Eliot breaks all the rules of epic poetry in The Waste Land. For an epic poem it appears to be too short; it does not have a unifying voice; and it lacks the primary characteristic that defines this genre--a hero. (1) Eliot, nevertheless, employs an epic structure that necessitates the presence of a pilgrim, of either gender, who has the opportunity to become a hero in the poem.

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The heroes of The Waste Land are its own readers. The guide/pilgrim structure of Eliot's poem places readers in the role of the pilgrim. In this role, active readers gradually develop qualities that later will characterize them as heroes. Eliot defines what it means to be a modern ...

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