![]() ![]() ![]() The poem constantly shifts between different speakers without warning, and it's chock full of references to classic literature from cultures all over the world, many of which are more than a little obscure. Yep, there's no getting around it: "The Waste Land" can be one tough cookie to read. Maybe what Eliot should have been concerned about was penning a poem that's considered incomprehensible by many first-time readers the world over. wrote the poem to end all poems in 1922, he still had some confidence issues. Eliot pretty much used every one of these suggestions, and even dedicated the poem to Pound, calling him " il miglior fabbro" in the inscription, which is Italian for "the better craftsman." So yeah, even though T.S. handed the thing over to his buddy, Ezra Pound, who slashed a ton of material and made extensive editing suggestions. In its original draft, the poem was almost twice as long as the published version. Eliot's "The Waste Land" has been called "one of the most important poems of the 20th Century" and it might actually be one of the most important poems ever. Want more deets? We've also got a complete Online Course about The Waste Land, with three weeks worth of readings and activities to make sure you know your stuff. ![]() Eliot's The Waste Land: Poem Study Guide Introduction ![]()
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