The Waste Land by T.S. Eliot

     I found the mythology and background of this work to be a little more interesting than the work itself, but understanding the background helped to clarify the work a little more. 
     First, epigraph is taken from the Satyricon, from a character named Sibyl, who ages but cannot die. I read Eliot uses this to reference his view of society and culture, that it was once beautiful, but now is decrepit and will not die. 
     Second, the original name of this work was, "He Do The Police In Difference Voices", which is a line from the Charles Dickens work, "Our Mutual Friend". This title would be more apropos for the work, as it suggests different voices contained in the text. 
     Third, the parallel to The Fisher King and the work I found to be pretty interesting. The Fisher King was a king who had been wounded in the genitals, rendering him impotent. Once the king became impotent, the land he ruled became impotent as well. The saying went, "Heal the king, heal the land". Eliot claims his culture to be like the king's land, but does not see a hope for healing. 
     I also thought it was interesting that Leonard and Virginia Woolf printed the first UK pressing of the poem and poet's notes, and Virginia hand set the type for the book herself.
     I would suggest everyone take the opportunity to read The Wastland and discover for yourself why it is so influential.