The Pitiful Prufrock of The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock Essay

The Pitiful Prufrock of The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock T.S. Elliots The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock, is a melancholy poem of one mans frustrated search to find the meaning of his existence. The speakers strong use of imagery contributes to the poems theme of communion and loneliness. The Poem begins with an invitation from Prufrock to follow him through his self-examination. The imagery of this invitation begins with a startling simile, Let us go then you and I/ When the evening is spread out against the sky/ Like a unhurried etherised upon a table. This simile literally describes the evening sky, but functions on another level. Prufrocks description of the etherised evening indicates an altering of perception, and an altering of time, which creates a dream deal quality end-to-end the poem. This dreamlike quality is supported throughout the poem with the yellow fog that contributes to the slowed-down-etherised feeling of the poem. Time and perception are effe ctively etherised in this poem. It is almost as if the poem is a suspended moment of realization of one mans life, spread out against the sky. The imagery of the patient represents Prufrocks self-examination. Furthermore, the imagery of the etherised patient denotes a psyche waiting for treatment. It seems this treatment will be Prufrocks examination of himself and his life. Prufrock repeats his invitation and asks the reader to follow him through a cold and lonely setting that seems to be the Prufrocks domain. The imagery of the move through the city is described as pointed to lead the reader (and more accurat... .... He knows the approval he covets comes from a frivolous, futile, class of people. He has heard them whistle for years and knows all fashion, appearance, art, and style are deemed worthy of discussion. In fact, he listened so long he cant hear there voices anymore. He can only hear voices dying with a dying fall, not unlike the indistinguishable hum of music playing in another room. But this is fine with him, because he and his world are once again at a comfortable place. Finally and permanently, Prufrock accepts that he will never be a prophet like Lazarus or a prince like Hamlet, and he slips into the safety of a fantasy world.Works ConsultedT.S. Eliot, The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock. The Norton Anthology of English Literature. 6th ed. Vol. 2. ed. M. H. Abrams New York, London Norton, 1993.