Ash Wednesday (Magill Book Reviews)
At a glance:
- Author: T. S. Eliot
- First Published: 1930
- Type of Work: Confessional Poetry
- Genres: Poetry
- Subjects: Intellectuals
This is a poem of penitence, near despair, and hope. Its title derives from the first day of Lent, Ash Wednesday, during which a sign of the cross is made on the forehead of the penitent, a reminder of transitoriness and sinfulness.
“Ash Wednesday,” Eliot’s first major poem written after his conversion to Christianity, focuses more on struggle and doubt than on belief. Eliot does not doubt God, rather his own ability to respond to Him.
The poem begins with a nearly despairing awareness of weakness and a very unmodern sense of personal sin. Consistent with his high...
[The entire page is 609 words long]
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