Abstract

In recent years, spatiality in literature has evolved beyond being a mere backdrop for the story, revealing its complex nature. Space is now a multifaceted structure with various meanings, social implications, and historical significance. It shapes people’s perception of the physical environment and plays a crucial role in defining people’s understanding of the world around them. This understanding of space extends beyond literature and can be applied to urban spaces. Modern travel poetry has evolved to engage with the changing nature of travel, exploration, and globalization. This study aims to show how T. S. Eliot’s poetry was influenced by his experiences and travels. His exposure to different cultures during his travels is reflected in the multicultural references and themes found in his poetry, such as in The Waste Land, where he draws upon many cultural and historical allusions from various civilizations, and his use of fragmented narratives, multiple voices, and nonlinear structures. Additionally, Eliot’s sense of alienation and dislocation in his poetry can be seen as a reflection of his experiences as an American expatriate living in Europe. Furthermore, Eliot’s poetic creations draw inspiration from various specific locations he has either visited or resided in, such as Burnt Norton and East Coker in Four Quartets, which serve as both physical settings and metaphors for deeper philosophical and spiritual contemplation. For this, his poems often serve as a kind of literary travelogue through the landscapes of the modern world and the human condition.