The Inner Pilgrimage: A Comparative Study of Spiritual Awakening in the Works of Tagore and T.S. Eliot

Abstract

This paper explores the theme of spiritual awakening as a journey of inner transformation in the literary works of Rabindranath Tagore and T.S. Eliot. Though culturally and geographically distinct, both authors engage deeply with questions of identity, transcendence and self-realization. Tagore’s spiritual vision, deeply rooted in Vedantic thought, emphasizes unity with the divine through love and surrender, while Eliot’s Christian existentialism reveals a movement from spiritual aridity to salvation. Through a comparative reading of Gitanjali and Four Quartets, this paper argues that both authors construct inner pilgrimages marked by suffering, introspection and eventual grace. The study concludes that the spiritual awakening they present transcends religious boundaries, becoming a universal metaphor for the human search for meaning.