A COOKING EGG

          'A Cooking Egg' is a fantastic poem by Eliot. Eliot is one of the greatest poets of the twentieth century. This poem is a dramatic monologue. Here the poet reviews his past and contrasts it with the present and the future.

          'A Cooking Egg' appeared in 1920. Its title is highly significant. A cooking egg is an egg, which has grown old and stale but can still be used for cooking. Like such an egg the poet has also grown old and lost the freshness of youth. In short, the title is appropriate.

          'A cooking Egg' is a well-knit poem in quatrains but it has an internal structure too. It has three parts. The first part presents a scene. The second part looks to the future and the third to the past. In short, the first part presents his reality, the second his realised hopes and the third bewails their fulfillment.

          The first scene of the poem takes place in Pipit's room. She is sitting silently opposite the speaker. He recollects that Pipit was the partner of his childhood delight and youthful sallies. Pipit's knitting and pictures evoke his past.

          In the second part of the poem, the poet feels unhappy and frustrated because his high hopes have not been realised. Thus for the realisation of his ambitions, he looks forward to his life after death. The poet imagines enjoying the company of noble patriots, heroes and capitalists like Sidney, Coriolanus and Mond in heaven. He would enjoy the company of many fashionable and scholarly ladies like Borgia, Blvatsky and Donati. They would quench his physical and spiritual thirst. Pipit would be insignificant there.

          At last, the poet's mood changes once again. He realises the futility of honour, riches, social status and spiritual enlightenment. Suddenly the poet sees some scavengers going towards hotels to take eggs. The poet finds himself like a cooking egg. He realises that the past and the future are unreal and the present is the only reality.

          Thus 'A Cooking Egg' is a beautiful poem. Here the poet has presented the harsh realities of life. This poem is full of symbols, allusions and references. The use of negative sentences play very important role in the poem. The diction is simple and straightforward.