The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock encompasses many of the themes common in modernist literature. Namely, a critique of common culture as well as the loss of meaning and hope, and how to deal with that. These themes surface throughout the poem, especially the critique of culture; the entire poem is about a man who feels he cannot connect to those around him through their culture. He complains about how the women repeatedly say “That is not what I meant at all. / That is not it, at all” to each point he tries to make. He can’t personally relate to the frivolous culture of his time and mocks it gently by criticizing the women’s conversation, “In the room the women come and go/ talking of Michelangelo.” The thought of being around these people at a social function clearly makes Prufrock uncomfortable, he refers to it with, “When I am pinned and wriggling on the wall,” and “Though I have seen my head … brought in upon a platter”. He doesn’t see a purpose in going to the party because he’s “known the eyes already, known them all–” which is comment on the conformity of society. He is also keenly aware of others perceptions of him and the standards they hold to. His own presence around them is seen as a disruption to their carefully balanced universe:
With a bald spot in the middle of my hair–
[They will say: “How his 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!”]
Do I dare
Disturb the universe?
Prufrock has no hope in himself or in life, which leads him to depression and eventually suicide. He doesn’t see himself as a main characater, “No! I am not Prince Hamlet, nor was meant to be;” because he doesn’t believe he is a significant person. He sees his life and wonders vaguely about it, but does not forsee any happiness. He has no hope for himself. His personal way of dealing with that is to escape to the mermaids (which he does not think will sing to him) through suicide.
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Oh, wow Ashley! You took it to a whole different path than I did. I wrote about the reality of experience, whereas you were able to apply our attributes of culture and loss of meaning and hope into your writing. Bravo! I found it most interesting how you noticed Prufrock’s critique of culture. Good job!
By: meemsies on March 3, 2008
at 5:14 am
I’m working on the psychological aspect, it’s neat to see how different our interpretations of the same writing are… I like how you expanded with the conformity of society as well. Really good!
By: nicole47 on March 6, 2008
at 2:31 am
I don’t know how many people remember another poem that we read, I want to say it was a Strand, but it was about the guy walking around, and saying how he was the absence of air, or the disturbance of society. I really think that Prufrock comes in under musch the same mentality that he is a disturbance to anyone and everyone around him. I think that that thought is what makes him feel so uncomfortable, because everyone sees him as such and judges him harshly because of it. That setup, I think, causes his isolationism, and drives him to his suicide. See what I’m saying? I think you tied it in well.
By: jv06 on March 17, 2008
at 10:08 pm