Having lived abroad last fall, I often heard the English speak of T.S. Eliot. While reading his background, I could not help but be impressed about his family tree, which included "a president of Harvard University and three U.S. Presidents (John Adams, John Quincy Adams, and Rutherford B. Hayes). When I read the title for "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock," I expected it to be a love story. However, it is actually about the speaker's insecurities in himself. I found the poem to be a tale of the man's battle with himself.
Eliot writes, "In the room the women come and go Talking of Michelangelo And indeed there will be a time to wonder, 'Do I dare? Do I dare?' Time to turn back and descend the stair, with a bald spot in the middle of my hair," (1195). The man is obviously insecure with the fact that he is balding. He doesn't want to talk to the women, because he is feeling so lowly about himself. He was afraid that they would only discuss that "his hair is growing thin," (1195).
I found it sad that this man really wanted to talk to the ladies, but he could not because he thought they would pick at his balding spot and his thin arms and legs. At first glance, I thought it would be a love story. However, I find out that it is really a story about a man who wants to have a love, but cannot muster up the courage and gain enough self confidence in order to speak to ladies. Eliot writes, "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, an easy tool, Deferential, glad to be of use, politic, cautious, and meticulous; Full of high sentence, but a bit obtuse; At times, indeed most ridiculous- Almost at times, the fool," (1197). I was upset that he was calling himself a Fool! It made me want to reach out to the guy and tell him that all he needed was some self respect!
5 comments:
Caitlin,
Good compassion for and commentary on poor Prufrock. Your insights into his character are perceptive.
I enjoyed your blog. I had to reread the writing in order to remember it, and you had some great observations on it.
Caitlin,
I also enjoyed Prufrock. Eliot's description of this modern man is almost humorous as he describes a person who is so self-conscious that he allows it to run his life. Nice post!
It is true that he is definitely insecure with himself, but I don't think that's the extent of it. He seems to be insecure about everything. A lot of the poem is description of a world full of insecurities and he himself is only a part of that world. This whole concept becomes a lot more evident in "Wasteland," which is an awesome (but extremely long and difficult) piece that if you haven't read, you may want to check out.
he did have insecurities, but the poem was interesting. i think most self-battle are. you had a good interpretation though
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