T.S. Eliot's: The Love Song of J. Alfred

T.S. Eliot's: The Love Song of J. Alfred

Introduction

In this poem by Eliot paints the picture of an insecure man looking for his place in society. Prufrock has fallen in with the times, and places a lot of burden on social status and class to determine his individuality. He is ashamed of his personal appearance and looks towards social advancement as a way to assure himself and those around him of his value and establish who he is. Through out the poem "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock", T.S. Eliot explores Prufrock's conflict with society, love and self.

Character analysis of Prufrock

Contrary to what the title implies, The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock, by T.S. Eliot, is anything but a love song. It is instead quite the opposite. Although the poem is open to several interpretations, after careful reading of the poem, the several underlying themes can be expressed by one central idea. In the poem, the narrator, J. Alfred Prufrock, portrays his disappointment with the society he lives in. By interpreting aspects of imagery, speaker and intended audience, one can easily assess Prufrock's views of life. His interpretation of everyday life can be described as a vacant, bleak, and repetitive (Burt, and Lewin, 2001, 154).

In Eliot's masterpiece "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock," time passes along with the human spirit of the narrator. His heart decays by the moment. Even within his fantasies he is tortured by the ever-present problems which plague him throughout his life. He can't even see the point in expressing his love because of the fear of being rejected. Eliot's depiction of the worries of aging is a major aspect incorporated into the poem (Seymour, 2001, 17). Although Prufrock is a man of knowledge and ...