Download Eliot Changes Style "Portrait of a Lady"

Undergraduate Review
Volume 3 | Issue 1
Article 6
1989
Early and Late: Eliot Changes Style "Portrait of a
Lady" and "Hollow Men"
Shena Salzmann '89
Illinois Wesleyan University
Recommended Citation
Salzmann '89, Shena (1989) "Early and Late: Eliot Changes Style "Portrait of a Lady" and "Hollow Men"," Undergraduate
Review: Vol. 3: Iss. 1, Article 6.
Available at: http://digitalcommons.iwu.edu/rev/vol3/iss1/6
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Salzmann '89: Early and Late: Eliot Changes Style "Portrait of a Lady" and "Ho
Early and Late: Eliot Changes Style
IIPortrait of a Lady"
and IIHollow Men"
SlienaSalzmann
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Undergraduate Review, Vol. 3, Iss. 1 [1989], Art. 6
In comparing T. S
ences appear in terms of I
"Portrait of a Lady" from
his first published works.
those intervening years a
social situatio
have
packed, conversational \\
trolled incantatory rhytlu
''Portrait of a Lad
personalities, presents us
world. However, as "POI
composite picture of the Ii
reality that the artist cllool
tor, and indeed, it i the m
of the woman and gives u!
is demonstrated best bythJ
as opposed to a sustained I
in the "smoke and fog of
section, the '1ilacs are il
"October night" returns iJ
we find that thi portrait
feelings and view of then:
The tum away frc
pronounced in '
e Ho .
poses some frame of orde
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"Incantatory Rhythms·
by Todd Redmond
2
The speakerisquite impel
Salzmann '89: Early and Late: Eliot Changes Style "Portrait of a Lady" and "Ho
In comparing T. S. Eliot's early poetry to his later work, differ­
ences appear in terms of his style and approach to the subject matter.
''Portrait ofa Lady" from Prufrock and other Observations, 1917, is one of
his first published works. 'The Hollow Men" was written in 1925. In
those intervening years a difference in style emerges: the images of
social situationshave changed into issuesofsociety'sdecay; the densely
packed., conversational word choices have evolved. into highly con­
trolled. incantatory rhythms of repetition.
''Portrait of a Lady," like many of Eliot's early poems of social
personalities, presents us with images of an individual in her little
world. However, as ''Portrait'' implies, the poem is not a complete
composite picture of the lady; instead it includes only the elements of
reality that the artist chooses to portray. The title also implies a specta­
tor, and indeed, it is the man-the spectator-who interprets our view
of the woman and gives us moments from his limited perspective. This
isdemonstrated best by the fact that we onlygeta fragmented discourse
as opposed to a sustained narrative. The first section of the poem begins
in the "smoke and fog of a December afternoon," but by the second
section, the '1ilacs are in bloom." Another season passes and the
"October night" returns in section three. However, by the poem's end,
we find that this portrait becomes more of a description of the man's
feelings and view of their failing relationship.
The turn away from narrative, albeit a fragmented one, is quite
pronounced in 'The Hollow Men." The division of five sections im­
poses some frame of order on the chaos of the "Shape without form."
The speakerisquite impersonal: we are not given physical details about
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Undergraduate Review, Vol. 3, Iss. 1 [1989], Art. 6
him. The ambiguous language of "death's dream kingdom"-which
"solemn." This poem hi
could be referring to life or heaven-and "death's other kingdom"­
rhythms and repetitions.
which may actually be death-makes interpretation of the speaker's
children's songs with his
thoughts difficult. However, without having the speaker wondering if
ing music. Section five
he would "have the right to smile" if someone died, Eliot gives us a
mulberry bush" to "Here
totally different poem which also concerns itself with a falling, with the
transforms that innocent
fear of the inevitability of death. In this respect, there are certain
foreboding premonition I
parallels between the two. The title and epigraph, besides pointing to
this prophecy of destructi
the themes of death, also refer to the failure of morality.
