Which of the following best characterizes T.S. Eliot's concept of the "objective correlative" ?
Correct answer: D. The objective correlative refers to a set of objects, situations, or events which necessarily produce a particular emotion.
- A. The objective correlative refers to the correlation between the poem's formal structure and its meaning.
- B. The objective correlative refers to the correlation between the poem's formal structure and its rhetorical aim.
- C. The objective correlative refers to the correlation between the poem's theme and its objective historical context.
- D. The objective correlative refers to a set of objects, situations, or events which necessarily produce a particular emotion.
Explanation
Eliot defined the objective correlative as a set of objects, situations, or events that serves as the formula for producing a particular emotion in the reader. It is therefore more specific than a general relationship between form, meaning, or historical context.
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