Warning: Use of undefined constant referer - assumed 'referer' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /usr/home/essaywo/public_html/essays on line 102

Warning: Use of undefined constant host - assumed 'host' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /usr/home/essaywo/public_html/essays on line 105

Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /usr/home/essaywo/public_html/essays:102) in /usr/home/essaywo/public_html/essays on line 106

Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /usr/home/essaywo/public_html/essays:102) in /usr/home/essaywo/public_html/essays on line 109
The Hollow Men - Online Term Paper

The Hollow Men

The Theme of Emptiness in “”
“,” a poem written by T.S. Eliot shows the narrators disgust and his faithless attitude toward all mankind. He refers to the human race as being “hollow,” (1) and having a “headpiece filled with straw,” (4) which creates the feeling and theme of emptiness. Eliot also uses allusions, symbols, and repetition as powerful, and depressing poetic devices to make mankind seem hollow.
The theme of emptiness is clearly visible throughout the poem, and it begins in the title. “” refers to mankind being empty, and that there is no meaning to their life, and no purpose for to go on. IN the first section of the poem, the second stanza states “Shape without form, shade ...

Want to read the rest of this paper?
Join Essayworld today to view this entire essay
and over 50,000 other term papers

off. This example of emptiness is expressed in the very last stanza of the poem, “This is the way the world ends This is the way the world ends This is the way the world ends Not with a bang, but a whimper.”
“” starts out with two allusions, the first being “Mistah Kurtz-he dead,” which alludes to a quotation from Joseph Conrad’s novel The Heart of Darkness. In the novel, Mr. Kurtz travels to the African jungle and realizes that he cannot handle the uncivilized society of Africa, and becomes depressed and emotionally devolved. Mr. Kurtz was hollow due to no moral or spiritual strength, however he was not one of , but is one of the “lost/Violent souls.” (15) The second allusion is “A penny for the Old Guy,” which alludes to Guy Fawkes Day. On this day, children would build straw-filled effigies of the “guy,” and beg for pennies for fireworks. In the first stanza, the imagery used to create the setting is the repetition of the word “dry.” (5, 8, 10) The narrator of the poem ...

Get instant access to over 50,000 essays.
Write better papers. Get better grades.

Already a member? Login

CITE THIS PAGE:

APA
MLA
Chicago
Turabian

The Hollow Men. (2005, May 19). Retrieved December 23, 2024, from http://www.essayworld.com/essays/The-Hollow-Men/27126

"The Hollow Men." Essayworld.com. Essayworld.com, 19 May. 2005. Web. 23 Dec. 2024. <http://www.essayworld.com/essays/The-Hollow-Men/27126>

"The Hollow Men." Essayworld.com. May 19, 2005. Accessed December 23, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/The-Hollow-Men/27126.

JOIN NOW

Join today and get instant access to this and 50,000+ other essays

PAPER DETAILS

Added: 5/19/2005 07:04:08 AM
Category: English
Type: Free Paper
Words: 475
Pages: 2

Save |

Report

SHARE THIS PAPER

SAVED ESSAYS

Save and find your favorite essays easier