Water Symbolism in T.S. Eliot’s “The Four Quartets” and Ian McMillan’s “Canal Life”

From ancient religious texts and myths to contemporary literary works, water has always been a highly symbolic element linked to life and human experience. While many studies have explored water symbolism within literary works, comparative analyses of this symbol across different writings are less common. So, the aim of this study is to compare the symbolic representation of “water” in T.S Eliot’s “The Four Quartets” and Ian McMillan’s “Canal Life”. In “The Four Quartets” Eliot employs water imagery as a powerful force that embodies the flow of time and memories. Through this symbolism, Eliot delves into the deep subconscious of human nature and explores the necessity of a spiritual journey as a source of meaning, enlightenment, and redemption. McMillan, on other hand, uses the symbol of water in “Canal Life” as a source of reflection, tranquility, and nostalgia. It signifies pleasures and the passage of time, tightly connected to communities. This essay provides a comprehensive overview of the enduring power of water as a symbol that can hold truths, experiences, and times of human life and its ability to reflect beyond the limits of perception. Through this thorough comparative analysis that is based on symbolism theory, the study reveals the unique perspective of each poet in reflecting water symbolism and how it offers richness in these literary works.