Question

What does Eliot say about the concept of tradition?

• A. It is a strict imitation of the past.
• B. It is inherited naturally by every poet.
• C. It is acquired with effort and historical sense.
• D. It is irrelevant to modern poets.

Answer 1

Answer:

C. It is acquired with effort and historical sense.

Eliot states that tradition is not inherited but must be consciously acquired by the poet. It requires a historical sense, which is the awareness of how the past continues to live in the present.