Love Song Of J Alfred Prufrock Essay free essay sample

, Research Paper Love, Lust or Lackluster Lifestyle? The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock demonstrates the effects of societal and economicpressure in the life of a Victorian adult male. T.S. Eliot shows us, in an dry soliloquy, how thereality of age and societal place paralyzes his character with fright. The verse form opens with six linesfrom Dante s Infernio. This peculiar stanza explains that the talker is in snake pit and the messagecan merely be told to person else in snake pit. The talker tells us that it is All right for the hearer to hearthe message, since in order to hear you must already be in snake pit and no one of all time returns from there.So the message will neer go forth. I believe Eliot utilizations this message to deduce that merely a reader whounderstands the solitariness and despair of Prufrock can truly understand the verse form. However, in my research, I have found as many different readings of the verse form as I have foundreaders. Most agree ; nevertheless, that Prufrock is talking to the reader when he says you andI ( Line 1 ) . Many readers besides agree that Prufrock is a alone adult male, but what type of company hedesires seems to change greatly. Interpretations include sex, societal company, long term love, andeven decease. I believe Prufrock yearns for the sense of belonging, both with a female and with hissociety. He struggles with issues of sex, age and societal alteration. The get downing lines of the verse form ( 1-25 ) pigment for a really descriptive image of the streetwhere Prufrock is walking. It besides alerts the reader of Prufrock s antipathy for this country and thissociety. He describes it as rich person deserted, mumbling. one-night inexpensive hotels and sawdustrestaurants. ( 5-7 ) He contrasts that with his finish of a room where adult females come andgo/Talking of Michelangelo ( 1 3 A ; 14 ) . Prufrock doesn t give the reader much penetration into histhoughts until line 26. From this line frontward, we get a glance of what it must be like to bePrufrock. He tells us There will be clip, there will be time/ To fix a face to run into the facesthat you meet ( 27-28 ) , bespeaking repression. He must fix himself mentally to be able toput on the right societal image before he makes his visit ( 12 ) . The remainder of the verse form simplyreinforces his battle between the manner he would wish to be and the world of his life. He begins toponder the overpowering inquiry ( 11 ) of whether or non he could hold a romantic interludewith one of the ladies he is gong to see, but the socially acceptable and somewhat neurotic side ofhim emerges and he rapidly switches his ideas to his thinning hair. I believe he is seeking togather the bravery to near one of these ladies ( 42-43 amp ; 45-46 ) but looses the bravery asquickly as it came to him. He so laments about his indecis iveness and deficiency of bravery, in a minutethere is time/ For determination and alterations with a minute will change by reversal. The subject of Prufrock sfickle ideas run throughout the verse form, as illustrated in his assurance about his outfit and gustatory sensation, so merely the following line he his dorsum to the insecurity about his age But how his weaponries and legs arethin. ( 45 ) Prufrock goes on to state the reader of his experience I have known them all # 8211 ; /Haveknown the eventides, forenoons, afternoons, ( 50 ) depicting the phases of his life from his youththrough his immature maturity to his present province, as a in-between aged adult male. He feels the age andeventual decease of non merely himself but of the society he is a portion of. He hears voicesdying # 8230 ; ..Beneath the music from a farther room ( 52-53 ) , and realizes that he is at the terminal of histime. I think he realizes that he is non a member of the modern society, nor am I sure he wa nts tobe. But he does experience that he is watched like a specimen formulated, sprawling on a pin ( 57 ) . Butunlike a bug in a bug aggregation, he is still alive and anguished wriggling on the wall ( 58 ) . He realizes that his imposts are a portion of the past, but he is unable to see the way to move on. Hethinks perhaps he should spit out the butt-ends of my days and ways (60) but realizes hewouldn t know how to resume life in the new world And how should I presume? (61). 2. Prufrock goes back to his own way of thought and begins to remember the women in theparlor and his mind begins to wonder to more physical elements of their company and he soonbegins to muster up courage again. His confidence becomes evident And how should I begin?/Shall I say, I have gone at dusk through narrow streets/ And watched the smoke that rises fromthe pipes/ Of lonely men in shirt-sleeves, leaning out of windows/†¦ (69-72). This stanza hasalmost a superior ring to it. As though Prufrock realizes he is socially superior to the men in thewindows. He is careful to point out that they are smoking but not wearing their jackets. They arespending their evening leaning out of windows (72) overlooking narrow streets (70). A man ofPrufrock s stature would not do such distasteful things and would therefore be worthy of thesewomen s company. He carefully contrasts the women in the parlor whose arms braceleted, whiteand bare (63) lie along a table, or wrap a shawl (67) with the informal and guttural image ofthese men in town. J. Alfred takes seven lines to carefully draw us a picture of a formal evening inthis parlor, and only three to describe that which is distasteful to him. But knowing he will not beact on his feelings he decides he would be better off as a pair of ragged claws/ Scuttling acrossthe floors of silent seas. (71-72) Lines 75-86 tell of the sleep that both he and his culture are in. The cultures ignorance ofit s own impending death and his inaction regarding his desire for passion. He says he has seenthe moment of my greatness flicker (84) which his own admission of his mortality. And as helooks back he realizes that he is lonely. Prufrock says it would have been worth it, after all (88)worth the formality of his life he could simply have the company of one of these women. Perhaps,even worth the gossip that would have occurred(89) if he could simply feel the passion of a youngman again. He hopes passion will bring him back to life(94-95). I believe his desire is much morethan sexual. Prufrock wants one of these women of intellect who will challenge him. He wants toescape his own thoughts and have stimulating conversation. He wants a woman who will say thatis not what I meant at all. (110) 3. Then back to the stately old Prufrock, who submits he will not even be able to be like Hamlet , instead he will only be a pathetic advisor. He tells us he is so indecisive and so unableto make a commitment to action that he cannot even rise to the occasion of the person mostknown for his inaction. He basically tells us he is lower than low. He is intelligent, well spoken,and educated(116-117) but so much a coward that he is almost ridiculous–/ Almost, at times,the Fool. (118-119) Although many of the comments and interpretatio ns of The Love Song of J. AlfredPrufrock that I have read seem to believe that the last 4 stanzas are a sign that he may break outof his shell. I believe it is the surrender of all hope and the recognition of the inconceivability ofhis desires. I think lines 120-130 are Prufrock s way of telling us of the dream of youth that hewill leave behind. He will not wear the bottoms of my trousers rolled (121) nor wear flanneltrousers, and walk upon the beach. These are the customs and actions of young passionate men.Men whose physical appearance and less stuffy lifestyle will attract the mermaids (124). Heconcedes I do not think that they will sing to me. (125) Prufrock leaves us with the thought ofhow life and society can force us from our dreams and sink us with reality. We have lingered inthe chambers of the sea/ By sea-girls wreathed with seeweed red and brown/ Till human voiceswake us, and we drown. (129-131)