Intertextuality · English Literature

In T.S. Eliot’s 'The Waste Land,' the extensive use of quotations from Dante, Shakespeare, and the Upanishads is an example of which intertextual function?

  1. Parody of a dominant literary tradition
  2. Pastiche of Romantic verse
  3. Fragmentation and cultural synthesis
  4. Plagiarism from multiple canonical sources
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Correct answer: Fragmentation and cultural synthesis

Eliot used these references to create a 'heap of broken images.' By juxtaposing diverse cultural fragments, he illustrates the disintegration of Western tradition and the attempt to shore up ruins with global wisdom.

Difficulty: Medium Question 9 of 20

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