"For his outstanding, pioneer contribution to present-day poetry." - The Nobel Prize Organization's Motivation
The signature of a Nobel Prize-winning writer.On this day in 1948, T.S. Eliot was awarded the Nobel Prize in Stockholm, Sweden. The description of Eliot's prize-worthy achievements seem vague in my opinion, but also fitting.
Eliot began as a poet in his younger years, and eventually wrote prose and plays. Beyond that, he also contributed to the field of literary criticism. He influenced New Criticism by suggesting that words are connected to states of mind and past experiences. By all accounts, he lived an incredibly literary life.
The young Eliot in 1928. In my opinion, the image that will represent the next big film on him (as my wishful thinking takes over).His childhood was not a normal one. He suffered from a physical illness that left it difficult for him to participate in the same programs as other young boys, such as sports. This led him to become a fan of literary adventures, such as the rebellious Tom Sawyer and other adventure-filled adolescents. His love of literature took off from there, and he began to write.
Whenever I research an author, I always find their personal lives fascinating. It seems as though their lives were stories waiting to be written. For example, T.S. Eliot grew up with a passion for St. Louis, his hometown. Later in life, he was swept up by Ezra Pound and found himself attracted to London where he spent a great portion of his life and was eventually religiously converted. Meanwhile, he continued writing and fell in love with a woman... and later fell out of love with her. She lived the rest of her life in an asylum. His second marriage was to a woman over 30 years his junior, whom he had known for years and secretly wed.
I wish there were more movies about people like T.S. Eliot. I'm completely enthralled with his life story.
And so today marks another year that we celebrate Eliot's Nobel Prize for literature. Above all, I think he led a life worthy of a volume of literature.
Any thoughts of T.S. Eliot? You can reach me at arabusa@asu.edu or on Twitter @marie_eo.
