'Four Quartets 1: Burnt Norton' by T.S. Eliot
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Four Quartets1935ITime present and time past
Are both perhaps present in time future,
And time future contained in time past.
If all time is eternally present
All time is unredeemable.
What might have been is an abstraction
Remaining a perpetual possibility
Only in a world of speculation.
What might have been and what has been
Point to one end, which is always present.
Footfalls echo in the memory
Down the passage which we did not take
Towards the door we never opened
Into the rose-garden. My words echo
Thus, in your mind.But to what purpose
Disturbing the dust on a bowl of rose-leaves
I do not know.Other echoes
Inhabit the garden. Shall we follow?
Quick, said the bird, find them, find them,
Round the corner. Through the first gate,
Into our first world, shall we follow
The deception of the thrush? Into our first world.
There they were, dignified, invisible,
Moving without pressure, over the dead leaves,
In the autumn heat, through the vibrant air,
And the bird called, in response to
The unheard music hidden in the shrubbery,
And the unseen eyebeam crossed, for the roses
Had the look of flowers that are looked at.
There they were as our guests, accepted and accepting.
So we moved, and they, in a formal pattern,
Along the empty alley, into the box circle,
To look down into the drained pool.
Dry the pool, dry concrete, brown edged,
And the pool was filled with water out of sunlight,
And the lotos rose, quietly, quietly,
The surface glittered out of heart of light,
And they were behind us, reflected in the pool.
Then a cloud passed, and the pool was empty.
Go, said the bird, for the leaves were full of children,
Hidden excitedly, containing laughter.
Go, go, go, said the bird: human kind
Cannot bear very much reality.
Time past and time future
What might have been and what has been
Point to one end, which is always present.IIGarlic and sapphires in the mud
Clot the bedded axle-tree.
The trilling wire in the blood
Sings below inveterate scars
Appeasing long forgotten wars.
The dance along the artery
The circulation of the lymph
Are figured in the drift of stars
Ascend to summer in the tree
We move above the moving tree
In light upon the figured leaf
And hear upon the sodden floor
Below, the boarhound and the boar
Pursue their pattern as before
But reconciled among the stars.At the still point of the turning world. Neither flesh nor fleshless;
Neither from nor towards; at the still point, there the dance is,
But neither arrest nor movement. And do not call it fixity,
Where past and future are gathered. Neither movement from nor towards,
Neither ascent nor decline. Except for the point, the still point,
There would be no dance, and there is only the dance.
I can only say,
Editor 1 Interpretation
Four Quartets 1: Burnt Norton by T.S. Eliot
T.S. Eliot's "Four Quartets 1: Burnt Norton" is a poem that invites readers to explore the mysteries of time, memory, and existence. It is a complex work that requires careful analysis and interpretation, but the rewards are great for those who are willing to engage with its themes and language.
The First Quartet: Burnt Norton
The first quartet of Eliot's poem is titled "Burnt Norton," and it is named after a country house in Gloucestershire, England. The poem begins with a description of the house and its gardens, which Eliot uses as a metaphor for the human experience of time:
Time present and time past
Are both perhaps present in time future,
And time future contained in time past.
Here, Eliot suggests that time is not linear, but rather cyclical, with the past and future existing in a kind of eternal present. This idea is reinforced throughout the poem, as Eliot uses images of nature and the seasons to explore the cyclical nature of time.
One of the most striking images in the poem is that of the rose garden:
Footfalls echo in the memory
Down the passage which we did not take
Towards the door we never opened
Into the rose-garden. My words echo
Thus, in your mind.
Here, Eliot uses the image of the rose garden to represent the ideal of beauty and perfection that exists beyond the limitations of time and space. The rose garden is a place that we can never truly reach, but it is a symbol of the human desire for transcendence and spiritual fulfillment.
The Second Quartet: East Coker
The second quartet of Eliot's poem is titled "East Coker," and it is named after a village in Somerset, England. This section of the poem is more personal and introspective than the first quartet, as Eliot reflects on his own life and the nature of human existence.
One of the central themes of "East Coker" is the idea of rebirth and renewal:
In my beginning is my end. In succession
Houses rise and fall, crumble, are extended,
Are removed, destroyed, restored, or in their place
Is an open field, or a factory, or a by-pass.
Old stone to new building, old timber to new fires,
Old fires to ashes, and ashes to the earth
Which is already flesh, fur and faeces,
Bone of man and beast, cornstalk and leaf.
Here, Eliot suggests that death and decay are necessary for new life to emerge. The cycle of birth and death is a natural and inevitable part of human existence, and we must accept it if we are to find meaning in our lives.
The Third Quartet: The Dry Salvages
The third quartet of Eliot's poem is titled "The Dry Salvages," and it is named after a group of rocks off the coast of Massachusetts. This section of the poem is more philosophical and metaphysical than the previous two, as Eliot explores the relationship between human consciousness and the natural world.
One of the key themes of "The Dry Salvages" is the idea of the "unseen presence":
The sea is all about us;
The sea is the land's edge also, the granite
Into which it reaches, the beaches where it tosses
Its hints of earlier and other creation:
The starfish, the horseshoe crab, the whale's backbone;
The pools where it offers to our curiosity
The more delicate algae and the sea anemone.