"priCkly pear" song and E
c
The theme of music runs throughout both poems. In ''Portrait
This is U
This is th
This is the
Not with ,
of a Lady" it becomes one of the factors ofcohesion. Section one begins
I
I
with cynical references to "thelatest Pole" who transmits "the Preludes,
through his hair and finger-tips." The conversation of the piano concert
of Chopin, "so intimate," "slips" to "attenuated tones of violins" and
''Between the," ''For 1
"remote cornets" as the lady speaks. When the narrative returns to the
peated several times in sec
more cynical voice of the man, thesebeautiful, careful sounds have been
liturgy. Eliot uses the 'e'
transmuted to directionless "windings of the violins" and "cracked
tween,"
cornets." These negative qualities continueas he describes his thoughts
this.
in the musical metaphors of a "dull tom-tom," "Absurdly hammering
'The Hollow Mel
a prelude," "Capricious monotone," and "false note." In the third
dent. The ''hollow:' "stuff.
stanza ofsection two, the woman's voice has the grating, "out-of-tune,"
voices. Their trembling '1i
"insistent" quality of a "broken violin." Eliot repeats "always sure,"
life-giving blessings. Thei.
"feelings," "always sure," "feel" and "sure" to portray this whining
"broken." They "grope to
insistence. Even the "street piano," like the man's self-confidence, is
"avoid speech." Not only I
"mechanical and tired;" .no longer original, it can only repeat "some
shadow falls between thea
worn-out common song." In section three, the music of their relation­
of the concrete reality and
Even the impulse to cc
ship stops: appropriately, it ends with a "dying fall."
section:
Eliot also uses music, but more as a structural device, in liThe
Hollow Men." The wind sings, but the music it makes is "distant" and
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_......
"id~," "r~ality," .
4
T
I,
th's dream kingdom"-which
d "death's other kingdom"­
nterpretation of the speaker's
lving the speaker wondering if
omeone died, Eliot gives us a
nsitself with a failing, with the
:his respect, there are certain
Iepigraph, besides pointing to
"solemn." This poem becomes almost like an incantation with its
rhythms and repetitions. By combining pieces of familiar prayers and
children's songs with his own provoking verse, Eliot creates frighten­
ing music. Section five changes the familiar "Here we go round the
mulberry bush" to "Here we go round the prickly pear" and in doing so
transforms that innocent chanted circle game from childhood into a
foreboding premonition of dryness and death. The last stanza fulfills
this prophecy of destruction by taking nearly the same rhythms of the
"prickly pear" song and ending the world:
ilme of morality.
~out both poems. In
Salzmann '89: Early and Late: Eliot Changes Style "Portrait of a Lady" and "Ho
"Portrait
This is the way the world ends
This is the way the world ends
This is the way the world ends
Not with a bang but a whimper,
t)f cohesion. Section one begins
t' who transmits "thePreludes,
Inversation of the piano concert
''Between the," ''For Thine is" and ''Falls the Shadow" are all re­
:tenuated tones of violins" and
hen the narrative returns to the
lltiful,eareful sounds have been
J
of the violins" and "cracked
nue as he describes his thoughts
peated several times in section five to create a sense ofa droning church
liturgy. Eliot uses the 'e' sound to further this insistent sound: "Be­
tween"
, " and
_ , "'d
l~,""r~al'ty""
1 ,
~ation,
"r~sponse" all
contribute to
this.
n-tom," "Absurdly hammering
''The Hollow Men" makes the failure of language quite evi­
II1\d "false note." In the third
dent. The "hollow," "stuffed," "straw-filled" men have "meaningless"
ehasthe grating, "out~f-tune,"
voices. Their trembling "lips that would kiss/ Form prayers" but not
.." Eliot repeats "always sure,"
life-giving blessings. Their prayers are ones to tombstones which are
"sure" to portray this whining
''broken.'' They "grope together" but a ''broken jaw" allows them to
:e the man's self-confidence, is
"avoid speech." Not only speech but all forms of action break down. A
~, it
can only repeat "some
iI'ee, the music of their relation­
a "dying fall."
