Note on Eliot's Concept of Tradition and Theory of Impersonality of Poetry

Eliot discusses the concept of tradition and the theory of impersonality of poetry in his essay “Tradition and Individual talent”. According to the author, the English find the word ‘tradition’ disagreeable to them and praise a poet for those aspects of his work which are ‘individual’ and original. Tradition does not mean a blind adherence or slavish imitation of the ways of the previous generations. It is a matter of much wider significance. Tradition in the true sense of the term cannot be inherited, it can only be obtained by hard labour. This labour is the labour of knowing the past writers. Tradition can be obtained only by those who have the historical sense. The historical sense involves an understanding of the entire history of his European literature to the present and also the literature of his/her country.

The theory of Impersonality of poetry. The artist must continually surrender himself to something which is more valuable than himself, i.e. the literary tradition. He must allow his poetic sensibility to be shaped and modified by the past. In the beginning, his self, his individuality, may assert itself, but as his powers mature there must be greater and greater extinction of personality. “the progress of the artist is a continual self-sacrifice, a continual extinction of personality”. In other words, the poet’s emotions and passages must be depersonalised.

Eliot compares the mind of the poet to a catalyst and the process of poetic creation to the process of a chemical reaction. The poet’s mind is necessary for new combinations of emotions and experiences to take place, but it itself does not - undergo any change during the process of poetic combination. The personality of the poet does not find-expression in his poetry. There should be an extinction of his personality .It is not the expression of personality, but an escape from personality.”

This impersonality can be achieved only when the poet acquires a sense of tradition in the historic sense, which makes him conscious, not only of the present, but also of the past and its presence.

Note on New Criticism

The school of criticism called ‘New Criticism’ got its name from the title of the book The New Criticism (1941) written by John Crowe Ransom. The term came to be applied to theory and practice that was prominent in American literary criticism until late in the 1960s. The school opposed the prevailing interest in the biographies of authors, the social context of literature, and literary history. It states that the proper concern of literary criticism is not with the external circumstances or effects or historical position of a work, but with a detailed consideration of the work itself as an independent entity. 

    The method of New Criticism focuses on a close reading of rhythm, meter, theme, imagery, metaphor, etc. According to the intentional fallacy, it’s impossible to determine an author's reasons for writing a text as an appropriate basis for deciding upon the meaning or value of a work .The text itself carries its own Value. The affective fallacy is a literary term that refers to the supposed error of evaluating or judging a work on the basis of its emotional effects on a reader. The New Critics states that work should not be understood in relation to the responses of its readers. The merit (and meaning) of a literary work must be inherent. The New Critics favoured poetry over other literary forms because for them poetry is the purest exemplification of the literary values which they upheld. Still, the techniques like close reading and structural analysis of the works are also applied to drama, novel, and other literary forms.

Summary of Johnson and the Cascadura by Samuel Selvon

 In Trinidad, a local legend claims that those who eat the cascadura fish will always remain on the island. The cascadura, a small fish found in muddy streams, makes a delicious dish, but few tourists know about it because Trinidadians don't advertise it. This story is connected to this legend, but the narrator Sam, the supervisor of the estate owned by Franklin, is unsure of the belief and states that he has seen and heard enough strange things to be cautious about the supernatural. 

An Englishman named Johnson came to Trinidad for a holiday on his friend Franklin's estate. Franklin, the owner of a cocoa plantation, treated his workers well and was respected by the villagers. Johnson, interested in superstition and witchcraft, spent his days exploring the estate and listening to local stories. He learned about Papa Bois, a forest spirit, soucouyants that suck blood, and balls of fire that frighten people. 

One evening, Franklin claimed to have seen a ball of fire while riding his horse, but couldn't explain it. Johnson, skeptical, didn't believe in these stories, but Franklin insisted on their reality. Johnson was particularly interested in soucouyants. He asked Chanko, the old watchman, about his encounters with these creatures. Chanko told him about a terrifying experience where he saw a ball of fire approaching him, but managed to ward it off using the sign of the cross. Johnson, eager to document these tales, wrote them down in his notebook. 

