Teaching “The Waste Land”

“The Waste Land” by T.S. Elliot is one of the works, if taught in-detail, the student is subsequently exposed to a plethora of other literature, historical events, and the creation of literary movements. To elaborate, teaching an entire semester of a college-level course on “The Waste Land”, students will gain a better understanding of modernism (both British and American), historical events that inevitably dominated the 20th century, all while exhibiting the poems connection to different literature works; from the Bible, to The Tempest by William Shakespeare, and to A Glimpse into Chaos by Hermann Hesse. “The Waste Land” is densely pact with references and knowledge that is underrepresented to modern readers; therefore, teaching a class on solely based around this poem, students will advance their knowledge in literature, history, and analytical skills.

The literary movement that is modernism, became solidified and defined by “The Waste Land”; therefore, by reading and understanding this work aesthetically, students will ultimately be able to define literary modernism. Furthermore, reading excerpts of other literary works throughout history that Elliot is referencing in the poem, students will be able to see the juxtaposition between different literary movements compared to that of literary modernism. The juxtaposition of different literary movements to modernism is a hard connection to make if students do not have prior knowledge of other literary movements (e.g. romanticism and realism); therefore, this class would need to be taught as an upper division option and by having prerequisites that would support student success. Students should be able to leave the class with a better understanding of modernism compared to other literary movements, while further developing their own library of books they have read or at least have a deeper understanding about prior to the class.

“The Waste Land” as a class is valuable to gain the history of different literary movements, but it also grants its readers with historical events like the Great War and the lead up to World War II.  Elliot is writing this poem in the aftermath of WWI (in London) and modern readers may struggle with the understanding the significance of these events and how they affected the psyche and sentiments of the time. Thereby teaching “The Waste Land”, students better understand the sentiments and history of the early 20th century towards war and religion. Furthermore, by understanding the history of the time more fully and the sentiments it carried with people, the modernist movement comes to make sense as to why the traditonal way of things was rebuked by society. Students will understand how Western society (and subsequently the world) began to shift from a traditional religious mindset; this cultural shift ultimately helped lead to the sentiments of the present.

Teaching a class on “The Waste Land” can help students advance their knowledge on literature and history, which will only help improve their analytical and critical thinking skills. Making connections between literary movement and comparing them with modernism will increase their high-level thinking abilities. Furthermore, when analyzing history and viewing it from a 21st century perspective, students will be able to compare society’s current woes with that of the past and make logical reasoning for the future (i.e. so history will not repeat itself). Critically thinking about the issues of the past, will help students make better informed judgments for the future. Teaching “The Waste Land” is of great value from not only a literary and historical standpoint, but also from a critical thinking and analytical standpoint.