Prufrock
T.S. Eliot's "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock," is the interior monlogue of a truly tragic character. It is interesting that Eliot presents the downfall of a man in such a light and humerous manner. The beginning of the poem is very light-hearted as we see an old man trying desperately to escape the effects of aging. This playful tone is evident through Eliot's use of lyrical rhyme and comic imagery. As the poem progresses there is a shift in tone that reveals a much darker nature. The lyrical rhyme is interrupted and the sorrowful imagery creates a somber tone. It is the contrast of these two natures that reveal the tragedy of Prufrock. Prufrock is not confident with himself mentally or his appearance. He is terrified of what will occur when people see his balding head or his slim and aging body. He believes everyone will think he is old and useless. They will talk about him behind his back. [They will say: 'How is hair is growing thin!'] My morning coat, my collar mounting firmly to the chin, My necktie rich and modest, but asserted by a simple pin-- [They will say: "But how his arms and legs are thin!"] This insecurity is definitely a hindrance for him. It hol
ds him back from doing the things he wishes to do. This is the sort of characteristic that makes Alfred into a tragic, doomed character. However, the imagery here is presented in such a way that the reader cannot help but laugh at Prufrock's preoccupation with his appearrance. It is almost inevitable that the reader will picture an old man that is desperately trying to comb over his bald spot and dress the part of a dashing young man. The rhyme scheme creates a lyrical song reminiscent of childhood that allows the reader to find humor in Prufrock's predicament. After that stanza the poem takes on a more solemn tone as he resigns to the realization that he is in fact an old man. The playful rhyme is interrupted and abruptly broken as he considers the mermaids and decides, "I do not think they will sing to me." Once the reader has reached this point of the poem they begin to see the tragedy of J. Alfred Prufrock. When one considers that after resigning to the fact that he is old and that he does indeed have the time to consider, "Do I dare?" and, "Do I Dare?" the comic imagery of "I have measured out my life with coffee spoons;" begins to darken. His eternal dilemma is characterized by his belief that there will be time to consider everything. Suddenly this image reveals his obsession with the passing of time instead of a silly old man leaning over a coffee can. While lightening the perspective of the reader, the rhyme scheme Eliot uses in this poem also depicts the disenchanted and confused mind of the narrator. The poem is written using a non-uniform meter and rhyme. Various stanzas are not of uniform length. This method is used to represent the mood and feelings in the verse. By not strictly adhering to a form, Eliot allows the reader to infer that perhaps this tragic situation should not be taken so seriously. This irregularity o
Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1254
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)
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