In his poem The Love Music of T. Alfred Prufrock, Eliot is exploring the
amazing issues of affection and self-awareness popular themes in materials.
However , through his usage of Prufrocks deep self-consciousness he skews the
readers objectives of a Like Song and takes a serious perspective
about love, which usually many experts do, yet few may create personas as
deep and multi-layered as Prufrock, probably the explanation that this poem still
remains to be, arguably, Eliots most famous. The start of the composition is pre-empted
by a great excerpt via Dantes Inferno which Eliot uses to create the poetry serious
tone, but as well to begin his exploration of Prufrocks self-consciousness. Simply by
inserting this kind of quote, a parallel is made between Prufrock and the presenter
Guido weil Montefeltro, who may be very mindful of his situation in heck and
his personal situation regarding the fate of his lifestyle. Prufrock feels much the
same way, although his heck and the destiny of his life are definitely more in his own mind and
have significantly less to do with the folks around him. The issue of his fate leads Prufrock
to an overwhelming question(10) which is never identified, asked
or solved in the poem. This problem is affiliated somehow to his
psyche, but both equally its ambiguity to the visitor and Prufrocks denial to even ask
What is it? (11) gives several insight into his state of internal
hardship and incapability to cause. Prufrocks dissatisfaction in his personal
appearance is definitely one, however, not the most important of his idiosyncrasies. Not only is
he miserable with the mother nature of his appearance, needing to Prepare a deal with to
satisfy the faces that you meet, although he is afraid of what others may have
to say about him: (They will say: How his hair is growing
thin! )(41) and ( But how his legs and arms are
slim! )(44). Prufrock is unconfident and anxious of lenders reactions to
his balding head and slim, ageing body. Regrettably, his lack of confidence
isnt limited to his looks. Prufrock has difficulty communicating with persons
not surprising considering his extreme deficiency of confidence in the appearance.
Hes indecisive and unsuccessful in his attempts to communicate with various other
people, reproducing visions and revisions(33) and decisions and
revisions(48). Eliot uses duplication here to emphasise the concept of
Prufrocks alterations in behavior if he will change his behavior or not
is another issue most likely he will not because he also repeats problem
Do I care? and, Should i dare? ‘(38). Possibly, hes asking if he
will need to dare and drop a question on your menu, (30) meaning one of
his dares could be something that hed like to request a woman although
cant, he also requests Do I dare/ Disturb the universe? (45-46). In this
case Eliot uses hyperbole to give the reader the impression of the seriousness
of Prufrocks insecurities they are his whole world. However
this is one explanation where there can be a number of possibilities. Once
again, Eliot uses the device of ambiguity to reflect the internal struggle in
Prufrock and lead you to ask themselves again What is the
overwhelming question that Prufrock is definitely asking? Regrettably even
Prufrock himself doesnt have the response even realizing the issue by itself is
over and above the convenience of his mind, which in turn he foi by declaring I am no
prophet- and heres no superb matter, (84). By downplaying the importance of
the issue, Prufrock echoes his lack of self-worth. In fact , to Prufrock, the
issue is really important the destiny of his life is determined by it. His
declaration that he isnt a prophet indicates Prufrocks view on his position in
society, which usually he is while confused about while everything else. To interject a bit
history: Eliot wrote this kind of poem within a time in which usually social persuits, especially
in Europe, were still an essential issue. There are basically two classes
rich and poor, not of which Prufrock really matches. Eliot produces the
concept of Prufrock getting caught between two classes in the very beginning of
the poem, (if not by J. Alfred Prufrocks uncommon pompous/working course sounding
name) when he juxtaposes the images of restless times in one-night cheap
hotels/ And sawdust restaurants with oyster-shells(4-5) as well as the women who
come and go Talking of Michelangelo. (13-14). Those two images
stand for two very different ways of your life. The 1st image is of a dim
lifestyle living among the half-deserted streets(4) even though the
second is definitely the lifestyle that Prufrock allongé to be associated with much like
the image of Michelangelos piece of art on the roof of the Sistine chapel wherever
God and Adams hands are practically touching, however, not quite. When Prufrock will not
belong to possibly of these two classes totally, he does have characteristics
of both. States to be Packed with high sentence, but a little obtuse
while at the times, certainly, almost ridiculous-(117-118). Being the
outsider that he is, Prufrock will not be recognized by both class, although
he can evidently make the variation between the two and understand their users:
I know the voices dying with a perishing fall/ Underneath the music by a
even farther room. (52-53). This Shakespearean allusion (Twelfth Night (1. 1 . 4)
If perhaps music always be the food of love, play on That strain again! It had a dying
show up. ) shows that Prufrock is just out of reach of the group of people
that he wishes to be linked to in life and love, yet most likely his
feelings of insignificance prevent him from associating with anyone at all. He
sees himself being a unique example of beauty of nature, in a class all by
himself And when My spouse and i am formulated, sprawling on the pin/ While i am pinned
and wriggling on the wall structure, (57-58). This kind of image suggests that not only is he
an object for conjecture, but he’s trapped for the reason that role, a situation which this individual
is obviously unsatisfied with yet has no idea how to transform, he asks himself
Then how should I begin(59). At this point inside the poem, Prufrock is
starting to feel specifically detached via society and burdened by simply his awareness
