Question

Who introduced the concept ‘Object Correlative’

• A. James Joyce
• B. Virginia Woolf
• C. TS Eliot
• D. FR Leavis

Answer 1

Answer:

C. TS Eliot

Object Correlative: A Key Concept in Modernist Literature

• Originator: The concept of the 'Object Correlative' was famously introduced by the American-born British poet and critic T.S. Eliot.
• Definition: Eliot defined 'Object Correlative' as 'a set of objects, a situation, a chain of events which shall be the formula of that particular emotion; so that when the external facts which must be found, the emotion shall be suddenly revealed.'
• Purpose: It is a literary device where a writer uses a set of objects, a situation, or a chain of events to evoke a particular emotion in the reader, rather than directly stating the emotion.
• Significance in Modernism: This concept is central to understanding Modernist poetry and its departure from Victorian and Romantic traditions of direct emotional expression. Eliot advocated for an impersonal approach to poetry, where the poet's personal emotions are not directly conveyed but are suggested through external elements.
• Key Example: Eliot's own poem, 'The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock', is often cited as a prime example of the 'Objective Correlative' in practice. The fog, the yellow fog, the streets, the tea-sets, and the mermaids are all used to convey Prufrock's feelings of isolation, indecision, and alienation.
• Influence: The concept had a profound impact on 20th-century literature and literary criticism, encouraging writers to explore indirect methods of emotional representation.
• Contrast: It stands in contrast to earlier literary movements that often relied on direct, effusive emotional expression (e.g., Romantic poetry).
• Exam Relevance: Understanding 'Object Correlative' is crucial for analyzing the techniques and aesthetics of T.S. Eliot's work and other Modernist writers, frequently appearing in questions related to literary theory and modern poetry in competitive exams.