J. Alfred Prufrock Allusions

T.S Eliot, known infamously for his new take on poetry and being a modern poet could be labeled as one of the most famous poets to use the literary element of allusion. He was able to put in references from other famous poets and scripture in his works so cunningly, that to the naked eye, they are easy to miss. Some critics may regard that the use of allusions is an inadequacy of the poet, judge them as a poet who cannot write their own words, so that they dare to use the time-proven words of other poets. However in the case of T.S. Eliot, he seems to believe that he can inspire his readers to expand their horizons by allusions. T.S. Eliot himself wrote, “immature poets imitate; mature poets steal" (The Sacred Wood). He himself believed that

he could take what was already written in the past and create new meaning and depth, with his own take on it.

In interpreting the respected poems, “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock”, “The Wasteland” and “The Hollow Men”, the validity of Eliot’s statement will be thoroughly examined.
As soon as “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” begins, the epigraph is a six-line quotation from Canto XXVII of the Inferno by the renaissance Italian Poet Dante Alighieri. It comes from a speech of Guido Da Montefeltro, who is of the damned, the context that relates to Prufrock is that Guido believes his hearer will remain in hell and be unable to retell his story. This epigraph serves to cast ironic light on Prufrock’s actual intent. The epigraph suggests that like that of Guido, Prufrock, who is singing his “love song”, may be concerned about his reputation if anyone were to hear his true feelings, so he only presents his emotions, without fear of infamy. As the poem continues a dark undertone lies along the belly of this poem, it sounds

more somber than loving. The next allusion comes from Lines 23-34, the phrase, “there will be time”, alludes to a poem called, “To His Coy Mistress”, by 17th century poet Andrew Marvell (Shmoop Editorial Team). Contrary to the message Prufrock is conveying, “To His Coy Mistress”, is about a man trying to seduce a woman to sleep with him in a hastily and it begins; “Had we but world enough, and time, / this coyness, lady were no crime”(Marvell 1-2). In Marvell’s poem the speaker urges his beloved to not be coy but instead to seize the moment with him. Prufrock, however of course, continually postpones even the chance of meeting a woman, but repeating to himself that there will be time for him to do so. In the same stanza, Eliot alludes to the title of a poem but Hesiod, an ancient Greek poet. The poem is titled, “Works and Days”. The poem is about the importance of labor for a living and not living a meaningless existence, like the life Prufrock is arguably living as he aimless debates things in his mind, with no real actions.
Eliot again includes an allusion to “To His Coy Mistress”. In the last stanza of Marvell’s poem the speaker says, “ Let us roll all our strength and all / Our sweetness up into one ball” (Marvell 41-42). In Eliot’s poem, the speaker asks whether or not it would have been worth it to do the same thing as Marvell’s speaker, with a woman of Prufrock’s choosing.
T.S Eliot often alludes to Shakespeare’s works quite a bit as well. In lines 49-54 and again in lines 11-119 of “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock”, two separate Shakespeare pieces are referenced. First the phrase, “dying fall” (Eliot. 52.) is a reference to the play, The Twelfth Night. The phrase comes from the character, Duke Orsino, who says,
“ The appetite may sicken, and so die.
That strain again! It had a dying fall,
O, it came o’er my ear like that sweet sound.” (Shakespeare 1.3-5)
The quote from Duke Orsino is about him hearing a melody that reminds him of his sweet love, whereas Prufrock, isn’t capable of that emotion just yet, he can only hear other people feeling this way.

Then for lines 111-119, there is the clear allusion to Hamlet. “ No! I am not Prince Hamlet, nor was meant to be; Am an attendant lord, one that will do”(111-112). Hamlet, the protagonist, famous for his indecisions while plotting to avenge the murder of his father, is like that of Prufrock in that the latter is also indecisive, however Prufrock views himself as Polonius. Polonius known for running on sentences and incorporating important sounding words to say what most people could say in a simple declarative sentence can be seen as foolish. His pedantry makes him a joke to some people. Prufrock is constantly worried that the words he speaks will also make him come off as a fool, which plays as yet another restraint against him talking to women. With this comparison, Prufrock finally seems aware of himself as he is

viewed.
Among other allusions, there are a few to the bible in Prufrock.
“Though I have seen my head (grown slightly bald) brought in upon a platter,

I am no prophet—and here’s no great matter;

I have seen the moment of my greatness flicker,

And I have seen the eternal Footman hold my coat, and snicker,
        85
And in short, I was afraid”(82-86).
Head brought upon a platter is associated with the death of John the Baptist. This stanza is Prufrock going on to mope and feel sorry for himself he already seems to believe that his greatest days are in the past. The ‘footman’ is a symbol of death, describing death as holding his coat, shows that he sees himself as being trapped in a hellish state that he may not come out of. He even admits to fearing his current predicament. The other allusion to the bible is from the story of Lazarus. In a way this goes back to the epigraph, both stories have an individual who wants the tales of hell to come back as a warning, Dante is able to warn people but Dives remains stuck in hell. Prufrock is not like Lazarus or Dante, he is similar to Dives in that there is no rescue for his hellish situation (Shmoop Editorial Team).