The History and Culture of Diaspora

Thomas Stearns Eliot as Read by Algirdas Landsbergis

Abstract

Literary criticism holds significant importance both within Lithuania and in its diaspora, yet the discipline remains undervalued. This article explores the literary and critical influences that shaped the perspectives of diaspora writer Algirdas Jeronimas Landsbergis (1924–2004), examining his impact, particularly on younger generations of Lithuanian emigrant authors. Among the most influential literary figures for Landsbergis was Thomas Stearns Eliot, an acclaimed poet, critic, and playwright of English-American descent. This article investigates why Eliot’s seminal poem, The Waste Land (1922), held special appeal for Landsbergis, by analysing its relevance and legacy for modern Lithuanian poetry in exile. It further considers how the poem influenced Landsbergis’s criteria for assessing Lithuanian diaspora poetry. Within the framework of Eliot’s reception, the discussion highlights Landsbergis’s intellectual alignment with Lithuanian modernists – critics and poets alike. Additionally, the analysis of translations of Eliot’s poem by Alfonsas Nyka-Niliūnas (1953) and Tomas Venclova (1972) provides in sights into Landsbergis’s literary views and underscores the broader significance of translating international literary works into Lithuanian. Ultimately, the examination of Landsbergis’s critical engagement with Eliot’s poetry reveals defining characteristics of his evaluative approach.