J.
Alfred Prufrock as a modern man
Modern mans mental crisis and ugliness of
modern urban-civilization through imaginary
and symbol in The Love Song of J. Alfred
Prufrock
The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock, a dramatic
monologue, is a poem of mental conflict and
restlessness of a modern man, J. Alfred Prufrock,
written by T.S Eliot, the harbinger of a new literary
trend of early twentieth century, breaking the
tradition. The poet was included in such an age
which was marked by its growing of so called
civilization, but the mental condition of human
being was full of frustration and nervousness.
When the world was being developed in various
aspects, the World War I occurred on account of the
high ambition of some world leaders. As a result,
millions of people including children and women
were killed; the modern people fell in mental
despair and failure because of the deterioration of
humanity, but they could not change the situation.
Moreover, it was also reflected in their thought and
feelings. At that time, as a conscious man of the
society, T.S. Eliot wrote this poem, reflecting a
modern mans mental crisis and ugliness of the
urban modern civilization through an excellent use
of symbol and imagery.
There is conformity between the theme and stile
of the poem. The love song displays a modern
mans disordered mentality in this poem.
Therefore, the style of the poem can not, for this
sake, be an organized one-- this poem is written in
verse libre or free verse. Though the feet are
iambic, the meter is irregular. The speaker does not
want to be restrained in any fixed meter or stanza
pattern. In addition, Eliot receives metaphysical
conceit, and has been influenced by the
symbolism of French Stephen Mallarme to draw the
imagery of modern mans complex mentality and
modern urban civilization. Though, Eliot receives
others techniques of writing, the theme and
setting of this poem are urban.
To begin this discussion, at first we see that the
poet makes Prufrock represent a modern man,
throughout the poem, by his indecisiveness. So, we
can say that Prufrock is a symbol of modern man.
The main theme of the poem is modern mans
mental restlessness, tension and indecisiveness:
conflict between passion and cowardice; his
irresolution and frustration; a man of timidity but
full of passion.
For the sake of showing this thing effectively,
the poet creates some images (conceit) and
symbols. In addition, another of his purpose is to
show or disclose the ugliness of modern
civilization. Now we will see the images and the
symbols and how these love been used.
At the very first stanza of the poem, we see
some excellent symbols and images that reveal the
mental condition of a modern city dweller:
When the evening is spread out against the
sky
Like a patient etherized upon a table;
Prufrock invites his beloved for an evening
together, but his mood is compared or symbolized
with the patient who has been etherized for an
operation and is conscious but conscious of
nothing. Again, the speaker saysStreets that follow like tedious argument
Of insidious intent.
Here, the streets of the cities are compared to a
long tedious argument of concealed desire which
includes a number of arguments one after another.
This image utters Prufrocks boredom to the city
streets as well as city life.
There is another image which expresses a
tendency of city women.
In the room the women come and go
Talking of Michelangelo.
It means that women have a tendency to discuss
about something or someone about whom they
know nothing properly. They do it only for
maintaining the social manner.
In this poem, the speaker utters the ugliness of
modern civilization many times. He mentions the
never ending streets, smoking chimneys, dirty
drains, sawdust restaurants with oyster- shells
etc. Again Prufrock tells
Is it perfume from a dress
That makes me so digress?
It means that the modern ladies use such perfumes
that shake the mentality of male persons.
Then, he uses some literary images that are
allusions from various sources. Prufrock thinks
himself like Hamlet and again unlike Hamlet.
Prufrock is like Hamlet, because Hamlet hesitated
to take revenge of his fathers murder. In the same
way, Prufrock is suffering from a problem of
irresolution. Again he is unlike Hamlet, because
Hamlet dared to reveal his love to his lover
though, after her death-, but he can not be able
enough to make his love proposal expressed to his
lover. Again, he says
I am Lazarus, come from the dead,
Come back to tell you all,
Lazarus taken from the Bible, was sent to Hell and
he wanted to come back to the earth for a short
while in order to tell his friend about experiences in
hell. In the same way Prufrock is living in such a
place where he seems to be dead spiritually
dead.
Again, Prufrock shows his inconsistence in
imagination. He imagines that his own head, that
has slightly turned bald, has been cut and brought
in a platter as John the Bapists head was brought
to the king Herod. Moreover, he thinks that his
problem is not so important as that of a prophet
like John the Bapist. Yet, he lacks moral courage to
speak out his mind to his beloved.
Indeed, Prufrock is so hopeless and annoyed at
the modern life that he wants to escape from the
reality of the world. He saysI should have been a pair of ragged claws
Scuttling across the floors of silent seas.
This couple of lines symbolizes that he wants to be
a sea fish that runs quickly across the sea bed with
its rough claws, fearing some danger. Similarly
Prufrock fears the denying of his love proposal.
Again, he says at the end of the poemWe have lingered in the chambers of the sea
By sea girls wreathed with seaweed red and
brown
Till human voices wake us, and we drown.
It indicates that when Prufrock, a modern man,
stays in an imaginary world, his mentality becomes
fresh, but whenever he comes back to reality, he
falls here, the word drown has been used-- in
the problem of talking decisions and in an
unexpected world.
He makes an excellent image to show the triviality
of modern city life:
I have measured out my life with coffee
spoons;
Prufrock does not measure his life in terms of
creative actions and resolution but by the number
of coffee spoons, because he has wasted a large
amount of time in taking coffee.
Above all, passion and cowardice are
simultaneously continuing in Prufrocks mind. He
takes decision to reveal his love proposal again and
again, but he can not express his feelings for only
once on account of his timidity and being old in
age and bald on the head. His indecisive nature is
revealed by this line
Shall I part my hair behind? Do I dare to eat a
peach?
But finally, Prufrock withdraws his decision and
raises his arguments in favour of his position. He
says And indeed there will be time
To wonder, Do I dare? and, Do I dare?
Time to turn back and descend the stair,
With a bald spot in the middle of my hair(They will say: How his hair is growing thin!)
(They will say: But how his arms and legs
are thin!)
