The love song of J. Alfred Prufrock By T.S. Elliot

The love song of J. Alfred Prufrock by T.S. Eliot is a poem about the inner struggle that J. Alfred Prufrock, the protagonist, has with himself about going to a tea party. The poem has a negative and fearful tone about the protagonist’s view of himself in the universe, comparing ones self to some of the great icons of the past. The poem is a dramatic monologue that reflects the views of his inner self and indecisiveness that everyone can relate to in unfamiliar surroundings.

The first part of the poem describes the dreary and dark path he must take to get to the tea party. Lines eight and nine "streets that follow like a tedious argument" "of insidious intent" gives the reader a look into the narrators negative thought process. In line one "let us then you and I" shows he is in a discussion with himself over the fact that he is ready for the tea party. Then he begins to talk about time, that there is plenty of time "to create" the narrator is becoming indecisive as he starts to procrastinate, leaving for the tea party. This indecisiveness leads to his downfall as he begins to debate his own self image (a middle aged man with a bald spot) and how women have treated him as if he was nothing in lines forty to sixty. Even the servants snicker when they take his coast in line eighty five. The poem ends with a description of drowning which, due to his indecisiveness, he feels he deserves and reflects the decision he ultimately makes.

The poem's theme is negative, and describes the self consciousness this protagonist feels towards his own image, and the fear of putting himself before others at a social gathering. Feeling that if he puts himself before others he will upend "the universe" telling himself he should be content with his place in society. He also attempts to compare himself with past icons such as John the Baptist (describing his bald head upon a platter), Lazarus, and Hamlet, feeling as if he falls well short of these great men, line one eleven "No! I am not Price Hamlet, nor was meant to be". These are all worst case scenarios that show how ridiculous his thought process can be when making a decision, a thought process we are all familiar with.

The poem describes the inner turmoil of J. Alfred Prufrock who while considered the protagonist could also be considered antagonist as he argues with himself over the decision he has to make. The poem titled "The love song of J. Alfred Prufrock" shows that the protagonist is very much interested in meeting women he can love. It also gives the reader on first glance of the title, the idea that this will be a love poem to a woman from a confident, slick man. Instead, the reader is treated to an unconfident man who feels small in a big universe, afraid to open up for the world to see, fearing the criticism he will receive. In the end T.S. Elliot gives the imagery of J. Alfred Prufrock walking on a beach, eating a peach giving in to the fact that women will not sing their mermaid song to him, as he drowns in his own indecisiveness.