DISCUSS HOW T.S. ELIOT CONVEYS MOOD AND THEMES.

Both Prufrock and Preludes are based in the same rootless world of sordid tedium. In Prufrock Eliot is conveying a theme a strong theme and is based heavily in the Persona of Prufrock himself. Preludes is a poem of changing moods, some subtle, some profound but this time conveyed primarily through diction and repetition.

One theme of Eliot's, The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock, is the exposure of the modern individual's inability and refusal to address inadequacies that he sees in both him and his society. Two ways Eliot conveys his theme is through the persona of Prufrock and repetition .

One method used by Eliot to expose this theme is his use of the persona of J Alfred Prufrock. Prufrock is in part a shallow conformist,

41 ....My morning coat, my collar mounting firmly to the chin,

42 My necktie rich and modest, but asserted by a simple pin-

43 (They will say: 'But how his arms and legs are thin!')......

However, almost tragically, Eliot has Prufrock aware of the shallowness of the society to which he conforms.

26 There will be time, there will be time

Preludes is a series of four lyrics describing a modern city. The poem moves through four different time periods, beginning with one evening and continuing though to the following evening. Through these lyrics Eliot conveys the impression of a life that is soul destroying and meaningless. Preludes is used to explore the theme of the alienation of the individual from society. The mood is integral to understanding Eliot's vision. It is the moods of desolation and despair, loneliness and struggle, affection and gentle care that reflects Eliot's observations of the individual alienated from society. These moods are conveyed throughout the careful use of diction, imagery and repetition.

Through the use of diction, imagery and repetition Eliot conveys an array of moods; from the desolation and despair in the majority of the poem to the flicker of soft, compassionate human touch felt briefly in the forth lyric.

The three major methods Eliot utilises to convey his moods and themes are the introduction of complex persona, precise diction and emphasizing repetition. It is through these tools the constant struggle between the individual and society is conveyed.

In Prelude II the poem shifts to morning, but instead of the freshness and optimism normally associated with such a time, the morning is depicted, like a drunk awakening on the footpath, as coming "to consciousness", vague and unsure of itself. Eliot creates a mood of desolation through sense-imagery:

This mood of regimental movements contrasts with the reflective mood later in the lyric when Eliot addresses the reader.

Eliot creates a mood of desolation and loneliness through diction and imagery. The precise use of descriptive words compose this very mood. Words such as, "burnt out", "gusty", "grimy", "vacant", "br

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Approximate Word count = 1204
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)