The Waste Land (A Game of Chess) - T.S. Eliot

[whiffleninny]

Do I detect the slight american twang coming through from line 155? Interesting relationship there

[rosalynrachel76]

@whiffleninny Elliot was American, he grew up in missouri

[RussMoxham]

Just saw the thumbnail there at the side while watching another clip. 'The Wasteland' with THAT photo from the First World War. Good work.

[kiliop]

Goonight Bill. Goonight Lou. Goonight May. Goonight.

Ta ta. Goonight. Goonight.

Good night, ladies, good night, sweet ladies, good night, good night.

What is the meaning of these lines???

[t1racyjacks]

reference to hamlet, Act III, said by Ophelia before she commits suicide ---

OPHELIA

I hope all will be well. We must be patient: but I

/cannot choose but weep, to think they should lay him/ i' the cold ground. My brother shall know of it:/ and so I thank you for your good counsel. Come, my/ coach! Good night, ladies; good night, sweet ladies;/ good night, good night.

[wcjones451]

he is also imitating a low class dialog in a bar or pub...that explains many of the strange lines in this section

[karlissocool]

It's a series of good-byes in relation to the characters in the poem.

The "Good night, ladies, good night, sweet ladies, good night, good night." line perhaps revokes the poets thought upon the situation, it shows a sort of emptiness too, whilst in a contradictory fashion, echoes a deeper meaning into Eliot's thoughts.

[AndreaMariana92]

Its Ophelia's last words in Shakespeare's Hamlet. It implies female suicide, as in the beginning of the poem when Eliot paraphrases Antony and Cleopatra who also kills herself. When the woman sitting by herself starts asking out loud "Why do you never speak?" she is talking to an nonexistent god who doesnt answer and will eventually kill herself after finding no relief- "would be savagely still". All women are one. Eliot criticizes modern sex for it brings no regeneration to the land or mankind.

[ciantisdall]

it's..a..reference..to..hamlet­..when..ophelia..says..goodnig­ht..to..everyone..before..goin­g..to.commit..suicide..

'goodnight..sweet..ladies'..is­..a.direct..quote

[Krahl123]

O, O, O, O that Shakespearian rag!

[3bigbass]

This is by far my favourite poem but he reads it so badly

[Arrygoo]

tell me about it !

[nnnikki88]

Thank you ever so much for posting this. Eliot is the master of recreating the mystery of human psyche. He brings to life vital human thoughts and shares them with us as forms of actual experiences. I adore him. Thanks again

[tndowns1122]

Is this a modern take on Enobarbus?

[foxofthechidori]

....i was looking for a game but this is very intriguing

[quagapp]

But I don't say that the the relationship with his first wife was irrelevant. But it's maybe hidden and is a part of the poet's total "experience" (of life & reading, both are life) informing his work.

But I might be completely wrong.

It is a great poem in any case - I think. With many allusions and also contrasting dramatic passages contrasting with others.

"You ARE a proper fool" is from Laforgue's satirical rewrite of Hamlet "Moral Tales".  The last line is Ophelia (mad) in Hamlet.

[quagapp]

That "change" is part of a huge thing he wrote called "He do the police in several voices." His wife at that time had little influence, in fact Eliot himself had a nerve breakdown post or pre a trip to Europe. The film Viv & Tom was gd. but confused people who had not really studied Eliot's poetry deeply. The main influence at that time ( & Laforgue and etc) was Pound who deleted the "pub dialogue" up to "April is the cruelest month.." the month echoes the start of the Canterbury Tales...

[MoonbeamDreamer]

Notice how his voice changes, becomes quicker and more agitated, around line 111 ("'My nerves are bad tonight.'"). A lot of people attribute these lines to a person much like Vivien Eliot, his first wife, who was often ill and of a nervous disposition.

Sorry if anyone doesn't believe in indulging the biographical fallacy. Sometimes it has its place. :)

[RuthAstoria]

Thank you so much for posting this!

[stephaniehey]

is that eliot himself reading the poem?

[PedroAlonsoLopez]

Yes indeed it is.