Prufrock Research Paper

T.S Eliot shows that Prufrock has a complex relationship with women as a result that he feels intimidated by their masculinity, disgusted with their hypocrisy and/but enchanted by their beauty. In Prufrock’s world he is alone and wishes to be social with the opposite sex, but he feels intimidated by them. The reason behind this daunting experience by virtue of “the women come and go talking of Michelangelo.” Prufrock envisions this room where multifarious women converse about Michelangelo, who is a man of outstanding accomplishment and creative energy. As we develop our knowledge about Prufrock throughout the short story, we notice a significant contrast between him and Michelangelo. Prufrock recognizes the predictability of the conversation of women and if all the women talk about Michelangelo, how could

Prufrock possibly be a topic of interest to the women. Prufrock is an insecure, lonely, fearful individual who is also indecisive of his choices and delays everything by saying “there will be time, there will be time.” Furthermore, he hasn’t done anything that people will appreciate.

But to be a part of society, Prufrock will be obliged be someone else who he is not usually as a person, but doesn’t wish to do it whereas he detests it. Society constantly “prepare a face to meet the faces that [they] meet.” If one makes a mistake with someone, they will “murder [that face] and create” a new face. Prufrock uses the word ‘face’ as figurative language to show hypocrisy and to show how hypocritical society is in this world. Prufrock wishes that civilization would be true to themselves and he states that all this hypocrisy “drops a question on your plate,” is this even worth it; to waste time “for a hundred indecisions and for a hundred visions and revisions” to please each person but yourself. But Prufrock will be required do this in order to be with a gentlewoman. He constantly thinks and desires about approaching women but he doesn’t dare to disturb the universe’s balance considering he is weak, self-doubting and

impotent. He is afraid that he will be criticized for his bald spots and arms and legs, but yet he attempts to wear nice clothing and appear as a gentleman in front of the ladies “before the taking of a toast and tea,” with them if he obtains an invitation for tea. As seen from my argument, Prufrock has mixed feelings and emotions regarding the community he lives in, as seen in the quote. Society to him seems daunting and disgusting in the way they act, but he is captivated by their beauty.