Haylee Wuensche
In The Waste Land, T.S. Eliot displays the dark and depraved qualities of humanity. These qualities are especially prevalent in “The Fire Sermon,” where society has fallen victim to sexual immorality and corruption. Due to this subject matter, scholars conclude that Eliot is pessimistic about the future of Western Civilization, but this point of view overlooks one of the core messages of the poem which is communicated through Eliot’s reference to Augustine at the end of “The Fire Sermon.” While “The Fire Sermon” appears to showcase and criticize the corrupt members of humanity, Eliot’s reference to Augustine hints at hope. Just as society was at its most morally and spiritually corrupt, so too was Augustine before his conversion. It was not until the saint pursued the truth through relentless study of both ancient and modern texts and scriptures that he was converted. This transformation from sinful to saved is what Eliot is trying to communicate through The Waste Land. Through his allusions to Augustine’s Confessions, Eliot illustrates how society is at a painful point in the search for moral and spiritual purity, but it is a necessary evil, and with Augustine as an example, achieving purity is possible.
Augustine’s conversion story in the Confessions is one of the most influential in history, influencing works such as The Waste Land. From Manichee to saint, Augustine’s conversion recounts the journey of one who is as far from moral and spiritual purity as possible, caught in his own sins and the sins of those around him to the pinnacle of spiritual health. His conversion was not a miraculous one, however. It was a trial by fire. Augustine had to suffer at the hands of his own sins before he could come to Christ. He had to study texts of philosophy and theology before he could claim himself to be a Christian. » Read More
https://theimaginativeconservative.org/2024/10/t-s-eliot-hope-beyond-waste-land-haylee-wuensche.html