The Waste Land is considered a literary masterpiece of the twentieth century. Eliot has written a by no means an easy-to-read poem, which is full of references and other authors’ devices. In particular, the second part of the poem is especially noteworthy of the use of juxtaposition and allusion. These are literature techniques employed by authors to accentuate different objects, circumstances, or people. Juxtaposition shows the contrast between two elements by placing them in close proximity to each other.
For instance, Eliot juxtaposes the present and the past in the second section, A Game of Chess. At first, he describes the past in lines 77-110, then he turns to the present and shows how the attitude to love has changed in lines 111-139. An allusion is an indirect reference to something, which is still understandable to the reader. Lines 112-113 contain the narrator’s thoughts that they are in the rat’s valley, where dead men lost their bones. The allusion is that the deceased are the rats, meaning cowardly people who had no psychological resilience.
Another important feature of The Waste Land is the manner in which scene transitions are handled. They are abrupt, meaning there is little indication that a scene is about to change. In this regard, they are similar to a disorganized flow of thoughts. This is why to an inexperienced reader, Eliot’s poem may appear to be difficult to read and make sense of. However, once it is clear that the author makes heavy use of figurative language and literary devices, it becomes easier. The key is understanding that there are numerous speakers, which change and appear based on the direction of Eliot’s flow of thoughts.
Reference
The Waste Land. (n.d.). 2021, Web.