Tradition and the Individual Talent

Sulphur dioxide and oxygen symbolize the experiences that the traditional poet transforms. Sulphur dioxide and oxygen require platinum in order to become sulphurous acid. Before the transmutation process, sulphur dioxide and oxygen are stable and do not combine. After the intervention of platinum, the two elements become something new: sulphurous acid.

The role of sulphur dioxide and oxygen in Eliot’s analogy of the sulphurous acid transformation helps the reader visualize the traditional poet’s work. According to Eliot, traditional poets do not use their own emotions and experiences; rather, they use elements outside of themselves that have always existed. These emotions and experiences are elemental in the sense that they have been used before in other combinations. In addition, the traditional poet does not seek new emotions or experiences. Instead, they use fundamental emotions and bring them into a new combination by means of their artistic process. The result is a new effect of old emotions—like the sulphurous acid which only exists because platinum combines and transmutes its constituent elements (sulphur dioxide and oxygen).