!
as a structural device, in ''The
music it makes is "distant" and
shadowfalls between the abstract ideasand emotions and the execution
of the concrete reality and responses.
Even the impulse to communicate through prayer is lost in the last
section:
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Undergraduate Review, Vol. 3, Iss. 1 [1989], Art. 6
enough for his repressed.
For Thine is
channel it: he can, "Cry lilCl
Life is
he becomes doubtfulaboul
For Thine is the
is left "sitting pen in hand'
'The lines just die away and as the poem ends, the world ends--in
how to act because she stil
a pitiful whimper.
To convey all of I
likewise, the ability to communicate honestly does not appear
concrete, realistic images
to be a reality in "Portrait of a Lady." The poem begins in a contrived,
between the ladyand man.
arranged scene. Realizing that the opening scene has been ''Prepared
and the newspaper togethE
for all the things to be said, or lett unsaid," the reader immediately
reality of their society. In •
becomes aware that the poem operates on at least the two levels of the
images with abstract lines
spoken and unspoken, external and internal. 'The lady and man trade
cellar" differs from "Shal
roles ofspeakerand listener in the first section between stanzas, sharing
Paralysed force, gesturewil
the responsibility of the undeveloped friendship. In section two, the
a comprehensible, underst
lady infonns the man that he has no weakness, "no Achilles' heel," and
rons. However, theimagesl
that this will enable him to say when he prevails that "at this pointmany
in the 1920's in the way tN
a one has failed." He just wants to take his hat and leave. From this we
Eliot uses images 0
can assume that words function differently for the two of them: these
In 'The Hollow Men," the
words will not provide him with action, but this may be all that is
suggestvas~,but~!
appropriate for the woman. In her passivity of serving tea to friends at
stands "a tree swinging"an
home, the ability to say something may be all the action which she feels
land." In "Portrait" the
is required.
Sheis able to use her words as effective weapons to cut through
go outside--outside of th
his self-possession. In section three, she says "Perhaps you can write to
me" and then later insists, ''You will write, at any rate." In doing so, the
selves in the falseness of a
woman ties the man to her through this communication, and his "self­
bocks." He suggests they
possession gutters." We find that she is not dependent on his answers
Mer she wails to him tha
and at her "when do you return?" she doesn't even allow time for his
friends," we next find hi
reply. For his mode of expression, this passive communication is not
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brae." He is outside again,
Salzmann '89: Early and Late: Eliot Changes Style "Portrait of a Lady" and "Ho
enough for his repressed energy. However, he is not sure how to
channel it: he can, "Cry like a parrot, chatter like an ape," but at the end,
he becomes doubtful about hischoices. If he does what she requests and
is left "sitting pen in hand" when she dies he realizes he will not know
oem ends, the world ends-in
how to act because she still has control over him
To convey all of his messages of fear and failure, Eliot uses
icate honestly does not appear
concrete, realistic images to describe the relationship of obligation
te poem begins in a contrived,
between the ladyand man. The images of musical instruments, flowers,
dng scene has been "Prepared
and the newspaper together shape the situation in terms of the external
llIid," the reader imme<liately
reality of their society. In "The Hollow Men" Eliot combines concrete
I)n at least the two levels of the
images with abstract lines: "rats' feet over broken glass / In our dry
emal. The lady and man trade
cellar" differs from "Shape without form, shade without colour, /
!dion between stanzas, sharing
Paralysed force, gesture without motion." The former section describes
friendship. In section two, the
a comprehensible, understandable scene; the latter lines are oxymo­
lkness, "no Achilles' heel," and
rons. However, the imagesof ''The Hollow Men" do not link us with life
lI'eVails that "at this point many
in the 1920's in the way that those of "Portrait" do.
