In the second line we know that the speaker of the poem is now looking out on to the street and observing what he sees. The speaker refers to the curb as “trampled edges”, this is an indication that the curb is worn out by the stampede of people going about with their daily routines.
For the first, in line three, the speaker refers to themselves; we know the speaker is communicating directly with the reader due to him saying “I am”. The speaker evokes to the reader that he is “aware” of the unhappy working class. “Damp souls” is an extremely negative phrase, clearly saying that these people are deeply unhappy. An example of the working class, is used, “housemaids”. The person whom is looking out of the window is expressing deep sorrow and pity for these “housemaids” with “damp souls”
In line four, the poet uses a verb, “sprouting”, the word sprouting gives me the an image of housemaids appearing out of nowhere . The word “despondently” clearly evokes to the reader that these people are immensely depressed with their life and the feeling of being trapped in their situations, seeing no escape from their repetitive and unfulfilling lifestyles. This stanza has dramatic powerful imagery of melancholic people appearing on the street preparing for another miserable and lifeless day.
At the start of the second stanza, Eliot says, “brown waves”, giving a sense of unhygienic and polluted air, because we associate the colour “brown” as a dirty, dull colour. “Fog” is symbolic of confusion; Eliot has personified the “fog” by using the verb “toss”, therefore giving it human-like qualities and actions. The word “toss” re- enforcing the confusion of the fog, shaking about and not should where to go. Eliot says “me” because he wants the reader to know that it is him experiencing this fog, wants us to realize that he is observing the fog and experiencing the sense of touch and sight. The sense of touch evoked by the “brown waves”, feeling the moistness of the fog on his skin. The sense of sight is achieved by the “brown waves”, Eliot has given the colour of the waves, and therefore he and the reader must be able to see these “brown waves”.
In the second line, Eliot says “twisted faces” evoking people with cruel and bitter expressions. Then in the third line is the word “tear”, which is an exceedingly aggressive action. This gives me an image in my mind that the “twisted faces” are forcefully torn apart by the fog when a “passer-by” with “muddy skirts” turning their bitter expressions into a smile. However, it is an “aimless smile” which is inane and false, this is perhaps because of the society in which they live, like the smile, their society is false and two faced. The “aimless smile” then “hovers in the air” and “vanishes along the level of the roofs”, meaning the smile is exposed to the society and then reaches above the roof tops and disappears into nothingness.
There is alliteration in the poem, “breakfast” and “basements”, “am” and “aware”, “souls” and “sprouting”. Eliot uses many poetic devices in this poem, the connotations of the morning and the basement, onomatopoeia is used when referring to the “rattling”, Eliot has also used a metaphor of the working classes, the “housemaids”. Also using symbolic words, such as “fog” and the “window”. The alliteration is used to help the rhythm flow when real aloud.
I like the poem because Eliot is not criticizing society; he is just merely observing society. I sense a revolutionary aura in the poem. Although Eliot has not given a solution for these people in his poem, he has attempted the first step to any solution, he has observed society. Eliot has produced a successful poem effectively using poetry devices; creating thoughts, feelings and numerous word paintings.
