Modernist Reflections: Exploring the Use of Symbolism and Metaphorical Language in Eliot and Pound's Poetry

Abstract : This thesis investigates the symbolic and metaphorical language employed by modernist poets T.S. Eliot and Ezra Pound. Through close readings of The Waste Land and The Cantos, it explores how both poets reflect the fragmented, disoriented condition of early 20th-century life. Drawing on literary and semiotic theories, the study highlights how Eliot’s spiritual symbolism contrasts with Pound’s historical and political imagery. Despite their differences, both poets use metaphor and symbol as powerful tools to construct meaning in an era of cultural uncertainty, making their work a profound reflection of modernist thought.