The Turning Theme in "Ash Wednesday"

Paper Summary:

One of the major themes in T.S. Eliot's poem, "Ash Wednesday," is the concept of turning. This theme operates on many levels. The paper shows how Eliot uses the word "turning" to create an extended metaphor that takes on layers of meaning as the poem progresses, such as turning toward, away, around; cycles of time; spring/rebirth/Christ rising on Easter morning; physical/spiritual/moral regeneration; the cyclical nature of human mortality; and finally, the completion of the journey from the spiritual waste land of hopelessness to the spring of repentance and redemption. The paper examines "Ash Wednesday" to show how the turning theme functions in the poem and how it demonstrates the personal and professional metamorphosis and regeneration of the author.

From the Paper:

"One of the major themes in T.S. Eliot's poem "Ash Wednesday is the concept of turning. This theme operates on many levels. Eliot uses the word "turning" to create an extended metaphor that takes on layers of meaning as the poem progresses such as turning toward, away, around, cycles of time, spring/rebirth/Christ rising on Easter morning, physical/spiritual/moral regeneration, the cyclical nature of human mortality, and finally, the completion of the journey from the spiritual waste land of hopelessness to the spring of repentance and redemption. An examination of "Ash Wednesday" shows how the turning theme functions in the poem and how it demonstrates the personal and professional metamorphosis and regeneration of the author."

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