Archival Evidence
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It is important to note that Eliot was actually serving as an editor for ''The Criterion'' during the time when his poem, "The Waste Land" was published. Interestingly, it was in ''The Dial'' that "The Waste Land" was headlined before other literary contributions. Although the location of the poem's debut may have been more ideal in the American publication, it is worth questioning whether Eliot had more direct authority over the format of the poem as it appears in ''The Criterion''. | It is important to note that Eliot was actually serving as an editor for ''The Criterion'' during the time when his poem, "The Waste Land" was published. Interestingly, it was in ''The Dial'' that "The Waste Land" was headlined before other literary contributions. Although the location of the poem's debut may have been more ideal in the American publication, it is worth questioning whether Eliot had more direct authority over the format of the poem as it appears in ''The Criterion''. | ||
| − | Although the differences in pagination are slight, they are noteworthy, especially considering the fact that Eliot may have been directly connected to the pagination of ''The Criterion''. In particular, breaks between the stanzas in ''The Criterion'' appear more frequently than in ''The Dial''. A reading of the poem in ''The Criterion'' is markedly easier than in ''The Dial'', perhaps due to | + | Although the differences in pagination are slight, they are noteworthy, especially considering the fact that Eliot may have been directly connected to the pagination of ''The Criterion''. In particular, breaks between the stanzas in ''The Criterion'' appear more frequently than in ''The Dial''. A reading of the poem in ''The Criterion'' is markedly easier than in ''The Dial'', perhaps due to the intentional pauses incorporated multiple spaces throughout. Another difference in the format of ''The Dial'' is found where various first lines are aligned on the right side of the page. In ''The Criterion'', these lines are indented much further than normal, but they do not appear to have been structured as chaotically. Whereas the format of ''The Criterion'' seems to emphasize clarity and order, the format affixed to the poem in The Dial may indicate preconceptions on the part of the American editor concerning Eliot's style. The co-author of this page makes this hypothesis in part because the American format is reminiscent of earlier American poetry (i.e. Whitman) which utilized long lines and large stanzas. Perhaps the American editor simply produced "The Waste Land" in the way he best knew how--as a dramatic, narrative poem. |
The editorial differences between ''The Dial'' and ''The Criterion'' are enshrouded in further mystery. In ''The Dial'', there is an epigraph for the poem that relays dialogue taken from the ''Satyricon''. For some reason, this part of the poem was completely deleted from ''The Criterion''. Of course, a structure of the poem that was deleted in ''The Dial'''s edition is the enumeration of specific sections (ie. A Game of Chess I). Similarly, the American editor italicized any usage of foreign language in the poem; however, ''The Criterion'' maintains a regular font for any European language utilized by Eliot. There is no explanation or admittance of these variances in the text. | The editorial differences between ''The Dial'' and ''The Criterion'' are enshrouded in further mystery. In ''The Dial'', there is an epigraph for the poem that relays dialogue taken from the ''Satyricon''. For some reason, this part of the poem was completely deleted from ''The Criterion''. Of course, a structure of the poem that was deleted in ''The Dial'''s edition is the enumeration of specific sections (ie. A Game of Chess I). Similarly, the American editor italicized any usage of foreign language in the poem; however, ''The Criterion'' maintains a regular font for any European language utilized by Eliot. There is no explanation or admittance of these variances in the text. | ||
