Religion and Myth in T.S. Eliot''s Poetry

T.S. Eliot was arguably the most important poet of the twentieth century. Nonetheless, there remains much scope for reconsidering the content, form and expressive nature of Eliots religious poetry, and this edited collection pays particular attention to the multivalent spiritual dimensions of his popular poems, such as The Lovesong of J. Alfred Prufrock, The Waste Land, Journey of the Magi, The Hollow Men, and Choruses from The Rock. Eliots sustained popularity is an intriguing cultural phenomenon, given that the religious voice of Eliots poetry is frequently antagonistic towards the unchurched or secular reader: You! Hypocrite lecteur! This said, Eliots spiritual development was not a logical matter and his devotional poetry is rarely didactic.The volume presents a rich and powerful range of essays by leading and emerging T.S. Eliot and literary modernist scholars, considering the doctrinal, religious, humanist, mythic and secular aspects of Eliots poetry: Anglo-Catholic belief (Barry Spurr), the integration of doctrine and poetry (Tony Sharpe), the modernist mythopoeia of Four Quartets (Michael Bell), the felt significance of religious poetry (Andy Mousley), ennui as a modern evil (Scott Freer), Eliots pre-conversion encounter with modernist theology (Joanna Rzepa), Eliots religious agrarianism (Jeremy Diaper), the maternal allegory of Ash Wednesday (Matthew Geary), and an autobiographical reading of religious conversion inspired by Eliot in a secular age (Lynda Kong). This book is a timely addition to the return of religion in modernist studies in the light of renewed interest in T.S. Eliot scholarship. See more