In T.S. Eliot’s essay "Tradition and the Individual Talent," the term "traditional" carries a nuanced and somewhat critical connotation, which can explain why the correct answer is 2. something negative.
Explanation:
Tradition as a Burden:
Eliot critiques the common view of "tradition" as something static and burdensome—where merely imitating past writers is often seen as dull or uninspired. In this context, the traditional can be seen as a constraint on creativity. Therefore, the term takes on a negative aspect when associated with mere repetition and uncritical adherence to the past.
Tradition Requires Active Engagement:
Eliot argues that tradition should not just be inherited passively. For a writer to engage with tradition meaningfully, they must reinterpret it through their individual talent. Simply following tradition without contributing something new is, in Eliot’s eyes, unproductive. He criticizes this tendency, which makes the "traditional" in its passive sense something to avoid.
Opposition Between Tradition and Innovation:
Eliot places value on a dynamic relationship between the past and the present. The "traditional" becomes problematic when it resists individual innovation or when writers cling to it without bringing fresh insight.
Thus, in Eliot’s view, the word "traditional" often has negative overtones unless the artist creatively transforms tradition rather than merely repeating it. This complex relationship justifies the answer 2. something negative.
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