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Analysis and comments on Hysteria by T.S. Eliot

Comment 2 of 2, added on April 5th, 2007 at 4:03 PM.

As a "Traditional Modernist" Eliot thinks that "gender" is a mission given
by society.but it is appearrant in the poem that the persona (in fact
Eliot's himself) does not feel himself as a man.But he organizes a meeting
with a lady but the the hesitation and anxiety overwhelms on him.At every
opening of the lady's mouth he likens it darkened images.And when a waiter
comes he spreads pink clothes for the woman nad the white one for the
man.This makes him more disturbed and cannot concantrate on anything but he
thinks that such trivial things can make his concantration better.

ebru from Turkey
Comment 1 of 2, added on October 18th, 2005 at 6:10 PM.

This poem is loaded. The way Eliot addresses women is a direct reflection
of the society which he is a product of. Women overwhelm Eliot, the speaker
is being "involved", "drawn in", "lost" and finally "bruised" by the woman.
It objectifies women and makes them responsible for the actions of men
under their spell. This objectification is seen again at the poems
conclusion in the discussion of the "shaking breasts." The woman is being
described only by her seemingly nonsense laughter (the reader has no idea
why she is laughing) and her body (her teeth and her breasts). Further the
more the title of the poem is loaded. It is a direct reference to Freud's
theories of hysteria. Yet in many ways this poem is a love poem. The
ambiguity of the author is what makes the analysis so complex.

Cary from United States



Information about Hysteria

Poet: T.S. Eliot
Poem: 10. Hysteria
Volume: Prufrock and Other Observations
Year: 1917
Added: Jan 31 2004
Viewed: 5179 times


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