Our Cast List
In the course of producing our voice-based electronic edition of The Waste Land, we used a variety of methods to settle on a cast list consisting of twelve distinct voices. This list of voices is the one with which you must work in completing the "Have Your Own Say" section of this website. This is not to say that we consider it definitive; indeed, we invite you to disagree with our cast list—to find more, fewer, or simply different voices. When the technical resources exist, we intend to make it possible for you to edit our character list, or to devise one of your own.
This listing describes some of characteristics and vocal traits of the members of our dramatis personae. It displays the name of each voice in the font and size in which they appear in the poem as presented on this website.
Name |
Tiresias |
Age |
70s-90s |
Tone |
Objective, detached, but sympathetic |
Accent |
Unknown |
Languages spoken |
English |
Characteristic lines |
I Tiresias, old man with wrinkled dugs |
Name |
Marie |
Age |
60s-70s |
Tone |
Nostalgic |
Accent |
German |
Languages spoken |
English, German |
Characteristic lines |
And when we were children, staying at the archduke's, And I was frightened. |
Name |
Hellfire Preacher |
Age |
50s-60s |
Tone |
Prophetic, censorious, condemning, enraged |
Accent |
American |
Languages spoken |
English |
Characteristic lines |
What are the roots that clutch, what branches grow |
Name |
Chorus |
Age |
Multiple/Ageless |
Tone |
Distant, detached |
Accent |
Multiple |
Languages spoken |
All |
Characteristic lines |
Drip drop drip drop drop drop drop |
Name |
Intrepid Reporter |
Age |
30s |
Tone |
That of a radio or newsreel announcer of the 1920s |
Accent |
English |
Languages spoken |
English |
Characteristic lines |
Madame Sosostris famous clairvoyante, |
Name |
Madame Sosostris |
Age |
60s-70s |
Tone |
Businesslike, polite, helpful |
Accent |
Slight, Egyptian |
Languages spoken |
English, (Arabic) |
Characteristic lines |
Thank you. If you see dear Mrs. Equitone, Tell her I bring the horoscope myself |
Name |
Crazy Prufrock |
Age |
30s |
Tone |
Alternately manic/delusional, detached/grim, and cynical/angst-ridden |
Accent |
American and/or English |
Languages spoken |
English, Italian, French, Latin, some Sanskrit |
Characteristic lines |
I think we are in rats' alley Where the dead men lost their bones. |
Name |
Nervous One |
Age |
30s |
Tone |
Nervous, anxious |
Accent |
English |
Languages spoken |
English |
Characteristic lines |
"My nerves are bad to-night. Yes, bad. Stay with me." |
Name |
|
Age |
40s |
Tone |
Chatty, gossipy |
Accent |
Cockney English |
Languages spoken |
English |
Characteristic lines |
Name |
|
Age |
50s-60s |
Tone |
Bellowing |
Accent |
Cockney English |
Languages spoken |
English |
Characteristic lines |
Name |
The Typist |
Age |
20s |
Tone |
Meek, resigned |
Accent |
English |
Languages spoken |
English |
Characteristic lines |
"Well now that's done: and I'm glad it's over." |
Name |
The Thunder |
Age |
Ageless |
Tone |
Prophetic, serene |
Accent |
— |
Languages spoken |
Sanskrit |
Characteristic lines |
DA |