Abstract
In her article "Ancient Hindu Society and Eliot's Ideal Christian Society" Anita Bhela examines the influence of Hindu thought and Hindu philosophy on T.S. Eliot's critical writings. In The Idea of a Christian Society Eliot gives a hypothetical account of an ideal society that would contribute towards the well-being of all its members, while in Notes towards the Definition of Culture he enumerates the essential conditions needed for the growth and survival of culture. Bhela argues that religion and culture were inseparably interrelated in Eliot's mind. She then traces similarities in the concepts of family, culture, and religion as expressed in Eliot's account of his hypothetical Christian society and ancient Hindu society to show that Eliot's concept of an ideal Christian society comes astonishingly close to the ideal of Hindu society as it existed in ancient times.
Recommended Citation
Bhela, Anita.
"Ancient Hindu Society and Eliot's Ideal Christian Society."
CLCWeb: Comparative Literature and Culture
14.2
(2012):
<https://doi.org/10.7771/1481-4374.1959>
This text has been double-blind peer reviewed by 2+1 experts in the field.
The above text, published by Purdue University Press ©Purdue University, has been downloaded 1418 times as of 03/26/24.