It tosses up our losses, the torn seine,
The shattered lobsterpot, the broken oar
And the gear of foreign dead men.
Here, Eliot suggests that there is a hidden world of meaning and significance that lies beneath the surface of everyday life. The natural world is not just a collection of inert objects, but rather a living and dynamic system that is infused with spiritual energy.
The Fourth Quartet: Little Gidding
The fourth and final quartet of Eliot's poem is titled "Little Gidding," and it is named after a village in Cambridgeshire, England. This section of the poem is the most overtly religious, as Eliot explores the nature of divine grace and the possibility of spiritual redemption.
One of the key themes of "Little Gidding" is the idea of surrender:
What we call the beginning is often the end
And to make an end is to make a beginning.
The end is where we start from. And every phrase
And sentence that is right (where every word is at home,
Taking its place to support the others,
The word neither diffident nor ostentatious,
An easy commerce of the old and the new,
The common word exact without vulgarity,
The formal word precise but not pedantic,
The complete consort dancing together)
Here, Eliot suggests that we can only find true spiritual fulfillment by surrendering ourselves to a higher power. We must let go of our own ego and desires and submit to the will of God, or whatever transcendent force we believe in.
Conclusion
In conclusion, T.S. Eliot's "Four Quartets 1: Burnt Norton" is a complex and challenging poem that explores some of the deepest questions of human existence. Through its themes of time, memory, rebirth, and surrender, the poem invites readers to reflect on their own lives and the meaning of their own existence. It is a work of great beauty and profundity that rewards careful study and interpretation.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Four Quartets 1: Burnt Norton - An Analysis of T.S. Eliot's Masterpiece
T.S. Eliot's Four Quartets is a masterpiece of modernist poetry that explores the themes of time, memory, and spirituality. The first of the four poems, Burnt Norton, is a meditation on the nature of time and the human experience of it. In this essay, we will explore the themes, structure, and language of Burnt Norton, and how they contribute to the overall meaning of the poem.
The poem is named after Burnt Norton, a country house in Gloucestershire, England, which Eliot visited in the 1930s. The house and its gardens are the setting for the poem, and Eliot uses them as a metaphor for the human experience of time. The poem is divided into four sections, or "quartets," each of which explores a different aspect of time and its relationship to human consciousness.
The first quartet begins with a description of the garden at Burnt Norton, which is overgrown and abandoned. Eliot uses this image to suggest the decay and impermanence of all things, including human life. He writes:
"Time present and time past Are both perhaps present in time future, And time future contained in time past."
These lines suggest that time is not a linear progression, but rather a cyclical process in which the past, present, and future are all interconnected. Eliot goes on to describe the human experience of time as a "still point" in the turning world, a moment of stillness and clarity in the midst of the chaos of life.
The second quartet explores the relationship between time and memory. Eliot writes:
"Footfalls echo in the memory Down the passage which we did not take Towards the door we never opened Into the rose-garden."
These lines suggest that memory is a way of accessing the past, but it is also a way of imagining the future. The "door we never opened" represents the possibilities of the future, while the "rose-garden" represents the beauty and joy that can be found in life. Eliot suggests that memory is a way of connecting the past, present, and future, and that it is through memory that we can find meaning in our lives.
The third quartet explores the relationship between time and language. Eliot writes:
"Words strain, Crack and sometimes break, under the burden, Under the tension, slip, slide, perish, Decay with imprecision, will not stay in place, Will not stay still."
These lines suggest that language is an imperfect tool for expressing the human experience of time. Words can never fully capture the complexity and nuance of our thoughts and emotions, and they are subject to the same decay and impermanence as everything else in the world. Eliot suggests that the human experience of time is ultimately ineffable, and that language can only ever be an approximation of that experience.
The fourth and final quartet explores the relationship between time and spirituality. Eliot writes:
"At the still point of the turning world. Neither flesh nor fleshless; Neither from nor towards; at the still point, there the dance is, But neither arrest nor movement."
These lines suggest that the human experience of time is ultimately a spiritual one, and that it is through spiritual practice that we can find meaning and purpose in our lives. The "dance" that Eliot refers to is a metaphor for the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth that is at the heart of all spiritual traditions. He suggests that it is through embracing this cycle and finding our place within it that we can transcend the limitations of time and find a deeper sense of connection to the world around us.
In terms of structure, Burnt Norton is a highly complex and layered poem. Each quartet builds on the themes and images of the previous one, creating a sense of progression and development. The language of the poem is also highly symbolic and allusive, drawing on a wide range of literary and philosophical traditions. Eliot's use of imagery, metaphor, and allusion creates a rich and complex tapestry of meaning that rewards close reading and analysis.
In conclusion, Burnt Norton is a masterpiece of modernist poetry that explores the themes of time, memory, and spirituality. Through its complex structure and rich language, the poem offers a profound meditation on the human experience of time and the search for meaning and purpose in life. Eliot's Four Quartets is a work of enduring significance, and Burnt Norton is a fitting introduction to this remarkable achievement.
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