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T.S. Eliot and mysticism: the secret history of Four quartets

1991; Association of College and Research Libraries; Volume: 29; Issue: 04 Linguagem: Inglês

10.5860/choice.29-1970

1943-5975

Paul Murray,

Contemporary Literature and Criticism

Introduction: a sceptic with a taste for mysticism mysticism and Four Quartets the question of sources. Part 1 Burnt Norton - at the still point: mysticism and music - the music of imagery, music and meaning the philosophy of stillness - Richard of St. Victor and Aristotle, the mystical attitude of Henry Bergson, the philosophy of the poet and the poem Eliot meditation - meditation and poetry, the structure of a meditation. Part 2 East Coker - the way of negation: the ascetic vision - a dance of death the Good Friday lyric poetry and asceticism the poet between two worlds mysticism and incarnation - two types of mysticism, the meaning of incarnation the influence of St. John of the cross - the language of paradox, the theology of the dark night. Part 3 The Dry Salvages - visions and revisions: mysticism under scrutiny - the influence of Soren Kiekegaard - mysticism and meaning, a Kierkegaardian perspective, the recovery of dread the Brahmin and Buddhist influence - Burnt Norton, East Coker, The Dry Salvages, Little Gidding mysticism and magic - meditation and the occult, the ghost of W.B.Yeats, a minor source - Maurice Maeterlinck, P.D.Ouspensky and Charles Williams. Part 4 Little Gidding - an end of exploration: the language of patriotism - Rudyard Kipling and Rupert Brooke mysticism and myth (1) and the Shakespeare pattern - the mythical method and Four Quartets, the theme of death and rebirth - Eliot and G.Wilson Knight, journey through darkness into light - Eliot and Colin Still, the question of belief mysticism and myth - (2) and the Dantean parallel - Eliot in the middle way, the journey towards spiritual freedom, visionary imagination, the states of heaven and damnation.