Prufrock, on the other hand, is entirely stagnant. This pointlessness is reinforced by the footnote which alludes to the work of the Greek poet Hesiod – it states that it is a contrast to the productive labor emphasized in Works and Days. Because of this, his existence is meaningless. He insists that he can revise what he hasn’t done, because there is plenty of time to do it in the future. He repeats “there will be time” to distract himself from doing the things that he desires. My interpretation of this section is that Prufrock is concealing his true personality and faking his disposition for social gatherings. That lift and drop a question on your plate īefore the taking of a toast and tea.” (lines 26-34) To prepare a face to meet the faces that you meet Īnd time for all the works and days of hands Prufrock is a relatable, yet very unlikeable character because he does not opt for change, even though he dreads his current self. Prufrock serves as the epitome of frustration pent up inside the human mind, even inside a modern, complex environment with endless entertainment. His imperfections make him lonely, discontented, and vulnerable, and his high expectations stray him away from being satisfied in physical relationships. In a sense, Prufrock is also superficial and materialistic (he cares a lot for his clothing and how others view him). No matter how much he tries to impress by putting on expensive clothing, he is criticized by others’ opinion (or so he believes). The women that Prufrock sees talks of Michelangelo – my understanding is that the women are ostentatious, which is a characteristic that drives Prufrock to behave in order to fit in. He frequents the red-light district, goes to cheap hotels, goes through ominous half-deserted streets, drinks liquor, and eats oyster shells, which are actually aphrodisiacs. My understanding of Prufrock is that he is entirely listless and unable to advance, thus requiring something to numb his mind and carry on his mundane lifestyle. At the beginning, he compares the evening sky to a “patient etherized upon a table”. The poem is a monologue, potentially inside Prufrock’s mind as he voices out inner conflicts and leads the readers along with him. With this analysis, Prufrock as a character is overwhelmed by the environment around him. Prufrock talks about the night sky, deserted streets, fog and smoke, which highlight the negative connotation of the poem.
Alfred Prufrock is solemn in its use of diction. Thus the narrator's obsession with time paralyzes him, preventing him from acting upon his desires.The Love Song of J. Eliot forces the reader to confront the force that is time. By repeating time imagery, both within the language and structure of the poem, T.S. What role does time play in The Love Song of J Alfred Prufrock?Īlfred Prufrock” centers upon the concept of time. Eliot's poem caught the changes in consciousness perfectly. Alfred Prufrock is a shifting, repetitive monologue, the thoughts of a mature male as he searches for love and meaning in an uncertain, twilight world. One of the first true modernist poems, The Love Song of J.
(London)Īdditionally, what happens in The Love Song of J Alfred Prufrock? Magazine (1915): Harriet Monroe chapbook (1917): The Egoist, Ltd. EliotĬover page of The Egoist, Ltd.'s publication of Prufrock and Other Observations (1917) Alfred Prufrock," one of the first modernist poems, has at its center a modernist theme: the alienation, paralysis, and timidity of the early 20th-century man.Īdditionally, how many lines Is The Love Song of J Alfred Prufrock? The Love Song of J.
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Despite knowing what to say and how to express his love, he is hesitant.Īlso asked, what is the main idea of the Love Song of J Alfred Prufrock? The poem reflects the thoughts of a person searching for love in an uncertain world. S Eliot, first written between 1910-1911 and was published in June 1915 and again in 1917. Alfred Prufrock” is a dramatic narrative poem by T.