What the Thunder said : The Benedictory close of The Waste Land

Abstract

Richard Bartholomew has very persuasively argued in an essay entitled 'The life theme and its treatment in Eliot's
poetry , that, "the three words spoken by the Thunder lead straight to the core of Eliot's poetry". Together they
represent "a compound idea, a philosophy really, that runs through all the poetry – poems as well as plays". These
three words occur in the fifth and final part of The Waste Land which has been characterized as the most compelling
and philosophical movement of the poem , for in this section Eliot shows to his readers the way of spiritual rebirth,
and his teachings are based on the hoary wisdom of India. Thus the poem does not merely reflect, 'the disillusionment
of a generation', it goes much deeper. It makes a promise and a prophecy which can redeem the modern Wasteland of
doubt and despair .Self control is unquestionably a trusted anchor in the otherwise raging sea of life. The sagacious
counsel of the great Aryan myth is applicable to the entire humanity for its range is universal .The message of the
Thunder has been given an excellent human touch as the Humans combine all the three properties- angelic, human and
demonic.