| Thomas Stearns Eliot is one of the most important representatives in the twentieth century literature, and he is the leader of the modernist poetry as well. The Waste Land, written by Eliot, is one of the most excellent works in western literature. Excellent interpretations about The Waste Land have been made by different critics. Recently, a group of feminist critics have reproached Eliot’s possible discrimination, hatred and neglecting of women. In fact, that is not the truth. Through analyzing the female images and Eliot’s views of women in The Waste Land, and from the ethical-literary perspective, this thesis reveals that even though Eliot really had a harsh view on immoral women, at the same time he showed great sympathy for those who were depressed by the cruel reality. This paper also discusses the formation of Eliot’s views of women from the historical and cultural context and Eliot’s personal experiences.The thesis points out Eliot have created, in The Waste Land, the female images who represented the degeneration of western society. Through the harsh description of the female figures, Eliot reveals the adverse effects of the alienated society on the women. By comparing the women in myth or history with those of modern time in terms of the female ethics, it is obvious to find the corruption of the society and the degeneration of women, which further illustrates the collapse of western civilization. Further more, by examining the text and Eliot’s personal experiences, this paper has traced the causes that contribute to the formation of Eliot’s views on women. |
