T.S.Eliot — Hollow Men- An Analysis
PARA 1: SPIRITUALITY
The empty straw in The Hollow Men, delineates the individual’s spiritually and emotionally void psyche. This notion is evident in the lines “We are the hollow men we are the stuffed men” the nihilistic tone and use of oxymoron depicts individuals as figures filled with straw; lacking substance and devoid of emotions or spiritual faith. Their lack of morality and individuality is further reinforced in the lines “We whisper… as wind in dry grass or rats feet over broken glass “ the auditory sound of wind is created through Eliot’s use of sibilance; wind symbolizes divinity, this is ironic as it juxtaposes their immorality and lack of spirituality. The vivid sordid images of decay also illustrates their emotionally devoid psyche and thus reinforces their lack of spirituality.
PARA 2: FUTILITY
The individual’s amoral psyche and inability to enter heaven further reinforces the futility of existence. This notion is evident in the lines,“Here we go round the prickly pear… here we go round the prickly pear at five o’clock in the morning” the allusion to the children’s song here we go round the mulberry bush creates the auditory image of the distorted chant of children. This sardonic and disturbing change in tone from the usually happy and jolly song mocks the futility of their situation as they are stuck fading from existence due to their lack of morals. Furthermore five o’clock alludes to the resurrection of Jesus Christ and symbolises redemption, this is ironic as they are spiritually and emotionally void and unable to attain absolution, thus reinforcing the futility of existence as they are left to fade out of being.
PARA 3: SPIRITUALITY, FUTILITY
Individuals in post WW1 society grew increasingly secular due to their loss of faith in a divine entity. The Hollow Men delineates this loss of spiritual faith to illustrate the futility of existence. This notion is evident in the lines “Under the twinkle of a fading star” the fading star is a biblical allusion to the star of Bethlehem and illustrates the individual’s fading spiritual faith; the transitory imagery parallels the state of the individual’s mind, it is in a state of both existence and non existence in a state of inertia trapped in a purgatory due to their amoral psyche, “For thine is the kingdom For thine is for thine is the” Biblical allusion to the Lord’s prayer and use of repetition and enjambment emulates pauses in the speech and their inability to finish prayer, this emphasises their spiritual inertia, they are unable to pray and are stuck in a paradox of “paralysed force” . thus the world ends due to lack of action “This is the way the world ends, not with a bang but with a whimper”. Their lack of morals and spiritual inertia emphasises the futility of existence as they make no impact on the world and pass into nothingness.
