What does this quote mean from Tradition and Individual Talent by T.S. Eliot: “N

Question

What does this quote mean from Tradition and Individual Talent by T.S. Eliot: “No poet, no artist of any art, has his complete meaning alone. His significance, his appreciation is the appreciation of his relation to the dead poets and artists. You cannot value him alone; you must see him, for contrast and comparison, among the dead. I mean this as a principle of aesthetic, not merely historical criticism...What happens when a new work of art is created is something that happens simultaneously to all the works of art which preceded it...The poet who is aware of this will be aware of great difficulties and responsibilities.”

Explanation / Answer

The meaning of this quote is that any poet or artist's siginificance and appreciation is not done in isolation of the history of art and literature. The history of art and literature in general is as much important to appreciate the works of a poet or artist as the present works of the artist or writer. This is necessary to draw comparisons between the historical works of art/literature and the contemporary art. This is also important so that the poet or artist can value own works of art as well as those of the historical artists who are dead. This knowledge gives the artist a realisation about the difficulties and responsibilities of preserving and evolving the rich heritage and legacy of art.

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