General Introduction
The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock is Eliot's earliest work that he was striving to compose during his college days and he was only 22 years old! The poem, at first, appeared in "Poetry" after being provoked by Ezra Pound in June 1915. The poem is said to be the most "modernist" work of Eliot. The poem somewhat mocks the modern standards of living where people love tea more than they love people.
Development of Situation
The poem opens up with the invitation of Prufrock to us to come along with him to visit the dirty streets of a big foggy city that feels like London. Mr. Prufrock is desirous to show us some of the best places of the city,
Of restless nights in one-night cheap hotels
And sawdust restaurants with oyster-shells:
Then we witness a bunch of women coming and going from the room, discussing about famous painter Michelangelo.
Although Mr. Prufrock's dress is good but rest of him is not. People comment on him that he has thin arms and is bald. But he is proud of his accomplishments. His accomplishments include like having drunk a lot of coffee, living through mornings to afternoons and having known a bunch of women.
Prufrock is afraid that he is growing old. But he intends to do other important stuff like rolling his pants or eating a peach. Then he asserts that he has heard mermaids singing but their songs are not for him. He, then, tells us that we have been living with him in an ocean. We were sleeping in the ocean until we were wakened up by the human voices. As soon as our sleep is over, we sink in the salty ocean.
Themes
The theme of this poem concern with the problems a modern man is facing. The first prominent theme inside the poem is anxiety, lack of decision-making which leads to inaction. There is no doubt that our present age is marked with anxiety. So is Mr. Prufrock. He wants love but is anxious about his physical features which he cannot change. He tries to minimize his physical limitations by styling his hair but he is bald. His anxiety results in a lack of decision making and he does not know where he is heading towards.
The second notable theme of this poem is desire. The desire of Mr. Prufrock is already obvious from the title of the poem, to enjoy a few romantic moments of his already sinking life. He longs for sexual communication but due to his anxious state, he cannot proceed further which ends in hopelessness. Prufrock himself moans,
how should I begin?
The third theme of this poem is alienation caused by modernity. The poet acknowledges the importance of modern technology like lamps, advancements in the medical profession as well as factories. But such growth has come with the cost of alienation. The speaker sees Yellow fog as more active and alive than humans.
Criticism
As soon as Eliot hit the Publish button, the poem was met with severe criticism. Garrison Keillor, a humourous communist, remarked on the poem as thus,
This poem pretty much killed off the pleasure of poetry for millions of people who got dragged through it in high school.
Eliot was met with sharp criticism because he made his poem public at the time which was not suitable for such kind of subject. Almost, the whole world was caught under the horror of World War 1. Therefore, it was not a suitable time for Prufrock to look for someone to be in love with.
Figurative Analysis
There are many figurative devices used in this poem at once to elevate its poetic glamour. The poet has used personification when he grants the human quality of rubbing to Yellow fog as well as waving of the trees. Simile occurs in the poem when the poet compares the streets with a difficult argument with the use of the word "Like" to indicate the complexity of navigation. There are many metaphors used in this poem. For example, Hollywood is used as a metaphor for the entertainment industry and Washington is a metaphor for the government. Irony is also at works in this poem which states the opposite of what is actually said. For instance, when the poet says that he has plenty of time, he is actually running short of time due to his growing age. Also, the title of this poem is ironic as the poem is not practically a love song.
Setting and Imagery
This poem takes place in the foggy and dark city of London in the "soft night of October". The images used in this poem are brilliant and vibrant. The images may include like "evening is spread out against the sky", "sawdust restaurants with oyster-shells", "Licked its tongue", "a dying fall", "perfume from a dress", and "riding seaward on the waves" etc.
Structural Analysis
The poem is composed of 140 lines. It is divided unevenly into twenty stanzas. There are a few rhyming couplets at the beginning of the poem. The poem, in parts, is a blank verse and somewhere, we hear the rhythmic pattern of iambic pentameter.
Conclusion
The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock is an interesting monologue depicting the social issues as well as the epoch-making progress of mankind in modern times.
