Four Quartets (East Coker) - T.S. Eliot
A Contemplation on Cycles of Life, Tradition, and Spiritual Surrender
[Excerpt only — full text not provided due to copyright]
“In my beginning is my end. In succession
Houses rise and fall, crumble, are extended,
Are removed, destroyed, restored...”
(Full poem text is under copyright and cannot be provided in its entirety here. Below is a summary and commentary.)
“East Coker” is the second of T.S. Eliot’s “Four Quartets.” Published in 1940, the poem’s title references a small Somerset village where Eliot’s ancestors lived, tying the piece to ancestral roots. This connection underscores a major theme: the cyclical nature of history and the interplay between personal identity, tradition, and the overarching flow of time.
Eliot’s famous line “In my beginning is my end” frames the entire poem, echoing the premise that all life experiences—from the rise and fall of houses to the transitions within society—form a repetitive cycle. The poem interweaves images of seasonal change, the turning of soil, and ancestral footsteps to illustrate how mortal endeavors are both transient and regenerative. Eliot insists that each ending births a new beginning, whether in physical structures or in personal growth.
Stylistically, “East Coker” mirrors a liturgical or meditative progression, prompting the reader to pause and reflect on the deeper purpose behind everyday events. Midway through the poem, Eliot shifts focus to spiritual concerns, recognizing the limitations of human reason and language. His lines about the “despair of learning” emphasize that genuine insight is often found beyond purely intellectual pursuits. Instead, he advocates a humble stance, viewing self-surrender as crucial to receiving divine illumination.
In the broader context of the “Four Quartets,” “East Coker” reinforces the concepts introduced in “Burnt Norton”—time, stillness, and the pursuit of a transcendent reality. Yet here, Eliot places a stronger emphasis on humanity’s historical dimension and our ties to the past. By revisiting ancestral grounds, he finds that one’s origins and traditions, properly understood, can guide the soul toward a deeper acceptance of limitations and a more profound encounter with grace. In that sense, “East Coker” is simultaneously an homage to Eliot’s own heritage and a universal invitation to consider how every beginning foreshadows an end—and each end suggests a new, transformative beginning.
Key points
1. Eliot uses the ancestral village of East Coker to explore how personal and communal histories repeat.
2. The poem highlights cyclical themes: seasonal changes, familial legacies, and the interplay of beginnings and ends.
3. “East Coker” underscores humility, suggesting true understanding arises through spiritual openness rather than intellect alone.
4. It contributes to the “Four Quartets”’ overarching meditation on time, renewal, and the quest for transcendence.