The Truth Behind The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock Essay

The Truth Behind The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock The Truth Behind The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock The speaker of this ironic monologue is a modern man who, like many of his kind, feels isolated and incapable of decisive action. Irony is apparent from the title, for this is not a conventional love song. Prufrock would like to speak of love to a woman, but he does not have the nerve. The poem opens with a quoted passage from Dantes INFERNO, If I thought that my reply would be to one who would ever return to the world, this flame would stay without further movement; but since none has ever returned alive from this depth, if what I hear is true, I answer you without fear of†¦show more content†¦This night gives Prufrock the idea that he is now able to talk to women; however he is never able to make her understand his true feelings. In his conversations, Purfrock can never push pass polite conversation for the fear of rejection. He also feels he has plenty of time because in line 23 he states And indeed there will be time meaning he doesnt have to jump with both feet in, it will happen eventually. Prufrock knew all of these people well, and he struggled with the thought that if he did advance past polite conversation that he would disrupt his circle of friends. This can be seen in lines 44 and 45, when he states, Do I dare/Disturb the universe. This internal conflict continues into line 70, where he starts to prepare a love speech for a particular woman and then basically says he should have been born a crab instead of a human who has to ask for love instead of taking it. The verse states Shall I say, I have gone at dusk through narrow streets And watched the smoke that rises from the pipes Of lonely men in shirt-sleeves, leaning out of windows? I should have been a pair of ragged claws Scuttling acrossShow MoreRelatedT.S Eliot and Modernism1137 Words   |  5 Pagessociety are strong themes that are part of many modernist works. This meaning is hidden behind layers of complicated and elitist imagery and symbolism which force the reader to search for meaning in the poem as the poets search for meaning in their modern lives. The dramatic interior monologue that is common in modernist literature is also shared by TS Eliot, who through his poems â€Å"The Love Song of J Alfred Prufrock†,†Preludes† and â€Å"Rhapsody on a Windy Night† , communicates a pessimistic view on theRead MoreThe Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock1729 Words   |  7 PagesThe Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock The dramatic monologue â€Å"The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock was written by Thomas Stearns Eliot and published in June of 1915. Eliot was born in St Louis, Missouri on September 26, 1888, where he grew up and lived until the age of eighteen. 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