"The Waste Land" - What the Thunder Said

[@RMellody]

As an English major in the late 1970s, I was required to read this poem and could not grasp its beauty and philosophic significance. At 63 with a life of Wasteland and Water and with your help, I now begin to appreciate and nod in agreement! You have been the key and I thank you!

[@marcelloterenzi9026]

I spent two marvellous afternoons watching your videos and learning about poetry, Eliot and Christ (the key holder). I have no words to express how grateful I am. Thank you. Take care.

[@mybedlam]

This series is a life-saver! It definitely made me fall in love with the poem. Thank you so much for the upload and please keep it coming!

[@MrHuffsLiteratureClass]

Thanks! I will do my best!

[@michaelrutkowski4866]

so true I read it once a year with Prufrock and the quartets have heard Mrs Shaw read it

[@thenancygoth]

I have just finished watching all of your videos on 'The Waste Land' in preparation for an exam and they have helped me immensely. Thank you!

[@MrHuffsLiteratureClass]

+peppermintburfur I'm glad they helped. Good luck on your exam!

[@thenancygoth]

+Mr. Huff's Literature Class I passed with great marks! Thank you again for these videos.

[@NehaSharma-vz6jp]

Mr. Huff's Literature Class - the most enlightening lecture on KZbin. Thanks!

[@ruchisharma749]

Dear sir, with the help of your video series, I have learned one of the greatest modern poems. I thank you from the bottom of my heart. The only thing I'd like to add is, the concept of "three repetitions" like Holy Holy Holy and Shantih Shantih Shantih is in Hinduism as well just like it is in Christianity. By repeating anything three times we tend to say it from our Body, Mind and Soul - hence saying the word from our whole existence. Much thanks. Ruchi from India.

[@baselzain5886]

Thanks a million for all your efforts on explaining such a long poem. I was watching attentively until the very last minute from section one to the very end of section five. Thanks from the bottom of my heart.

[@johnnymontalvo5620]

Thank you so much for this analysis. I have been trying to riddle this work out, and your videos have been a game changer. I have a lot to think about and work with now.

[@MrHuffsLiteratureClass]

Thank you.

[@hellothere2490]

Hey, you really helped me for a high school I had to do on this poem. Without this video, I would not have done well, thank you!

[@niadiya7350]

Thank you so much sir. This is really helpful. I missed my class when my professor was dealing with the waste land .. your class has really helped me alot. Thank you so much..

[@tomovicdjordje7312]

thanks man i've finished the entire poem in one day. 8 hours of something your notes helped 80 percent. You are a legend man. thanks for doing this and having the patience.

[@hana__banana]

Thank you so much. I could have never understood the waste land without you.

[@pranjalivaish3760]

This has been the most beneficial and productive explanation. way better than what I have been taught. thankyou.

[@MrHuffsLiteratureClass]

+Pranjali Vaish Thank you for watching!

[@sebastiancalderon3273]

Thank you so much!! I'm working on an essay about this poem and your videos have been incredibly inspirational. Your ability to give clear explanations makes you an ideal teacher. Lucky students you have!

[@thiagofranciscodasilvapaul5471]

As a beginner Brazilian poet and a intermediary english student, this video is fantastic.

[@floriandiazpesantes573]

Whoever might be near Winchester, Hampshire this October, you might be able to attend to a most exciting recital of the whole poem by the young poet and actor Arthur L Wood on 11th, 12th and 13th of October at St Lawrence’s Church, The Square, Winchester, Hampshire, U.K. Get further information on the website of the T.S. Eliot society. Thank you Mr Huff for this series of delightful and knowledgeable lectures that so well have me prepared to appreciate this most intriguing poem!

[@qiangjun7404]

Thank you so much. I watched it again and again. Wait for more series. You are the best lecturer I have met in my life on lit. Thanks from China.

[@MrHuffsLiteratureClass]

Qiang Jun Thanks from America!

