Literature Network » T. S. Eliot

T.S. Eliot's ghostly compound: Coleridge and Whitman in 'Little Gidding II.'

Content courtesy of

From: ANQ
Date: 19970101
Author:Chandran, K. Narayana

T.S. Eliot's poem 'Little Gidding II' uses Samuel Taylor Coleridge and Walt Whitman as models for the character of the ghost. Eliot was careful to avoid identifications of the spectral poet, and would never admit who he had in mind. However, analysis of the poem's second movement shows similarities to lines from Coleridge and Whitman. These resemblances are more pronounced when first draft lines of Eliot's poem are considered.

The second movement of Little Gidding II is probably the happiest congruence of aim and effect in Eliot. The poet compounds his masters in one ghost and further ...

Read the rest of this article with a Free Trial at HighBeam Research.

Other Articles on T. S. Eliot

About Our Articles: We've partnered with Highbeam Research to provide these article excerpts for your research needs. However, due to copyright laws, we cannot publish the whole article. To view these articles in full length you'll need to use the link above to access the free trial at Highbeam.