"The Dry Salvages" by T.S.Eliot

            The Dry Salvages is part of a group of poems called the Four Quartets written by Thomas Stearns Elliot during the first half of the twentieth century. Each of the poems represents one natural element:

Ø  Burnt Norton (Air)

Ø  East Coker (Earth)

Ø  The Dry Salvages (Water)

Ø  Little Gidding (Fire)

The Dry Salvages is the third poem which stands for “The Dark Night of the Soul” as well as all the third parts of the other poems. Moreover, the title of the poem alludes to a small group of rocks off the northeast cost of Cape Ann in Masachussets. In fact, the rocks convey some special symbolism; first, Christ and his moments of agony in the Mount of Olives and the rock of salvation. Second, the power and permanence of nature and its everlasting presence.  

                 The first part of the poem is very metaphorical. It emphasizes the power of nature over humanity analyzing and comparing the image of the sea and the river. The poem mentions: “ a strong brown god” which can be the Mississippi river or the Thanes that had great influence in Eliot’s  life. The poem states: “The river is within us”. It means that the river is the life that dwells within us. Consequently, our connection to the river is deep and undeniable, and it is a metaphor to the cycle and flow of man’s life from birth to death. Clearly, the river is something that is approachable to humans. On the contrary, the sea is eternity, it represents 

mystery and no one can know its depths we just know its surface. The sea is where our lives flow and they join: “the sea is all about us”.  It is what links past and future in an infinite present. In addition, the poem presents the dual characteristics of water as creative and destructive because it is not only “sullen, untamed and intractable” but also it represents the cycles of nature and life. Also, the poet analyses the nature of time suggesting that “Time” is just a concept and an illusion of reality. Time is something we cannot understand because it is far from our, and  it is endless. Inevitably, we are defined and imprisoned by time, by the burdens of the past and the fears of the future. People seek the meaning of life by analyzing their past and planning their future. The poet exemplifies this with the image of “anxious worried women lying awake, calculating the future” showing how they are emotionally attached to the time. Also, the poet suggest that Time is a human creation in order to have control over  their lives.

            Second, T.S Eliot’s The Dry Salvages evidences how humans have neglected natural resources in exchange for what they “believed in as the most reliable” (technology and development). The second section of this text constantly points out the time vs movement, the progression of human order and the devastation to nature caused by humans; at the same time, it asks if there would be an end for this devastation: “Where is there an end of it, the soundless wailing (of nature), the silent withering of autumn flowers…where is there an end to the drifting wreckage…” (II, pag.131). However, it clearly expresses that “there is no end, but addition”, which conveys the idea that, even though humans see the consequences of their actions, they continue destroying nature and wasting natural resources indiscriminately. The symbol of the bell stands for the reminder of all our mistakes and of this constant destruction even though its sound (warning) does not reach the indifference of human beings: “The silent listening to the undeniable clamour of the bell of the last annunciation.” (II, pag.132) At the same time, T.S Eliot implicitly expresses that this development is a superficial illusion. Instead of growing and improving human existence and quality of life, humanity has regressed and worsened the condition of nature and human beings by creating weapons, urbanizing natural spaces, and leading humanity astray. “It seems, as one becomes older, that the past has another pattern, and ceases to be a mere sequence-or even development: the latter a partial fallacy, encouraged by superficial notions of evolution…” (II, pag.132)   Eliot’s concept of time resembles the ever-lasting consequences of human indifference. He differentiates the abstract concept of human time from the time marked by natural progression. While natural time is evident in the changes that nature undergoes and its clear deterioration caused by humans, human time is still as well as the suffering and agony of humanity. “Now, we come to discover that the moments of agony are likewise permanent with such permanence as time has.” (II, pag.135) Then, human agony due to their own indifference toward nature is permanent as well as the abstract concept of time.

                 Third, T.S. Eliot always showed a deep interest in religion. He was an Anglo-Catholic but also evidenced influence from other religions in his poems. The poet expanded his spiritual interest studying Hinduism, Buddhism and Saint John of the Cross. As an example, in Section III of The Dry Salvages Eliot refers directly to Hinduism; mentioning Krishna and how Arjuna was instructed in the battlefield. Again, referring to Hinduism he plays with the concept of “dharma” and “karma”. Towards the end of Section III he wrote: So Krishna, as when he admonished Arjuna/ On the field of battle./ Not fare well,/ But fare forward, voyagers. Here he uses the concept of “dharma” to advice voyagers and seamen to keep going with their duties eventhough God is not on there side. In The Dry Salvages, we can find Christian allusions as well, evidence of Eliot’s vast religious influences. In Section IV of he poem, he prays to Virgin Mary for intersession to get out of the Dark Night of the Soul, which is represented by the third Section of every of the Four Quartets and also by the total of The Dry Salvages. He prays to the Virgin for she is the most influential intercessor before God and the mother of Jesus Christ the redeemer in Catholic dogma. Moreover, as it has been previously mentioned, The Dry Salvages represent the element of water, and water is a very important Christian symbol; it represents the baptism, the death of the material world and renewal of spiritual life and Eliot develops this symbol throughout the entire poem with which he gives power, fluidity and dramatic force to it. In addition, the idea of “The Dark Night of the Soul” and intersession, as well as the concept of Sanctity were proposed by Saint John of the Cross, another heavy influence for the life and writing of Eliot. Saint John’ philosophy had three basic concepts; self-denial, contemplation, and devotion; and he also found experience the most powerful source of knowledge. This religious figure is of enormous importance in Eliot’s Four Quarters because of the concept of The Dark Night of the Soul that so profoundly captivated Eliot’s writing experience. The perception of the author of concerns like death, time and redemption can also be explained by the spiritual awareness The Dark Night of the Soul awakens in humans who experience it. The use of religious imagery, both Eastern and Western and the mystical and religious language Eliot resorts to depict the nature of suffering and reconciliation and bind together the whole theme of the poem.

                Finally, In the fifth and last part of “The Dry Salvages”, Eliot discusses human interest on explaining the mystical aspects of life. By mentioning supernatural facets of our lives like “the horoscope”, “the wrinkles of the palm” and the “converse with spirits”, the author clarifies how human nature goes beyond of what can be seen. This last part explores the way in which men not only believes in what they can see and touch but in what they can judge. Eliot criticizes the way “human curiosity” makes them please their own anxiety with activities like astrology, tarot cards and lottery. This contradictory idea of satisfying fears and doubts with paranormal activities represent the need of understanding any kind of impossibility. Actually, Eliot states that all those activities are “only hints and guesses” to comprehend life. He clearly explained how not everything in life can be explained, like “Incarnation”, “the impossible union”. Even if we know that not everything can be explained or rationalize, we continue fulfilling our concerns with unreal situations.   This last part can be considered as the way out of the Dark night of the soul and why not to be out of that desperate moment with something that is further than the reality.

          Analysis by: Alexia Brokke, María Inés Flores, Ricardo Leandro, Emilia Sanabria, and Susana Vargas