[@markhughes7927]

Thanks for opening up the profound interests held together within this most extraordinary poem - very glad to have confronted ignorance concerning it - and grateful to you for this contribution in making an important step up in cultural awareness. (Peculiar - KZbin’s part as a ‘one of three’ for this and much other that leads the mind to better places, better understandings, and enhancing observation of different witnesses in Creation.)❤

[@kushmitapukkalla2718]

@Mr. Huff's literature Class, thank you so much for all your videos on waste land they really really helped me a lot. Its a humble request, please do continue to post more videos of poems and other literature related topic. You really explain well. Thank you.

[@nirupamarajagopal3852]

Awesome !!!please consider making video on Shelley's triumph of life....thanks a lot!

[@amnahussain420]

I can't tell you how grateful I am to you! You explained it so beautifully and perfectly. Thankyouuuu so much

[@Moonbeam1902]

Throughly enjoyed your Wasteland series, Mr Huff, being a research scholar, it gives me great pleasure to see someone interpreting literature so deeply and with such enthusiasm. I like to do the same. Keep the good stuff coming. Much love and regards. S. As a side note, this is how i see and interpret the last section of the poem. Hopefully, you would like to add it to yours. The last and final part of the Poem is titled, "What the Thunder Said" It actually adopts a tale from the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad (specifically Chapter 5) The tale goes thus: Brahaspati, the Supreme God, of whom the gods, asuras (the demons) and the humans, were the pupils. Upon completion of their tuition, as per their request, the Brahaspati, gave them a parting lesson. He spoke in the voice of thunder. The thunder said: Da to all three of them separately. Each of the three sects of students construed the word Da in their own way. The human thought that since they were selfish, God had directed them to be generous and they thought that Da meant, Datta- to give. Giving in not the mere giving of the superfluous but self-giving. Since the asuras were rather cruel in nature, they construed it as Damayata: sympathise. Sympathy is not merely pity, it is actually empathy: breaking down the barrier of self and identifying oneself completely with the other. Since the gods were living in opulence and given to luxury, they construed it as Damayatvam, meaning control. Control is not mere control but self-control in the form of social contract and harmony. The repetition of Shanthi, Shanthi, Shanthi in the end, literally translates to "peace, peace, peace.. " which might have been Eliot's. indirect way of saying that only the incorporation of 3 Ds by an individual, in their respective lives could lead to their eventual salvation from this so called modern Wasteland. Great Poem. Deep message. Eliot was indeed a genius.

[@ArthurLWood]

Fascinating insight. Thank you

[@choggerboom]

the stanza around 26:15, do you think this was also a reference to Dante's Inferno? the city of dis, encircling the 6-9 remaining hells? the lead and gilded hooded swarm of hypocrites. endless plains, "ringed".

[@alancruz05]

thank you for these videos, made me appreciate and understand more these poems

[@vishakasriram7989]

Thank you so much:) this was fab, and I truly have a better understanding of the poem- and that means more to me than anything.

[@chenpo8686]

Indeed you're so helpful! Feels like I just had a personal tutor at home!

[@sezan7589]

Thank you So much for making this video. Real hard work you did. God bless you. Shantih.

[@manojlaxmi7185]

Fantastic video. Can you please post on Epithalamion and Prothalamion

[@vaibhavpathak1850]

+Mr. Huff's Literature Class Great in-depth analysis. Thank you.

[@tanmoyghosh7521]

Thank You So Much! Sir, can you do the same for Eliot's other poems like 'Hollow Men' and 'Ash Wednesday' ?

[@ananya2510]

Wonderful explanation sir...this poem requires good explanation in order to understand properly...just finished watching the full explanation....my concepts are clear now...thank you sir...god bless u

[@neginsardar310]

I can't thank you enough, without your videos it wouldn't be possible for me to understand this poem❤❤❤ I have a question, how did you understand chess represented the element of air? Thank you again and again ❤

[@imashaweerasingha646]

Thanks a bunch for all your videos. Mr.Huff's literature class is absolutely a life-saver. I wish you could have done videos for Shakespearean Sonnets as well. You Rock !!!

[@MrHuffsLiteratureClass]

Imasha Weerasingha Great idea! I'll definitely consider it!

