5
QuizLong Text

T.S. Eliot: The Hollow Men

Question 5 • English 12 B

What do the eyes represent in the “The Hollow Men”? Support your answer, citing one or two examples from the poem.

Answer

Answer:

In "The Hollow Men," the eyes represent truth, judgment, and spiritual awareness. The hollow men fear them because the eyes would see their emptiness clearly. For example, the speaker says, "Eyes I dare not meet in dreams," which shows fear of being truly seen or judged. Later, Eliot writes, "The eyes are not here / There are no eyes here," suggesting a place without insight, hope, or moral guidance.