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The lovesong of j. alfred prufrock
The lovesong of j. alfred prufrock essay
The lovesong of j. alfred prufrock
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The Lovesong of J. Alfred Prufrock, by T.S. Eliot, is the story of the life of a man. It tells of a man reminiscing over his life, regretting decisions that he made. Of a man who is thinking back on his life, and toward the end, it is told how the man is closely approaching death. He wants to be able to escape it, but alas, cannot, and, in the end, he dies. In The Lovesong of J. Alfred Prufrock, T.S. Eliot expresses a sense of regret using literary devices, such as imagery, metaphors, and allusion.
While among other literary devices used in this poem, imagery creates the biggest impact due to the fact that it is the most prevalent literary device in this poem. Imagery uses words and/or phrases that appeal to the senses to create a mind-blowing
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effect on the reader. An example of how this works comes directly from the poem, lines 24 and 25, “For the yellow smoke that slides along the street Rubbing its back upon the window-panes;...” The yellow smoke appeals to the sense of sight, this being because in our minds a picture is painted of yellow smoke sliding along a street, and of it settling on the window panes. Another example of imagery, this one also appealing to the sense of sight, comes from lines 57 and 58, “And when I am formulated, sprawling on a pin, When I am pinned and wriggling on the wall,...” This example, in my mind, paints a picture of a bug on the wall, only, the bug is the speaker. While imagery takes up most of the poem, a literary device that is also used, is not as prevalent but still there, is an allusion. Allusion makes a reference to something that happened in the past. Such as, a Bible reference Lines 81, 82, and 83: “But though I have wept and fasted, wept and prayed, Though I have seen my head (grown slightly bald) brought in upon a platter. This allusion makes a reference, not only just to the Bible, but to the execution, the beheading of John the Baptist. This allusion allows the speaker to tell how he is dwelling on the fact that he is going to die. It allows him to tell how death is something that a person cannot escape, something that cannot be undone. Lines 94 and 95: “To say: ‘I am Lazarus, come from the dead; Come back to tell you all, I shall tell you all” This allusion is a reference to the story of Lazarus, dear friend to Jesus, whom Jesus raised from the dead when he Lazarus had been in the grave 4 days preceding the event. Bible references are common in literary works. In addition to these Bible references, the is also a reference to Shakespeare. Lines 111-119: “ No! I am not Prince Hamlet, nor was meant to be; Am an attendant lord, one that will do To swell a progress, start a scene or two, Advise the prince; no doubt, and easy tool, Deferential, glad to be of use, politic, cautious, and meticulous; Full of high sentence, but a bit obtuse; At times, indeed, almost ridiculous-- Almost, at times, the Fool.” This allusion is actually a reference to Shakespeare's Hamlet. Allusions are important. They strengthen the emotion that is already there. When I spoke of other literary devices used in this poem, one of them is figurative language, or more specifically, metaphors.
A metaphor, depending on its construction, can pack a powerful punch. Metaphors use comparison, but are not the same thing as similes. Metaphors make comparisons by saying that one thing is another, and by doing so, having a different meaning than what is said. An example of this comes from the poem, from lines 85 and 86, “And I have seen the eternal Footman hold my coat, and snicker, And in short, I was afraid.” The eternal footman is a metaphor for death. By saying he has seen the eternal Footman hold his coat, and snicker, he is saying that he is close to death, he knows that it is close to his time to go and he knows that death is waiting on him. By saying he is afraid, he means he is afraid to die. Another example of a metaphor from lines 124 and 125 is, “I have heard the mermaids singing, each to each. I do not think that they will sing to me.” By saying this, the speaker is saying that he has heard the mermaids singing, heard them singing to each other, calling each other home. By saying that he does not think they will sing to him, does not think that they will call him home, tell him it is his time to die. Another example of metaphor,coming from lines 129, 130, and 131 is,“We have lingered in the chambers of the sea By sea girls wreathed with seaweed red and brown Til human voices wake us, and we drown.” He is saying that he has spent too much time lingering on death, he had lost all track of time. He does not know what is going on, he is confused, he has let his fear of death take over his life. By the time he realizes he has let his life pass him by, by the time he wakes up, it is too late. He drowns in his sorrow, and dies. This could be the meaning. It could be because it sounds like there is supposed to be more, like the poem is supposed to continue, but it doesn’t. It just stops. “Til human voices wake us, and we drown.” is
the last line of the poem. Imagery, metaphors, and allusion are used a lot in this poem. This poem is a wonderful literary work. It is full of literary devices that work together to create a sense of regret. While the author did a good job on this poem, it is really more sad than anything.