[@summerwang4648]

I have to leave a comment. Your analysis is so helpful!

[@lanashelbayeh8316]

Can you please explain Eliot's The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock

[@MrHuffsLiteratureClass]

I just uploaded a two-part series on "Prufrock"! Thanks for the request!

[@gopikagopalakrishnan7078]

I'm so glad that I found you.

[@gayatribhuyan08]

Thank you for this detailed explanation of this poem.

[@MrHuffsLiteratureClass]

+Gayatri Bhuyan Thank you for watching!

[@komalsrivastava5246]

Truly a great explanation overall. Thank you!

[@pratibhaverma1954]

Beautiful beautiful beautiful!

[@test42356y]

Great series, thank you

[@anndrew6969]

I already watched your videos continuously due to my final exam. Let's he how is my grade then.

[@MrHuffsLiteratureClass]

Thanks!

[@윤정희-z2c]

엘리어트의 를 이해하는 데 많은 도움을 받았습니다. 고맙습니다:)

[@misschekrane-]

My presentation tomorrow is about this section ....thanks for helping ♥️♥️♥️ i really appreciate

[@RS-xs7ev]

Thank you so much from India 👋

[@cutekharbanda3553]

Grateful to you

[@ashish__thakur]

Thank you, Sir.

[@imlafonz8047]

Eliot could have just published this section and it still would have gotten the message across

[@GabrielGReyes-kj1tp]

Thank you my friend. I'm just finishing a book of poetry and your explanation has been extremely helpful for the final steps of my process. Greetings from Mexico!

[@aieyshaannmathew6241]

is spirit an element? :o

[@langlitteena1790]

Paradise lost explain sir please

[@devikav6702]

Thank you Sir😊😇

[@Joe-ol5bq]

This is so so so good

[@violamarilli8131]

thank you so much!

[@MrHuffsLiteratureClass]

You're welcome!

[@advaitham98]

Thankyou Sir ☺️

[@javjnu]

Thank you very much! Very helpful.

[@MrHuffsLiteratureClass]

Thanks!

[@rikurodriguesneto6043]

Excekkent anallysis!!

[@areejal-khafaji4435]

Thank you

[@silver1982dragon]

I am so thankful to have found your videos on "The Wasreland". Your guidance through Eliot's words has been invaluable!

[@KaylenApril]

Wow! Thank you. 😊

[@ArthurLWood]

Is April is the cruelest month because it is the month in which Jesus was crucified?

[@floriandiazpesantes573]

I think you might be right! Looking forward to your recital!

[@laaana91]

Thank you thank you thank you

[@MrHuffsLiteratureClass]

+Lan Mk Thank you for watching!

[@maxbasilone3026]

Questo mi ha aiutato molto. Grazie

[@MrHuffsLiteratureClass]

Prego.

[@ArthurLWood]

The hand expert with sail and oar reminds me of Phlebas the Phoenican, who could not control or calm the sea, unlike Jesus.

[@lbrahim1568]

I like your voice

[@noufalaqel9441]

thank you so much, that was helpful

[@MrHuffsLiteratureClass]

+Nouf Alaqel Thank you for watching!

[@tea.and.bookies]

Obvious references to Dracula. Come on Mr. Huff!

[@jasonkh4]

Not that obvious, but interesting nonetheless

[@hammadpost]

Thank u you made it out of question😁

[@varshakesarwani5679]

Thanks

[@K_F_fox]

I'm seeing lots of Macbeth imagery here.... anyone else?

[@langlitteena1790]

Book one and nine

[@danilkopaskudnik3002]

רשי איז ניט משוגע.

[@inkandinsight22]

Ecstasy..

[@jamiel8453]

Your videos are helpful and good, but they're so long. You could do this easily in half the time. You don't have to repeat everything 5 times one after the other. And I have watched your videos with x1,5 the speed. But thanks.

[@MrHuffsLiteratureClass]

B K Thanks for the feedback!

[@chloemarielle1291]

fix your lighting.