The Impersonal Theory of T. S. Eliot: Its Role in Poetry and Application in Korean EFL English Classrooms

This study examines T. S. Eliot’s impersonal theory of poetry and investigates how it can be applied to teaching English literature in Korean EFL university classrooms. The purpose of the research is to determine whether Eliot’s view-namely that poetry should transcend personal emotion and instead emerge from tradition, form, and technique-can support Korean learners in developing deeper literary understanding and analytical competence. Using textual analysis of Eliot’s key critical essays, including The Sacred Wood and Selected Essays, the study traces the evolution of his impersonal theory and identifies pedagogical principles relevant to EFL contexts. The analysis highlights how distancing the poet from personal emotion encourages students to read poems as crafted textual objects rather than autobiographical expressions. The findings suggest that applying Eliot’s theory in the classroom enables students to focus on poetic structure, technique, and intertextuality, thereby strengthening critical thinking and reducing reliance on subjective interpretation. Practical instructional strategies grounded in Eliot’s concepts-such as guided analysis of form, comparison with traditional models, and discussion of the poet’s role as a mediator-are proposed. The study concludes that integrating Eliot’s impersonal theory can enhance literary comprehension among Korean EFL learners and warrants further cross-cultural investigation.