In T.S. Eliot's essay "Tradition and the Individual Talent," the "simultaneous order" refers to the concept that a poet must perceive literary history as a unified whole, where the past and present exist simultaneously, meaning a poet should be aware of and draw from the entire body of literature throughout history while still expressing their contemporary perspective; essentially, seeing the past as relevant and intertwined with the present moment.
Key points about the "simultaneous order":
Fusion of past and present:
The poet must understand that their work is not isolated but part of a larger literary tradition, where past works inform and are influenced by the present.
Historical sense:
Eliot argues that a poet needs a "historical sense" to perceive this simultaneous order, allowing them to connect their own work to the wider literary tradition.
Not just imitation:
While drawing from the past, a poet should not simply imitate older works but instead use their understanding of literary history to create something new and unique.
