COGNITIVE LIMINALITY: A CONCEPTUAL BLENDING ANALYSIS OF T. S. ELIOT'S 'THE HOLLOW MEN' AND 'ASH WEDNESDAY'

Abstract

This research article examines the concept of cognitive liminality in T.S. Eliot's poems "The Hollow Men" and "Ash Wednesday" through the theoretical framework of conceptual blending theory. The study employs a qualitative research methodology, utilising textual analysis and cognitive poetic approaches to investigate how Eliot's poetic language creates liminal cognitive spaces that challenge readers' conceptual frameworks. The findings reveal that Eliot's masterful use of conceptual blending techniques, particularly in his deployment of religious imagery, fragmented narratives, and intertextual references, creates a persistent cognitive liminality that mirrors the spiritual and existential crises of the modern era. The research contributes to both literary studies and cognitive linguistics by demonstrating how conceptual blending theory can illuminate the complex cognitive processes involved in reading modernist poetry.