Q: How does Eliot reconcile the complexities of faith and doubt in “Ash Wednesday”?
“Ash Wednesday” is a long poem written by Thomas Stearns Eliot OM (1888 – 1965) during his 1927 conversion to Anglicanism. Published in 1930, it was often referred to as Eliot’s “conversion poem” with a base of Dante’s “Purgatorio.” The poem reflects on the human condition, the search for meaning, and the struggle for spiritual fulfillment. According to David Rampton, “…Quilty’s versified death sentence is, in part, a comic version of ‘Ash Wednesday.” Through its rich symbolism and imagery, the poem invites readers to contemplate the journey of the soul towards divine grace and salvation.
Additionally, the poem “Ash Wednesday” consists of six sections with varying length. Moreover, the parts I, II, and III were published separately in the years prior to the entire six-part of the poem. It has no rhyme scheme. It is preceded by Shrove Tuesday, and marks the First day of Lent, the six weeks of penitence before Easter. “Ash Wednesday” is observed by numerous denominations within the Western Christianity. It was marked by a Lenten calendar which is praying a Lenten daily devotional, and makes a Lenten sacrifice that they will not partake until the arrival of Eastertide. In accordance with Chris Marker, “Because I know that time is always time and place is always and only place” from “Ash Wednesday” as the epitaph to the English version of his film, Sans Soleil.
The poem opens with a sense of desolation and longing, as the speaker wrestles with inner turmoil and the need for spiritual cleansing: “Because I do not hope to turn again / Because I do not hope / Because I do not hope to turn.” Here, Eliot captures the essence of human frailty and the yearning for transcendence which is setting the tone for a journey of introspection and transformation.
As the poem progresses, Eliot employs religious symbolism to convey the process of spiritual renewal. The imagery, “ashes” is a recurring motif throughout the poem. It symbolizes both mortality and the potential for rebirth: “Lady, three white leopards sat under a juniper-tree / In the cool of the day, having fed to satiety / On my legs my heart my liver and that which had been contained.” Here, the ashes represent the remnants of past failures and sins, yet also serve as a catalyst for spiritual growth and renewal.
Amidst the contemplation of human frailty and the longing for redemption, Eliot weaves elements of Christian Theology into the fabric of the poem. References to scripture and religious rituals evoke a sense of reverence and solemnity, as the speaker seeks solace and guidance in the divine: “Suffer us not to mock ourselves with falsehood / Teach us to care and not to care / Teach us to sit still.” Through prayer and repentance, the speaker grapples with the complexities of faith and doubt, yearning for a deeper connection with the divine.
In the final stanza of the poem, Eliot offers glimpses of hope and transcendence, as the speaker strives towards spiritual enlightenment: “Though I do not hope to turn again / Though I do not hope / Though I do not hope to turn.” Here, Eliot captures the paradox of human existence and the tension between despair and redemption, as the speaker confronts the limitations of earthly existence while reaching towards the eternal. In “Ash Wednesday,” Eliot invites readers on a profound journey of introspection and spiritual awakening. It is exploring the depths of the human soul in its quest for divine grace and salvation.
Throughout the poem, it is a complex and deeply philosophical poem that explores themes of spiritual journey, redemption, and the search for meaning in a fragmented modern world. Eliot’s poem is the journey to spiritual salvation, specifically in the context of Anglicanism. Eliot reflects on the passage of time and its relationship to eternity. Edwin Muir maintained that “Ash-Wednesday’ is one of the most moving poems he [Eliot] has written, and perhaps the most perfect.” Eliot grapples with the existential questions about the meaning of life, the nature of reality, and the human condition. The poem explores feelings of Alienation and Estrangement, both from oneself and from God.
In conclusion, Eliot’s conversion poem, “Ash Wednesday” explores the tension between the temporal world and the eternal realm. The speaker desires to be ever connected to the purifying “spirit of the river”, and hopes his cry for help will reach God that leading to spiritual renewal. This likely refers to Jesus Christ who is referred to as, “The Word” in the Gospel of John (John 1:1). The poem’s imagery of dryness and desolation echoes the passages in the Bible like Ezekiel 37:1-14, where the prophet Ezekiel sees a valley filled with dry bones that are brought back to life by God’s word. Vladimir Nabokov parodied, “Ash Wednesday” with his novel “Lolita”. In chapter 35 of part two of Nabokov’s book, Humbert’s “death sentence” on Quilty that parodies the rhythm and use anaphora in T. S. Eliot’s poem
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