Final answer:
The use of paradox in The Hollow Men by T.S. Eliot adds depth and complexity to the poem, emphasizing the struggle with existential themes. Cleanth Brooks's criticism underscores the need to see paradox as integral to the poem's structure, which informs its meaning instead of merely focusing on plot. This approach highlights the inseparable relationship between form and content, aligning with New Criticism's principles.
Step-by-step explanation:
In T.S. Eliot's The Hollow Men, the use of paradox creates a profound meaning throughout the poem. The poem's shift from the direct address to the audience using 'you' to a more introspective and personal tone in the latter stanzas adds layers of complexity. This intentional shift allows the poem to unveil the speaker's inner thoughts and feelings as they struggle with concepts of existence and nihilism. The paradoxical nature of the poem also reflects Cleanth Brooks's critical perspective on New Criticism, emphasizing the heresy of paraphrase, which separates form and content.
Brooks highlights the importance of avoiding paraphrase to truly understand the poetry and its underlying themes. He argues that the poem must be taken as a whole, with each paradox playing a critical role in building up to the conclusive paradox offered by the 'silent form' of the urn. Paradoxes serve to underline the tensions and contradictions inherent in life and art, effectively capturing the essence of the poet's message without diluting it through reduction to mere plot summary.
The juxtaposition between life and still imagery on the urn (as in Keats's 'Ode on a Grecian Urn') and between the active and passive elements within The Hollow Men creates an overarching paradox that deepens the reader's experience of the poem. It is the embracement of these paradoxes that provides insight into the complex 'truth' of the poem, transcending beyond the literal and into the metaphoric and symbolic realms.