Commentary on The Love Song Of J. Alfred Prufrock Essay

The Love song of J. Alfred Prufrock by T.S. Eliot is a dramatic and heart-breaking monologue of a depressed and insecure man who craves attention. He reveals his soul to the reader as he shares his secret desires and wishes. In this poem Eliot examines rejection, loneliness and fear. Prufrock fears that his existence is meaningless, and will endure eternal loneliness; at the same time he is concerned with being humiliated if he acts on his instincts.

Rejection can be a hard thing to handle for some people. Prufrock is apprehensive that the women will not find him attractive due to his appearance. He views himself as an insignificant insect and senses that the cold and cruel women would not want to be disturbed by him.

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!](line 40-44)

Although, he would prefer not to, but Prufrock can not handle the criticism that society gives him. It is a terrible thing when people are effected by what others my think of them and this poem Prufrock exhibits this behavior.

Merriam-Webster defines loneliness as being without company; sad from being alone; or producing a feeling of bleakness or desolation. Loneliness is often a characteristic that goes unnoticed by other people. Prufrock feels very lonely because of what he experiences throughout the day.

For I have known them all already, known them all:

Have known the evenings, mornings, afternoons,

I have measured out my life with coffee spoons;

I know the voices dying with a dying fall

Beneath the music from a farther room.

So how should I presume?(line 48-54)

He feels as though he is an outcast, as though everyone

sees him as a meaningless being. Prefrock feels so lonely; that not even the mermaids in his own fantasy will sing to him; he feels as if there is no hope for him. Can one person really be that lonely?

The real sadness and tragedy of this poem is the fear that Prufrock about his own inadequacies. He is fearful of becoming old, bitter and devoid of happiness; and appears to be crippled by his age. I grow oldI grow old. I shall wear the bottoms of my trousers rolled. Shall I part my hair behind? Do I dare to eat a peach?( line 120-123) The repetition of the word time indicates that Prufrock realizes that he does not have much time left to enjoy his life. The thing that he fails to realize is that we all must grow old. Once he accepts that his life will never be the same.

The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock is a poem about a middle-aged man and his journey toward self-awareness. Eliot focuses on the problem that many people feel and few speak out about such as rejection, loneliness and fear. Prufrocks cowardice, hesitancy and failure to live were his ultimate defeat. His views, thoughts, feelings and overall character establish his fear that his existence is meaningless and that he will endure eternal loneliness.