Irony in T.S. Eliot's The Family Reunion

Abstract

On the surface T.S. Eliot'sThe Family Reunionlooks like an ancient Greek drama; there is a story of a disintegrated family which is going to be reunited after many years. But close analysis of the play reveals that, by using the mode of irony, Eliot has aimed to portray the life and life style of the modern waste landers of the twentieth century living between two destroying World Wars. Most of the characters of the play symbolized modern waste landers and by presenting such characters and plot by the means of irony, Eliot has attempted to show the situation of modern life and society: spiritual barrenness and disintegrated family value among modern waste landers.