Whose are the different voices that you hear in The Waste Land? (MEG 102) (T.S. ELIOT: THE WASTE LAND)

"The Waste Land" by T.S. Eliot is a highly complex and fragmented poem that features a variety of different voices and perspectives. Here are some of the major voices that appear in the poem:


The narrator: The poem features a nameless narrator who offers a detached and objective perspective on the events and characters in the poem.


Tiresias: The blind prophet from Greek mythology appears in several sections of the poem, offering a perspective that is both detached and insightful.


The speaker in "The Burial of the Dead": This character is haunted by memories of the past and the loss of meaningful connections to tradition and community.


The woman in "A Game of Chess": This character is trapped in a loveless and unfulfilling relationship, and is consumed by feelings of emptiness and despair.


The sailors in "The Fire Sermon": These characters are consumed by lust and desire, and are presented as a symbol of the spiritual emptiness of modern society.


The speaker in "The Hollow Men": This character represents the spiritual emptiness and decay of modern society, and offers a bleak perspective on the state of the world.


Various literary and cultural allusions: The poem is filled with references to other literary works and cultural traditions, including Shakespeare, Dante, and the Bible. These allusions offer additional layers of meaning and perspective to the poem.


Taken together, these different voices and perspectives create a fragmented and multifaceted picture of modern society, highlighting the many different ways in which the world can be experienced and interpreted.