Abstract
There are two recordings of T.S. Eliot reading The Waste Land in existence today, one made in 1946 for the Library of Congress, and another from 1935, recorded at Columbia University. The later 1946 recording, being the only one published, is by far the more well known. The 1935 recording is of much inferior sound quality and is difficult to find. The younger Eliot recites at times with greater energy, a quicker tempo, and with markedly different phrasing and intonation. However, quite often Eliot’s recitation is nearly indistinguishable between the two recordings. The specific moments of difference reveal a great deal about how T.S. Eliot's attitude towards his poem changed in the eleven years between the recordings.
Recommended Citation
Chambers, Luke J.
(2015)
"The Peace of The Waste Land and Understanding Eliot’s Two Readings,"
The Hilltop Review: Vol. 7:
Iss.
2, Article 9.
Available at:
https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/hilltopreview/vol7/iss2/9
Chambers, Eliot Essay, Title Page.docx
Included in
Literature in English, British Isles Commons, Literature in English, North America Commons
