, but of its presence"
• This historical sense, which is a sense of the timeless as well as of the temporal and of the timeless and of the temporal together, is what makes a writer traditional. 
3. What is the relationship between “tradition” and “the individual talent,” according to the poet T. S. Eliot?
4. Explain: "Some can absorb knowledge, the more tardy must sweat for it. Shakespeare acquired more essential history from Plutarch than most men could from the whole British Museum".
5. Explain: "Honest criticism and sensitive appreciation is directed not upon the poet but upon the poetry"
6. How would you like to explain Eliot's theory of ddepersonalization? You can explain with the help of chemical reaction in presence of catalyst agent, Platinum.
7. Explain: " Poetry is not a turning loose of emotion, but an escape from emotion; it is not the expression of personality, but an escape from personality."
8.  Write two points on which one can write critique on 'T.S. Eliot as a critic'
   
   
   
   Respected sir,
   
   1) Yes, i am agree with this view point of Eliot. Eliot clarifies the meaning of the word ‘Tradition’. Generally, we consider this word as negative, but this is the narrow meaning of the word. He opines that tradition gives the reader something new, something arresting, something intellectual and something vital for literary conception.
   2) This historical sense which is a sense of the timeless as well as temporal and of the timeless.The quote means what is the importance of tradition is always far from the immortal and timeless.
   3) In his essay, “Tradition and the Individual Talent,” T.S. Eliot makes the overall case that the individual talent of a given poet, or artist of any kind, must always be measured in relationship to a tradition of poets and artists. And according to him ‘Tradition’ and ‘Individual Talent’ are not separated entity but they work together.
   4) In this quote we can see the distinction between knowledge and pedanty. Shakespeare emphasise on timeless and essential history.  As Shakespeare was not very much educated but still he is famous and his works are still read.
   5) His theory of depersonalization stats with honest criticism and sensitive appreciation is directed not upon the poet but upon the poetry. Honest criticism and sensitive appreciation that time possible when artist sacrifice him or herself and also extinction of his personality that time poetry becomes more valuable and it is become well.
   6) The theory of depersonalization is related with chemical process. Oxygen and sulphur dioxide, are mixed in the presence of a filament of platinum, they form sulphurous acid. This combination takes place only if the platinum is present. So, here is a comparison between platinum and poet’s mind. So the mind of poet is said of platinum.
   7) Eliot was pointing out that whether or not a poem expresses the feelings of its author is irrelevant. A poem manipulates the feelings - or the thinking - of its readers: it is a machine for thinking with.
   8) Eliot’s influence as a critic has been wide, constant, fruitful and inspiring. He has corrected and educated the taste of his readers and brought about a rethinking regarding the function of poetry and the nature of the poet process. He gave a new direction and new tools of criticism.