e to nothing and the 'heart of light', was cruelly extinguished. From the bittersweet memories and dead landscape we are then introduced to the mystic Madame Sosostris, who offers the chance of foresight into the future. Although, some of her prophecies do come true such as the death by drowning (Phlebas the sailor), Madame Sosostris represents all that is ill in the world, this being greed and corruption, as she is only interested in the money. The closing stanza reflects this with the unreal city where the flowing crowds walk with eyes fixed at their feet. This sad and poignant image is highlighted by the words 'I had not thought death had undone so many…' They are imprisoned in a living hell, which is self-induced because they care for no one but themselves. The mythical allusion that draws the final stanza to a close reinforces the universal quality and shows how the present, past and future merge.This allusion is then carried on in part two 'A game of chess', only this time the scene is set in the decadent grandeur of a ladies boudoir. The allusions here are manifold with the lady sitting on her 'burnished throne', which is reminiscent of Cleopatra's gilded boat. Material things that serve her vanity surround her, but the things that surround her are artificial and synthetic, and any connection with Cleopatra's majesty is lost amid the bric-a-brac of the room. The artificial and synthetic nature of the objects in the room reflects the underlying falseness of the woman's character. Eliot has been very descriptive in his portrayal of the room, using a fusion of warm earthy colours to add a feeling of life and movement. This attempt at recreating life is reinforced by the images of carved vines, and a carved dolphin swimming. Although these images appear beautiful, what they really show is how lifeless and sterile the room and its occupant are. These images represent life and fertility and are shown in an inversion...