There are multiple examples of visual imagery in this poem. An example of a simile is “curled like a possum within the hollow trunk”. The effect this has is the way it creates an image for the reader to see how the man is sleeping. An example of personification is, “yet both belonged to the bush, and now are one”. The result this has is how it creates an emotion for the reader to feel
"The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" is about a timid and downcast man in search of meaning, of love, and in search of something to break from the dullness and superficiality which he feels his life to be. Eliot lets us into Prufrock's world for an evening, and traces his progression of emotion from timidity, and, ultimately, to despair of life. He searches for meaning and acceptance by the love of a woman, but falls miserably because of his lack of self-assurance. Prufrock is a man for whom, it seems, everything goes wrong, and for whom there are no happy allowances. The emptiness and shallowness of Prufrock's "universe" and of Prufrock himself are evident from the very beginning of the poem. He cannot find it in himself to tell the woman what he really feels, and when he tries to tell her, it comes out in a mess. At the end of the poem, he realizes that he has no big role in life.
Imagery is defined as language that appeals to one or more of the senses. It allows the writer to convey a deeper message while entertaining the reader at the same time. Often it is used to help the readers connect what the edification is to their own real life experiences. Imagery can be used to intrigue sight, smell, feel, taste, or hearing. Writing is considered not well written without imagery because people enjoy the feeling of a personal connection with the story. The Authors that are featured in Prentice Hall Literature Poetry Collection 4 do an exceptional job of involving imagery in their writings.
The Love song of J. Alfred Prufrock is a poem that was written by T. S Eliot. The poem introduces the character, Prufrock, as a man who is very pessimistic about everything and is incapable of change. Prufrock sees the society he lives in as a place that is full of people who think alike, and he thinks he is different from them. Though Prufrock, realizes that the society he is associated with needs a change and have more people who think differently, but the fact that he is very concerned about what people would think of him if he tries to speak up to make a change or that he would be ignored or be misunderstood for whatever he says hindered him from expressing himself the way he would like to. Prufrock then decides not to express himself in order to avoid any type of rejection. In the poem, Prufrock made use of several imagery and metaphor to illustrate how he feels about himself and the society he is involved in. Prufrock use of imageries and
In the poem, “The Lovesong of J. Alfred Prufrock”, the author, T.S. Eliot, uses diction and tone to give the poem life, and to make the character seem as anything but mere fiction. Eliot’s use of diction shows that you should not put things off until later in life because in a flash, you may be nearing the end of your journey of life and lose all opportunity to make yourself happy with the decisions you’ve made over the years. . “ In a minute there is time/for decision and revisions/ which/ in a minute/will reverse” (line 47, 48).
T.S. Eliot’s “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” tells the speaker’s story through several literary devices, allowing the reader to analyze the poem through symbolism, character qualities, and allusions that the work displays. In this way, the reader clearly sees the hopelessness and apathy that the speaker has towards his future. John Steven Childs sums it up well in saying Prufrock’s “chronic indecision blocks him from some important action” (Childs). Each literary device- symbolism, character, and allusion- supports this description. Ultimately, the premise of the poem is Prufrock second guessing himself to no end over talking to a woman, but this issue represents all forms of insecurity and inactivity.
