Unraveling the Mysterious Madame Sosostris in T.S. Eliot’s The Waste Land

Introduction:

The Waste Land, T.S. Eliot's modernist masterpiece, is a complex and multifaceted work that has been the subject of numerous analyses. A significant figure in the poem is Madame Sosostris, a renowned clairvoyant who appears in the fifth section of the poem, 'The Burial of the Dead.' This character, with her mysterious and prophetic aura, has intrigued readers and critics alike. Who is Madame Sosostris, and what role does she play in the poem?

The Character of Madame Sosostris

Madame Sosostris, described as a fortune-teller, is depicted as a woman suffering from a bad cold. Nevertheless, her significance lies far beyond her physical ailments. She is one of the few characters explicitly linked to the broader narrative, specifically through her clairvoyant role in the poem’s fifth section. Despite her illness, she cannot foretell the fate of the protagonist, indicating a deeper symbolic or thematic significance.

The Source and Connection to Crome Yellow

T.S. Eliot borrowed the character of Madame Sosostris from Aldous Huxley’s novel Crome Yellow. This choice is notably interesting, as it connects the two authors and their literary works. In Crome Yellow, Madame Sosostris is portrayed as a figure of the old generation, a relic of a bygone era. Eliot’s use of this character in The Waste Land may indicate a commentary on the decline of tradition and the loss of guidance in the modern world.

Symbolism and Interpretation

The character of Madame Sosostris can be viewed as a symbol of the lost past and the inability to accurately predict the future. In the context of The Waste Land, where the world is portrayed as spiritually and morally barren, the inability of Madame Sosostris to provide a clear reading is emblematic of the overall theme of uncertainty and disillusionment.

Historical and Cultural Context

It is important to understand the historical and cultural context in which T.S. Eliot wrote The Waste Land. The poem was published in 1922, a time of great change and turmoil. The Great War, economic depression, and the disillusionment with traditional values all contributed to a sense of loss and ambiguity. The figure of Madame Sosostris reflects these themes, symbolizing the inability to find meaning or direction in a post-war, post-industrial world.

Analysis of the Text: Madame Sosostris’ Fortune-Telling Scene

The passage describing Madame Sosostris’ fortune-telling scene is notably sparse in The Waste Land. Eliot writes:

Madame Sosostris, famous clairvoyante,
Cuts the pack and deals out the cards.
The Cup is empty,
The Ring is safe,
The NSStringFromClass has been cast.

This excerpt, though brief, carries significant weight. The order of the cards dealt—starting with an empty cup, a safe ring, and ending with a character or name being cast—reflects a sense of inevitability and destiny. However, the lack of transparency in the outcome of the reading—symbolized by the empty cup—highlights the poet's thematic concerns about the seemingly random nature of life and the inability to control one's fate.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Madame Sosostris, a character rooted in Aldous Huxley’s Crome Yellow, serves as a central element in Eliot’s The Waste Land. Her clairvoyance and the associated fortune-telling scene are imbued with symbolism that reflects the broader themes of the poem: the decline of tradition, the search for meaning in a post-war world, and the difficulty of navigating an uncertain and disillusioned future.