"The Love Song of J Alfred Prufrock" Paper

Mason High School

 

 

 

 

Imagery in “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” by T.S Elitot

 

 

 

I have read and understand the sections in the Student Handbook regarding Mason High School's Honesty/Cheating Policy. By affixing this statement to the title page of my paper, I am certifying that I have not cheated or plagiarized in the process of completing this assignment. If it is found that cheating and/or plagiarism did take place in the writing of this paper, I understand the possible consequences of the act, which could include a "0" on the paper, as well as an "F" as a final grade in the course.

 

 

 

 

Kaitlyn King

English 3B

 Wilson

4/7/2013

 

 

Kaitlyn King

English 3B

4/7/2013

 

In T.S. Eliot’s “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” the speaker uses abstract imagery, repetition, and self-deprecating tone to convey the speaker’s inner conflict. The speaker’s inner conflict is a constant struggle between his longing for intimacy, and his self-doubt that leads him to never be able to get what he wants. The imagery, repetition, and tone display the speaker’s self-loathing that leads to his hesitation to find love, even though love is what he desires most.

The abstract imagery the speaker uses paints a clear picture of his hesitation to fall in love because of his constant insecurities. The speaker could be revealing his cowardice through the image of the yellow fog that “Lingers upon the pools that stand in drains,” (18) .This image of the yellow fog not moving but just gathering up, could imply that the speaker’s cowardice does not just go away but is constantly stopping him from taking action. His hesitation is most likely caused by his low self-esteem. When the speaker is thinking about how other people perceive him he thinks “(They will say: “How his hair is growing thin!”)”. This image of a man that is aging and losing his hair suggests that the speaker does not feel good about himself and therefore thinks he is unworthy of love. The speaker is constantly struggling with his insecurities and his desire for love and feels like he is “being pinned and wriggling on the wall” (58). This image the speaker creates suggests how miserable of a state he is in; he feels trapped by his self-loathing and is struggling against it. 

The repetition in the poem enhances the severity of the speaker’s indecision and also displays his strong desire for intimacy. When the speaker is talking about his search for love he repeats the phrase “Do I dare?”(39, 45). The repetition of this phrase shows how nervous he feels. It suggests that to him trying to find a deeper intimacy is something very dangerous because of his insecurities that lead him to believe he can ever have it. It is clear that the speaker want’s not only love, but a deeper intimacy with someone because when he talks about women he claims that he has “known them all already, known them all” (49). He repeats this phrase as he describes the women which suggests that these relationships were nothing but superficial and were not what he is truly after, which is for someone to really know him as a person.

The tone the speaker uses in his dramatic monologue displays his self-loathing nature and also how he never really believed he could find love. From the beginning he feels that everything will end badly he says “I have seen my head (grown slightly bald) brought in upon a platter,” (82). It could be that his negative attitude was part of the reason he never could find love. He also displays his self-loathing when he talks about the mermaids (who could represent love in general) and he says “I do not think that they will sing to me.” (125). When the speaker constantly puts himself down it leads him to be afraid of love because he never believes he deserves to have it.

The speaker want’s more than anything to feel a deeper connection with someone and to be in love, however his self-loathing and insecurities cause the inner conflict he struggles with throughout the poem.   The tone, repetition and imagery all enhance both sides of the speaker’s inner conflict. They help display the speaker’s deep insecurities and they also show his desperate desire for intimacy.   It’s apparent through the speaker entire monologue that he is never going to get what he desires most because he does not think he deserves it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Work Cited

1. The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock. T.S. Eliot. 1920. Prufrock and Other Observations." 1. The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock. T.S. Eliot. 1920. Prufrock and Other Observations. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Apr. 2013.