What follows is a general summary of the form of each of these five ‘movements’ (abridged from Gardner): Gardner suggests we see each of the five sections of the poems as ‘movements’, continuing the musical theme. Indeed, all four are remarkably similar, demonstrating that Eliot was working to a pattern, or framework. With this call to attend to the form of the poems in mind, let us consider the structure of each of the Four Quartets.
(We opt for summary and analysis in our four follow-up posts.) Chiefly, though, Gardner advises us to study and analyse the form of the poems, to listen for the rhythms and cadences – not to get bogged down with what Eliot ‘means’ at a certain point. Gardner also argues that Four Quartets is poetry that it is impossible to paraphrase. Helen Gardner, who considered Four Quartets to be Eliot’s masterpiece, summarises the poems and elaborates on this idea of them being meditations on the theme of time, in her (highly recommended) book on Eliot, The Art of T.S. This relates not only to Eliot personally but also to Britain as a nation: when ‘Little Gidding’ was published in October 1942, there was a feeling that, following the Battle of El-Alamein, the worst part of the war may be over and a turning-point may have been reached.Īlthough there are four poems comprising Four Quartets, each of these four poems comprises five sections. It is fitting that the final poem in the sequence ends with fire as its thematic element: the fire serves as a Dantean symbol for purgation and renewal. They can also be analysed as roughly corresponding to the four seasons, starting with spring in ‘Burnt Norton’ and running through to winter in ‘Little Gidding’.
But also note the formal similarities between the four poems.Įach is linked thematically, in that each of them roughly corresponds to one of the four classical elements: air (‘Burnt Norton’) earth (‘East Coker’) water (‘The Dry Salvages’) and fire (‘Little Gidding’). ‘Little Gidding’ was very clearly written as a poem that would bring together the themes and mood of the previous three poems. And Four Quartets does fit together remarkably effectively as a sequence of poems. He now had two poems he could slot into a sequence, what would become Four Quartets. ‘East Coker’ convinced Eliot that he could still write poetry, and despite his remark downplaying the poem’s merits owing to its popularity, he was clearly proud of it.
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