As a poet, philosopher and social commentator of the 20th century, T.S. Eliot (1888-1965) was interested in organising a social structure based on traditional values. Eliots intellectual quest through Indic and Western philosophies more or less ended in 1927, as he openly embraced Anglican Catholicism. From then on, he advocated the Anglican centralities involving tradition, scriptural hermeneutics and reason as the vital ways to synthesize a definite order. Thus, Eliots Anglicanism is a distinct manifestation of his Conservative politics. Also, Eliots allegiance to the ecclesiastical centres as a means to consolidate the European society is akin to Thomas Hobbess (1588-1679) social contract theory of society and state formation. Hobbess theory elucidates the role of an absolute Sovereign who commands and controls peoples unruly passion through consent and wilful submission. Hobbes saw the state of nature or pre-governmental stage of mankind as solitary, poore, nasty, brutish, and short (Hobbes, 1901, p.97). Hobbes was determined to prevent anarchy, war and statelessness. Whereas, Eliot focussed on constituting a peaceful and protected federal society by relying upon the authority of Anglo-Catholic tradition. Eliot wrote the Ariel Poems after his conversion to Anglican Catholicism. My presentation explores Eliots theological persuasions concerning social integration by delineating his selected Ariel Poems. It includes a detailed examination of Eliots arrival at the Hobbesian contractarian centres through Anglican politics.
This presentation forms a crucial part of my PhD thesis. My PhD dissertation highlights the salient features of T.S.Eliots lifelong involvement with political Conservatism as an approach towards conflict resolution.
Keywords: Anglo-Catholic, centrality, contract, reason.