1) Definition (CUET-ready)
Dissociation of sensibility is a critical term popularised by T.S. Eliot to describe a perceived historical split (after the 17th century) between:
- thought/intellect and feeling/emotion in English poetry.
Eliot argues that certain earlier poets (especially the Metaphysicals, like Donne) could “feel their thought”—i.e., integrate complex ideas with intense emotion—whereas later poetry increasingly separated intellect from sensibility.
2) Where the term comes from (what CUET may test)
The phrase is associated with Eliot’s criticism, particularly in essays discussing:
- Metaphysical poets,
- shifts in poetic style and consciousness.
CUET core association:
- Term ↔ T.S. Eliot
- Often connected to Metaphysical poetry and later poets like Milton/Dryden as part of the “shift” narrative (depending on simplified exam framing).
3) What “sensibility” means here (conceptual clarity)
“Sensibility” is not just “emotion.” It is:
- a total responsiveness of mind and feeling,
- a capacity to experience and articulate the world in an integrated way.