American-born writer T.S. Eliot became famous in 1922 for his poem The Waste Land. The poem was highly regarded for its “poignant expressions of the alienation and despair” of the time (224). Eliot is viewed as a master of portraying “stagnation and estrangement” (225). In his early masterpiece “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock,” composed around 1911, Eliot “addresses a middle-aged man’s anxiety over the passing of time and his own aging” while pondering the meaning of human existence (Longman Anthology 225). The main character of Prufrock is critical of his own society and focuses on the passage of time in his own life. Prufrock examines the passage of time in lines 23-34, in a way that is similar to Ecclesiastes 3:1-8:
T.S. Eliot has been one of the most daring innovators of twentieth-century poetry. His poem“The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock”, is different and unusual. He rejects the logic connection, thus, his poems lack logic interpretation. He himself justifies himself by saying: he wrote it to want it to be difficult. The dissociation of sensibility, on the contrary, arouses the emotion of readers immediately. This poem contains Prufrock’ s love affairs. But it is more than that. It is actually only the narration of Prufrock, a middle-aged man, and a romantic aesthete , who is bored with his meaningless life and driven to despair because he wished but
In T.S. Eliot’s “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock,” the author is establishing the trouble the main character, Prufrock, is having coming to terms with middle age. He is deeply distressed over the fact that he is growing old, and feels that the prime of his life has passed him by. His preoccupation with time throughout the poem characterizes his fear of aging. He is a man experiencing a mid-life crisis, brought about by his perception of aging and his own feelings of inadequacy.
T.S. Eliot’s poem The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock has a plethora of possible interpretations. Many people argue that the poem represents a man who appears to be very introverted person who is contemplating a major decision in his life. This decision is whether or not he will consummate a relationship with someone he appears to have an attraction to or feelings for. People also debate whether or not Prufrock from the poem is typical of people today. While there are a plethora of reasons Prufrock is not typical of people today the main three reasons are he is very reserved, he overthinks most situations and he tries avoid his problems instead of solve them.
The Lovesong of J. Alfred Prufrock, a poem created by the late T.S. Eliot was a poet in the 20th Century (when Europe was at its peak of industrialisation) and this is considered to be one of his highly regarded pieces alongside The Wasteland. This poem is a monologue of the persona of J. Alfred Prufrock, (the speaker of the poem) a middle aged man, intellectual and described with little self-confidence with himself who has problems in dealing with self-image and anxiety. He’s a solitary man who is achingly shy and has little courage, when isolated, he isn’t subjected to a social lifestyle and this halts him when it comes to speaking with a female. The title to me is ironic, Eliot titled it a ‘Lovesong’, therefore, the language used in the poem cements a theme of pessimism, as hardly anything is written on love.
In the poem “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” T.S Eliot uses a man named Prufrock to describe the uncertainties in life and how they affect a person views. Prufrock does not have the confidence to give or receive love. There is an equally amount of unhappiness to the concept of time and space. He is unsatisfied with life and with the decisions to think rather than act. He claims that there will be much time to do things in the social world. Prufrock is more of an anti-hero that is controlled by fear. T.S Eliot uses tone, allusions, and imagery to explain a man’s inability to make decisions and his own self confidence in life in which he is afraid of the outlook of his future by being misunderstood.
T.S. Eliot is often considered one of the greatest and most influential poets of the 20th Century. Not only were his highly regarded poems such as “The Wasteland” and “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” influential to the literary style of his time, but his work as a publisher highlighted the work of many talented poets. Analyzing his poem, “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock,” with psychoanalytic criticism reveals several core issues in the speaker of the poem, and may reflect Eliot himself.
T. S. Eliot's poem "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" reveals the unvoiced inner thoughts of a disillusioned, lonely, insecure, and self-loathing middle-aged man. The thoughts are presented in a free association, or stream of consciousness style, creating images from which the reader can gain insight into Mr. Prufrock's character. Mr. Prufrock is disillusioned and disassociated with society, yet he is filled with longing for love, comfort, and companionship. He is self-conscious and fearful of his image as viewed through the world's eye, a perspective from which he develops his own feelings of insignificance and disgust. T. S. Eliot uses very specific imagery to build a portrait of Mr. Prufrock, believing that mental images provide insight where words fail.
One of T.S. Eliot’s earliest poems, “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock”, is a prime example of a text that takes a turn inwards in terms of conveying the experience it presents. The poem provides a look into the distressed mind of an archetypal modern man of the times. It does this using the speaker’s stream of consciousness presented as a dramatic monologue. Prufrock, the poem’s speaker, seeks to advance his relationship with a woman who has caught his eye. He wonders if he has “the strength to force the moment to its crisis” (Eliot, 80). Prufrock is so entrenched in self-doubt that he is uncertain whether he is capable of having a relationship with this woman. His knowledge of the world he lives in and his circumstances keep him from attempting to approach this prospective lover. He contemplates the reasons for which he believes he cannot be with her and scolds himself for even thinking that it was possibl...