My analysis focuses on the last section of T.S. Eliot's poem The Love Song of J. Alfred
Prufrock from lines 75 - l3l.
This section deals with and asserts the themes of aging of paralysis. To give a brief
summary of the section, Prufrock throughout the section is plagued by hesitation and
self-doubt. His internal monologue reveals that he is afraid of death but also hesitant to
act. When Prufrock comes to some sort of conclusion, the repetition of "that is not what
I meant at aII" defeats his argument, rendering himself paralyzed. His references to not
being prince Hamlet and being a fool instead, and his actions in the final four stanzas
reveal his insecurity towards both his age and his sexuality. The passage ends with both
Prufrock and the reader drowning in a chamber of mermaids.
I will now focus on a line-by-line analysis.
Stanza
1
|o?./d-z-
A
ft{
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My section begins with personification, and this personification sets the tone for the
rest of the poem. "Afternoon" and "evening" are personified as sleeping peacefully and
"smoothed by long fingers," which is a metaphor for paying attention to detail. This
could be referencing back to the metaphor of the yellow fog and the cat, or a metaphor
of similar nature. The effect on the reader is that old age is peaceful, but it is already
upon Prufrock, and beside his "you" in this stanza.
The remainder of the Stanza deals with Prufrock coming to terms with his aging. The
ironic rhyme between "ices" and "crisis" serves to downplay Prufrock's strength. He is
weak, and unable to deal with the crisis, which was revealed earlier as his connection to
the lover in the poem, and this is further developed later on. The allusion to St. John the
Baptist in "wept and fasted" and "slightly bald" emphasizes Prufrock's weakness. The
choice of diction in "here's no great mafrer," "I have seen the moment of my greatness
flicker" creates a parallel with the "eternal footman" symbolizing death and snickering.
Prufrock's life is about to run out and he has not accomplished anything. The use of
rhyme emphasizes this and the reader is led to realize that this poem is really about
Prufrock's self-realization. He summates the passage with "and in short, I was afraid."
Stanza2
The next stanza introduces an imporl'arrt repetition in "And would it have been worth it,
after all?" This abrupt question juxtaposed with the previous passage leaves the reader
confused at first, but explained by the end of the Stanza. Prufrock goes into mundane
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aristocratic detail about food, and then abruptly shifi{ into a metaphor dealing with the
universe. This parallel of small and mundane thiyfs and the universe being squeezed
into a ball serves for emphasis of the overwhehfiing question. By now, the reader is
expecting some sort of revelation. The allusion to Lazarus, whom Jesus brought back
from the dead, emphasizes Prufrock's desire to make a point. However, Prufrock ends
the passage with "If one, settling a pillow by her head, Should say, "That is not what I
meant at aII. That is not it, at all." He is unable to build up to his desire to communicate
with his lover, and he cannot tell her his story, and thus he is unable to escape his
"spiritual grave" and eventually dies instead. This rollercoaster ride of emotion that the
reader is brought upon further reinforces the theme of Paralysis and how Prufrock is
unable to act due to his insecurities.
Stanza 3
The next Stanzarepeats the introduction of the previous one, but in this Stanzathe
introduction of romantic imagery "After the sunsets and the dooryards and the
sprinkled streets" makes it clear what the repetition of "would it be worthwhile" is for.
Prufrock is unable to fathom the possibility of being rejected by his lover. He has
obviously experienced romantic times but cannot progress further. His confusion with
himself and his sexuality are exemplified by the blatant statement "It is impossible to
say just what I mean!" Prufrock does not understand his emotions. The further imagery
of "But as if a magic lantern threw the nerves in patterns on a screen" underscores his
wild emotions. The reader is led to believe that Prufrock has undergone significant
change in character. Juxtaposed with the repetition of "that is not it at all" shows that
even this wild display of emotion cannot truly represent what Prufrock means.
Stanza
4
n{*lr!'f-
e'$-
OJ! 'f{ttt'-\
Prufrock makes an allusion to Prince Hamlet, who was known for his decision. s'"^^"
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However, Hamlet eventually took action and Prufrock is unable to even do that.
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Prufrock's writing at this point in the poem is also heavily disjointed. This stanzain
particular uses many commas and semicolons, making speech sound fragmented to the
reader. He fantasizes about being an attendant lord and to "start a scene or two" but
does not even place an"I" infront of "Am an attendant lord." Despite the fragmentation,
the choice of diction in "at times. indeed, almost ridiculous" is a melancholy statement
on his reserved life. Prufrock was shown to be highly self-conscious earlier on in the
poem and thus his statement here that he is the "Fool" for being meticulous finally
serves for some glimpse of self understanding.
Stanza 5-7
But in my opinion, it's too late. Prufrock states that he grows old, emphasized by the
use of ellipses. His stanzas are now also shorter, exempli8ring his paralysis and age.
The setting has shifted from real, physical images of a city and tea to a vague watery
setting. Our final image of Prufrock is almost an archetype of paralysis. He tries to
walk on the beach like a young man, but wonders about parting his hair to avoid
showing his baldness, and rolls up his trousers like an old man. The symbolism of a
peach also has many effects on the reader. The peach in Chinese culture symbolizes
marriage and immortality, as well as other sexual connotations as well. In this
circumstance it symbolizes Prufrock's relationship with his lover. He doesn't dare to
eat the peach out of fear, and this in juxtaposition with his other indecisions leads to his
final fate.
The mermaids are introduced here. Mermaids symbolizebeauty and death, and are
usually inviting and enthralling to young men. However, the mermaids in this case
paradoxically only sing to each other, excluding Prufrock as he would likely not jump
in after them.
Stanza 8-9
The final two stanzas end in a setset, typical of the petrarchian (PET-RAR-CHI-AN)
sonnet form, although with a different rhyme scheme. The waves are personified to
have white hair, while the mermaids are 'wreathed with seaweed red and brown.' The
contrast in imagery emphasizes the contrast in age. The final line, "Till human voices
wake us, and we drown." Emphasizes Prufrock's idea of a wasted existence. Prufrock
entered a dreaming state of him and his lover as symbolized by the mermaids, but he is
'drowned' by 'human voices.' Prufrock is paralyzed and ftustrated at how he cannot
obtain the woman of his desire due to his fear of rejection, and how he is 'drowned' by
his continually forced social interaction. By now it is clear to the reader that Prufrock
has undergone complete descent into self-pity for his paralysis, and he invites the
reader with the diction 'we' to join him in drowning and his death.
This death further emphasizes the themes of insecurity and paralysis and attributes
these themes negative connotations.