T.S.

Eliot
1888 - 1953

Bibliography Early Years

On September 26, 1888, Thomas Stearns Eliot was born in Missouri to Henry Ware Eliot and Charlotte Champe Stearns.

In June of 1915, Eliot married Vivienne HaighWood, but separated in 1933. Remarried to Esm Valerie Fletcher, in 1953.

Bibliography Later Years

He attended Harvard University and left with a masters and undergraduate degrees. Later, he returned to receive a doctorate degree in philosophy.

In 1965, Eliot died in London, England at the age of 77 of emphysema.

Literary Career

Eliots professions included a poet, critic, and editor. The Waste Land, is said to be the single most influential poetic work of the twentieth century.

After 1930, Eliot became to be viewed to many people as the most dominant figure in poetry and literary criticism in the English-speaking world.

Literary Influences

While attending Harvard, Eliot discovered Arthur Symonss The Symbolist Movement in Literature. In this, he found the poetic works of Jules Laforgue. After reading his works, Eliot became inspired. In London he met contemporary Ezra Pound, who recognized his poetic genius at once and became a major influence on Eliot.

Main Works

Poetry:

The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock (1915) The Waste Land (1922) The Hollow Men (1925) Ash Wednesday (1927) Four Quartets

Plays Murder in the cathedral The Elder Statesman Essays Tradition and the Individual Talent After Strange

Awards and Recognitions

Eliot received the:

Hanseatic Gothe Prize in 1954 Nobel Prize for Literature in 1948 Order of Merit in January 1948 Dante Gold Medal in 1959

Eliot was recognized as an Officier de la Legion dHonneur

Literary Criticism

Eliot's poetry was first criticized as not being poetry at all. Widespread use of quotations from other authors into Eliots own work. Originality of writing/Plagiarism.

Works Cited

Wikipedia. "T. S. Eliot." 16 Oct. 2001. Wikipedia. MediaWiki. 24 Mar. 2009 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T._S._Eliot>. "T. S. Eliot." 1997. Academy of American Poets. 24 Mar. 2009 <http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/1 8>.