Ids hat and leave. From this we
Eliot uses images of outdoors and open spaces in both poems.
ntly for the two of them: these
In ''"The Hollow Men," the ''hollow valley" and various ''kingdoms''
but this may be all that is
suggest vastness,but these spaces arebarrenand void ofcomfort. There
ivity of serving tea to friends at
stands"a tree swinging" and "a fading star" dimly shines in this "cactus
be all the action which she feels
land." In "Portrait" the man's need for external stimulation manifests
1)1\,
itself in his desire to escape the reality of their failing relationship and
ffectiveweapons to cut through
go outside--outside of the confines of the scene which "arrange[d]
says "Perhaps you can write to
itself" as he wryly described it. There, they can further delude them­
lte,atanyrate." In doing so, the
selves in the falseness of a "tobacco trance" while they "drink [their]
I oommunication, and
his "self­
bocks." He suggests they "take the air" to "Discuss the late events."
,not dependent on his answers
After she wails to him that she is resigned to "sit here, serving tea to
doesn't even allow time for his
friends," we next find him away from her stuffy place full of "bric-'a­
,passive communication is not
brac." He is outside again, in the park this time, reading about foreign
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Undergraduate Review, Vol. 3, Iss. 1 [1989], Art. 6
affairs. When he has to return to her, in section three, he mounts the
diminutive in this later
stairs "ill at ease" and shows his unwillingness to confront his anxieties
abstracted but the specb
as the speaker of "The Hollow Men" also fears a similar confrontation
"powerto communicate b
with his death.
Men" more than ''Pom
The imagery of death pervades both poems. In "Portrait of a
within our souls.
Lady" the epigraph connects us with the deaths of a whole convent of
women. The "atmosphere of Juliet's tomb" ties this poem to the tragic
misunderstanding and death found in "the tradition" of Shakespeare;
in the external world, a "Greek was murdered;" the lady speaks of a
''buried'' history and alludes to her own death since she is one "about
to meet her journey's end." When the young man thinks of her dead, it
is at the end when he wonders how an outcome like that would affect
him. However, the central death of "Portrait" is that of the faltering
relationship between the two.
In "The Hollow Men" death is the dominant issue. Everything
is structured around death. The speaker wonders about ''Death's other
Kingdom," "death's dream kingdom," and "death's twilight king­
dom." "Rats," "crowskin," Ita dead man's hand," and "fading" are all
used as allusions to death. The "hollow valley" of section four is filled
with the "Shadow" of death in section five to invoke the image of Psalm
23 which becomes twisted: the speaker does fear evil and God may not
be with him. Theseparatelinesofitalicized words makes the last section
murmur like a Catholic funeral service.
Betweenthe two poems,comparisons may be drawn in the way
Eliot looks at life. Eliot takes a social situationand weavesa poemof two
individuals strugglingin a faltering relationship to create a "Portrait of
a Lady." In "The Hollow Men," the words Eliot chooses to use take on
an even more vital role in the structure of the poem. The rhythms have
progressed to incantatory invocations, and the social relations are
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Salzmann '89: Early and Late: Eliot Changes Style "Portrait of a Lady" and "Ho
\ section three, he mounts the
diminutive in this later poem. The concrete images have become
\gness to confront his anxieties
abstracted but the specter of death remains. Both poems have the
10 fears a similar confrontation
"powerto communicatebefore we understand them," but "The Hollow
Men" more than ''Portrait of a Lady" reverberates its message deep
I both poems.
In ''Portrait of a
within our souls.
e deaths of a whole convent of
nb" ties this poem to the tragic
'the tradition" of Shakespeare;
urderedf' the lady speaks of a
[l
death since she is one "about
)ung man thinks of her dead, it
outcome like that would affect
'ortrait" is that of the faltering
the dominant issue. Everything
r wonders about ''Death's other
," and "death's twilight king­
n's hand," and "fading" are all
r valley" of section four is filled
lve to invoke the image ofPsalm
does fear evil and God may not
~ words makes the last section
!.
uisonsmaybedrawn in the way
I8tionand weaves a poemof two
ationship to create a ''Portrait of
.rds Eliot chooses to use take on
of the poem. The rhythms have
s, and the social relations are
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