However, a rumor started spreading about Johnson and Urmilla, a beautiful Indian girl who worked on the estate. Urmilla had defied her father's attempts to marry her off to a wealthy merchant. Her father sent her to work in the estate in order to keep her under the watchful eyes of Franklin, the estate owner. Johnson, a young man, and Urmilla, a beautiful woman, were often seen together. The narrator, worried about the consequences of their relationship, tried to find out more from Franklin, but he remained silent. 

The narrator was concerned about the possible repercussions for Urmilla if their relationship became known. He knew that the villagers would be upset, and Urmilla's father, Sookdeo, would be furious. He decided to wait and see what happened, hoping that the rumor would simply fade away.

Sam, the narrator, got his suspicions confirmed when he witnessed the lovers - Johnson and Urmilla- kissing by the river. Franklin, the plantation owner, was also aware of the rumors and asked Sam to stop the gossip. 

Sam later finds out that Johnson climbed an immortelle tree looking for a corbeau's egg, a lucky charm, and gets stuck. He asks Urmilla for help and Urmilla seeks the help of Sam and he is surprised to see that Urmilla calls the Englishman by his first name ‘Garry’ which fuels Sam's jealousy.  Sam tells Johnson about Urmilla's past and learns that Johnson loves her. This revelation stirs up Sam's old feelings for Urmilla and he realises he still cares for her. 

The next day, Sookdeo, Urmilla's father, comes to ask Franklin to be the godfather at his granddaughter's christening. Sam is disappointed, hoping Sookdeo had come to speak about Johnson and Urmilla. Sookdeo confronts Franklin about his concerns regarding Urmilla and Johnson’s relationship. Franklin, knowing the truth about their connection, lies to Sookdeo. Meanwhile, the narrator, Sam, struggles with his own feelings for Urmilla and his resentment towards Johnson. He contemplates Johnson's motivations and questions his right to disrupt his life. Sam tries to avoid Urmilla and the Englishmen, but he eventually finds himself drawn back into their lives. Johnson announces his departure, stating he will not take Urmilla back to England. Sam, feeling torn and conflicted, tries to rationalize Johnson’s actions. 

Despite Johnson’s departure, Urmilla remains emotionally attached to him. She sends a dish of cascadura to Johnson through Sam, hoping it will bring him back. Sam, now drunk, facilitates Johnson's meeting with Urmilla before he departs. He arranges for village women to perform Indian dances to cover for Johnson's absence. After Johnson leaves, time passes slowly in the valley. Sam tries to pursue Urmilla, but she remains preoccupied with Johnson and constantly inquires about his whereabouts and potential return.

Urmilla believed that Garry would return to Trinidad because he had eaten a "cascadoo," a fish curry which is believed to bring people back to the island. Sam tried to convince Urmilla to move on, but she refused. Over time, Urmilla’s father became ill, and before his death, he asked her to marry Sam. Although Sam said he would only marry her if she truly wanted him, Urmilla agreed. But just before the wedding, a letter arrived from Garry. He was ill and wanted to return to Trinidad. Sam was heartbroken and told Urmilla he wouldn’t hold her to her promise. He then decided to leave Trinidad. 

Sam had always wanted to leave the island, and now he was finally doing it. He left with the understanding that Garry would help out with the estate until Franklin found a replacement. Before leaving, Sam saw Garry and was surprised to learn that Garry was going to marry Urmilla. He was even more surprised when Garry asked why Sam didn’t marry Urmilla himself. Garry told Sam that he could not change Urmilla’s belief that it was the cascadoo that had brought him back to Trinidad. Sam left the island knowing that Urmilla was approaching the local obeah-man for a medicine to cure Garry's illness.