T.S. Eliot implements a heavy use of quotation and reference in this poem.  I do not know if these references would have been common knowledge to readers at the time, but the constant referal to the footnotes does make reading more complicated than would be expected.  This being said, I do not feel as though these references detract from Eliot's work as a whole.  I feel like they add to it.  They bring a new layer to the piece for the reader to work through and dissect.  It is simple enough to read on its own, but investigating the meaning behind these references brings more meaning to the piece, and the extra work is well worth it.

Eliot presents a strong connection with the past in The Wasteland.  If I am not mistaken, most of his quotations or references come from the past and not from the contemporary pieces of its time.  This focus on the past is strong, much like in cultural tradition in which each new generation is built upon the foundations of the generations past.  This intermingling of old works with his own new work creates a unique literary experience, but not an entirely unique overall experience.