IJFANS International Journal of Food and Nutritional Sciences

ISSN PRINT 2319 1775 Online 2320-7876

THE PROBLEM OF INTEGRATION IN THE PLAYS OF T.S. ELIOT

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Ajay Kumar Singh

Abstract

T.S. Eliot, a prominent figure of Modernism, grappled with the fractured nature of the modern experience in his works. This theme of fragmentation extends to his plays, where characters struggle with the problem of integration, the inability to unify various aspects of their lives and identities. Through a fractured world and characters yearning for wholeness, Eliot explores the anxieties of the modern individual. One key aspect of this struggle is the disintegration of the past and present. In "Murder in the Cathedral," Thomas Becket grapples with the conflict between his loyalty to the crown and his religious convictions. The past, embodied by the tradition of the church, clashes with the demands of the present king. Becket's inability to reconcile these forces leads to his martyrdom, highlighting the impossibility of forging a unified identity in a world of conflicting demands. Another facet of the integration problem lies in the dissociation of thought and feeling. Characters like Sweeney in "Sweeney Agonistes" exemplify this. He represents a world where intellectual pursuits are divorced from emotional connection. Sweeney's fragmented consciousness reflects the modern alienation from meaning and purpose. Similarly, in "The Family Reunion," Harry's introspection and anxieties fail to translate into concrete action, leaving him trapped in a cycle of guilt and despair. The plays also explore the difficulties of social integration.

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