What do you know about Eliot's 'Unreal City'? (MEG 102) (T.S. ELIOT: THE WASTE LAND (III)

"Unreal City" is a phrase that appears in the opening section of T.S. Eliot's poem, "The Waste Land," and it refers to the modern cityscape of London. The phrase comes from Dante's "Inferno," where it is used to describe the city of Dis, and Eliot borrows it to convey a sense of dislocation, fragmentation, and spiritual decay in modern urban life.

In "The Waste Land," the city of London is depicted as a place of darkness, decay, and spiritual emptiness. The streets are filled with "unreal" characters, such as the "hyacinth girl," who are disconnected from their surroundings and from each other. The Thames river, which flows through the city, is described as "brown fog," symbolizing the pollution and decay of modern urban life.

The phrase "Unreal City" has become a shorthand for Eliot's vision of modernity, and it has been used to describe the sense of dislocation and fragmentation that many people feel in the modern world. It has also been interpreted as a commentary on the dehumanizing effects of urbanization and industrialization, which can lead to a sense of alienation and disconnection from the natural world.

Overall, the phrase "Unreal City" is a powerful symbol of T.S. Eliot's vision of modern urban life, conveying a sense of darkness, decay, and spiritual emptiness in the midst of a rapidly changing and increasingly complex world.