"Waste Land"!

Now that we have explored the poem a little more, I am starting to appreciate it a little more. I would not go as far to say I like it...yet...but I do appreciate it. Many of the critics we have read in class have different opinions of Eliot's reasoning and style. Some think he meant to write the poem the way he wrote it, with every piece of information and punctuation exactly the way it is in the poem. Others think it was more just a stream of conscious that doesn't seem to make sense. First reading it, I would completely agree with the whole stream of conscious idea, but now, after reading others opinions, I think Eliot definitely had a reason and planned out style for the poem. It was interesting exploring the poem on a political level because there is so much politics involved. Now, to me personally, it is like a puzzle or maze that he intended for the reader to put together! Every time we discuss it, a new piece starts to make sense and falls into place, it is pretty cool actually. Whether or not I like the poem, it is unique, and deserves to be given credit for it's uniqueness. Eliot seems to be doing something I have never read before, and what that is, I can not quite figure out...yet...

The "Waste Land", my first re- reading...

I am starting to get a better understanding of the poem now that I have re- read it with the foot notes. Also, after a class discussion, I have begun to understand the poem a lot more. We took into consideration the time the poem was written, and what political influences it had on it. Which seemed to me to make a lot more sense. We also discussed people, places, things, and words that all contribute to the poem. The website we were given really helps me deepen my understanding of the poem. I still do not particular like the poem, but I am slowly getting to TRYING to understand it. It may grow on me eventually! We were assigned some critical essays to read in class that go along with the poem. I have read my assigned two, but I am not really sure what to make of them, so I am going to re-read them. "The Waste Land" is starting to come together for me, but it is sometimes very confusing, the poem IS and seems like a completely different language.

First reading of "Wasteland"

Well, the first reading of Wasteland was really confusing to me. I truly do not understand a thing it is saying. I feel like it is taking me all sorts of places, and I can not grasp what is going on at all. I started to just drift towards the end of it, and gave up on trying to interprut it. The whole poem doesn't really seem to be saying much of anything. There seems to be no theme or rhyme or reason, (which I am sure there is) and it makes it really difficult at parts. I really did not enjoy it one bit, and I know I am no one to judge what is good poetry, and what isn't but to me I do not understand it. The way it is written, however, seems to be rather clever, and that did capture my attention a little. I like to read things, and want to re read them because I want to find the answers to questions I create, or ponder meanings of certain parts. This poem does not make me want to read it again, but for the sake of a second chance (and this class). I am going to re read it again, and try to grasp it better.