of it. This individual thinks I ought to have been a couple of ragged claws/ Scuttling
across the floors of silent oceans. Eliot not simply uses symbolism here to
create a picture of a headless crab scuttling around in the bottom of the water
but he uses the shape of the composition itself to assist emphasize his point below. The
head is separate from the crab, and the lines are unattached from the composition in
their own stanza, much like Prufrock wishes his self-consciousness will just
remove itself. This concept is echoed in the extremely next stanza when
he says, Though I possess seen my head (grown somewhat bald) helped bring in/ upon
a platter, (83), an allusion towards the beheading of John the Baptist by
Princess Salome. These two headless images symbolize Prufrocks desire to be rid
of his self-consciousness (obviously in his head) and perhaps some taking once life
tendencies which may be tied in just about all from the ambiguous queries
Prufrock requires of himself throughout the poem. Prufrocks group of questions can easily
also be attached into his unsuccessful efforts at relationships with females. His
various insecurities keep him from doing the things this individual wants to do, he feels inadequate
and unable to exhibit his accurate feelings to women, Can i, after tea and
truffles and ices, / Have the strength to force as soon as to their
crisis? (79-80). He is aware of what he wants to state, but will not have the
confidence or mental capacity to put his feelings into words and phrases. He examines
himself to Hamlet, Simply no! I was not Royal prince Hamlet, nor was supposed to
be, (111), who, in contrast, was able to express his emotions very
successfully to his lover an ability which in turn Prufrock is envious of
characterized by his emphatic Zero! He is as well second-guessing himself
constantly through the poem: Must i dare? (38), So how will need to
I suppose? (54) and Then how should I begin(59) are all
inquiries Prufrock repeats to himself during his monologue. His feelings of
inadequacy toward women are related to his appearance and lack of
mental strength, but to the verse of time as well as effect on him. Throughout
the poem, Prufrock struggles with the concept of time. He attempts to keep
reassuring himself that indeed there will be time(23), an allusion
to a love history (Andrew Marvell To His Coy Mistress Had we all but community
enough and time. ) which suggests that Prufrock anxieties that he will probably in fact
not need time for like before the perfect of his life is more than. His passion with
the passage of the time is characterized by its duplication throughout the poem
especially the beginning of the poem. Eliot uses period as a device to shape
Prufrocks challenging, disturbed mind into the sort of a mid-life crisis.
Prufrock keeps guaranteeing himself that, indeed, it will have time to
carry out all of the things he desires to do in his life, however he must arrive to conditions
with his insecurities. However , his insecurities will be related to his aging and
the verse of time, thus he is truly a tragic, condemned character. This is simply not to
declare, however , that Prufrock is usually unaware of the connection between period, his
aging, and his not successful attempt at a social existence on the contrary, he
claims that hes measured out his life with coffee spoons, (51) a
true testament to the self-proclaimed insignificance of his your life. Prufrock
says that I possess known them already, noted them all-(49)
referring to the evenings, mornings, and afternoons(50) of his life
which usually he offers seen go by, insignificantly. This individual also says And I have got known
the eyes previously, known them all-(55) and i also have noted the arms
already, regarded them all-(61) which demonstrate both his failure with and
anxiety about women. Ironically, Prufrock dreams of saying: I actually am Lazarus, come
from your dead, / Come back to let you know all, I actually shall let you know all(94-95), a
biblical allusion to Lazarus, an elderly man brought back to life simply by Jesus
unfortunately for Prufrock, whether or not his wish came true, he even now wouldnt find out
what to inform them all, or how. Prufrock echoes the old cliche Ah to be
young again, and know in that case what I know now. Sadly for Prufrock, it
will need a miraculous to make him either young or give him the knowledge this individual
seeks. Eliot doesnt offer any sense of optimism him inside the poem he remains a
doomed personality until the extremely end. Prufrock even admits that he has seen
the moment of my greatness flicker, (84) a sufferer of time and natural
selection. Prufrocks link with nature as well as the cycle of life is also an
important factor in understanding his state of mind. In the third stanza, Eliot
produces an image of yellow haze, connecting Prufrocks consciousness and emotions
to nature in a lazy, animal-like way. This connection echoes not only the
insignificance of Prufrocks mental state in a natural universe
context, nevertheless the futility of Prufrocks attempts should this individual try to contend with
Mother Nature and alter his patterns relating to Prufrocks feeling of
entrapment and inability to change his situation. He wishes to himself, rather
that maybe he is a obnoxious crab, scurrying around the lower part of the sea
another sort of Prufrocks impression of his position in the natural universe
hardly ever comparing him self to real people. In fact , in his dream sequence at the
end when he imagines how his life might end up, he envisions him self as an ocean
monster, surrounded by mermaids Till human voices wake us, and
drown. Yet again, Eliot disconnects Prufrock from the real world. Actually
though Prufrocks fantasies to be a crab, go swimming with the mermaids, be fresh again
like Lazarus, speak to women about Michelangelo while using poise and eloquence of
Hamlet, slink around the town like a lazy yellow haze, and have his head cut
off like John the Baptist give him a distance from his day-to-day worries
about love and maturing, he will by no means stop torturing himself racking your brains on
that frustrating question. The sole hope that Eliot shows the
reader out of this poem is the expect that we dont end up just like Prufrock.
Poetry