Sample Solution

through many minds over may years and only becomes of value when linked to the past. This sense of falsity is further developed, ‘we endeavour to find something that can be isolated in order to be enjoyed’ . By using the inclusive ‘we’ and making individuality synonymous with isolation, Eliot is reflecting how narrow the concept of individuality versus tradition has become throughout literature.
Keats, on the other hand, is strongly in favour of individuality, ‘the excellence of every Art is its intensity, capable of making all disagreeables evaporate, from their being in close relationship with Beauty & Truth’ . There is a clear hierarchy here, passion, or in other words intensity, followed by beauty and truth. This trio of characteristics do not include the importance of the traditional, and often stereotypical, parts of literature that continue to strive, showing that Keats has extremely contrasting ideas to what is influential in literature. Keats is offering a different perception, he is suggesting that truth need not have historical and factual ground, instead truth correlates with the perception of beauty and individuality. If the poetry is beautiful and holds a part of the author then it is true, whether historically correct right or not. Additionally, this perception of truth leads to the factor of the imagination and ‘truth of imagination’ , how it is perhaps more precious than any other factor as it leads to unique discoveries which is attractive to readers as it is enticingly different. Developing from these ideas of tradition and individuality is what the authors are perceiving as truth, on one hand, Eliot is following the idea of tradition, this collective truth of what makes literature stand out and what has worked. On the other hand, Keats is shadowing the individuality of truth, how repetition does not need to occur over time because there are so many different techniques to try. Clearly truth is being re-evaluated as a literary concept.