Unfolding Critical Insights in Eliot’s The Hollow Men: A Discourse Analysis

Abstract

This study aims to analyze poetry as discourse, unfolding the critical insights of the poem The Hollow Men by Eliot (1925) in the light of two different discourse perspectives: Nonaka’s (1995) knowledge creation theory and SECI model, and Latour’s (2005) actor network theory (ANT). It also focuses on exploring strategies used by the poet to bring universality of the poem. Further, the study aims to justify the claim about the selected poem’s being the reflection of the reality of today’s world. The findings of the study reveals the reality of the modern world, capturing spiritual absence, moral decay, and existential crises. The poem serves as a mediator of knowledge, creating and sharing meanings through social and individual experiences. It provides insights into the human condition and modern existence, highlighting its relevance and relatability to modern existential and spiritual ambiguities. The findings, moreover, demonstrate how the poem's themes and symbolism offer a profound commentary on the human experience, shedding light on the complexities of modern life. This study has its implications for those willing to know about the creation of knowledge and meaning in the field of literature, linguistics, and philosophy.  However, this study recommends the researchers to explore the poem from various other approaches in linguistics such as semantics, pragmatics, and syntax and bring into focus other themes.