T. S. Eliot: A Modernist Poet and Critic
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T. S. Eliot (1888-1965) was a renowned poet, playwright, and literary critic who held dual citizenship of the U.K. and America. His poetry represented a departure from romanticism and embraced modernist expressions, questioning traditional values and norms while displaying a sense of cynicism. "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" Eliot's poem "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" (1915) portrays a sense of decay and embodies one of the major philosophical traits of modernism. The protagonist, Prufrock, symbolizes physical and intellectual impotency, making him an anti-hero. Insecurities about his appearance and spiritual pretensions add complexity to his character. The poem also mocks Prufrock's misplaced sense of pride when he compares himself to the vast universe. "Hollow Men" "Hollow Men" (1925) reflects the hollowness and ignominy of life that seems irrevocable. The poem depicts an uneventful existence where people find no deliverance f…