The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock
Prufrock’s vulnerabilities:



















Epigraph – a 6-line quotation from Renaissance Italian poet Dante Alighieri’s Dante’s Inferno,
quote is said by Guido da Montafeltro during Dante’s tour of the 8th circle of Hell
"If I thought that my reply would be to someone who would ever return to earth, this flame
would remain without further movement; but as no one has ever returned alive from this
gulf, if what I hear is true, I can answer you with no fear of infamy.”
Dante the first human ever to be able to pass through Hell and return to Earth
Epigraph establishes the location of the poem – the modernist urban landscape which is a
form of Hell on Earth
Introduces a central concern of the poem – Prufrock is unable to speak or acknowledge truth
due to his fear of retribution, similarly to Guido who fears the damage to his reputation
“In the room the women come and go/ Talking of Michelangelo.” – Prufrock feels unable to
assimilate into polite society, he fears that his lack of cultural understanding being rebuked
by the women he desires
‘come and go’ – implications of passage, transience – suggests that the talk of cultural icons
is trivialised by the impermanence of the women’s intent
Cultural icons are no longer relevant affirmations of existence in a changed world –
conversation becomes merely a means of constructing a façade and passing the time
To Prufrock the ‘women’ represent the unobtainable – indicates his sense of separation
from society & his inability to form human connection
Prufrock self-critical – fears his faults will lead him to be rejected by the society and
company he craves
Focus on physical shortcomings in stanza 6 – “(They will say: How his hair is growing thin!)”
Fears negative judgements: “The eyes that fix you in a formulated phrase” will leave him
“Pinned and wriggling on the wall” – torturous imagery highlights his fear
“So how should I presume?” questioning tone indicates lack of identity/sense of self
“I grow old… I grow old…” – ellipsis lengthens – the passing of time, ironic contrast to “There
will be time” – an admission of truth
“I shall wear the bottoms of my trousers rolled” – attending to fashions will reduce the
effect of aging, distract from time running out
“I shall wear white flannel trousers, and walk along the beach.” – further tries to adhere to
fashions/popular trends, and attempt to assimilate into polite society
Prufrock confronted by a central existential question which he is unable to acknowledge or
answer – “Do I dare/ Disturb the universe?”
He has a desire to understand the meaning of existence yet is immobilised by the fear that
the answer will prove its futility – thus he procrastinates to distract himself from his desire
to question
“That lift and drop a question on your plate,” – almost acknowledges the existential question
yet subsequently diverts himself with “Time for you…”




















His desire to connect emotionally or physically with a woman is a symbolic manifestation of
this central existential question – does he dare to expose his vulnerability and open himself
to the possibility of rejection?
Desires to protect himself from vulnerability/authenticity “To prepare a face to meet the
faces that you meet”
Repetition of “‘Do I dare?’ And, ‘Do I dare?’” – Prufrock is immobilised by fear
“Time to turn back and descend the stair” – sense of regression, Prufrock presents himself
from actualisation
“Should I… Have the strength to force the moment to its crisis?” – questioning tone
highlights hesitance to approach the woman, confront the existential crisis
Negative connotation of ‘crisis’ indicates Prufrock’s nihilistic mindset
“Would it have been worth while, / To have bitten off the matter with a smile, / To have
squeezed the universe into a ball/ To roll it towards some overwhelming question,” – the
two key questions
Articulation of P’s fear of rejection: “That is not what I meant at all. / That is not it, at all.” –
that he would expose his soul & vulnerability only to be met with blunt rejection, repetition
& short sentences enhance the certainty of the rejection
“Shall I part my hair behind? Do I dare to eat a peach?” – questioning tone, weighing up of
inaction versus inaction, ‘peach’ holds sexual/sensuous connotations – does he dare to
approach a woman?
Questioning tone pervading the poem indicates P’s indecision – he is unable to decide
whether a life of avoidance, isolation & loneliness, or the possibility of rejection associated
with action is more painful
Prufrock feels that he is the detritus/refuse of society
Existence viewed from a nihilistic/bleak perspective – “I have measured out my life with
coffee spoons,” – metaphor portraying the insignificance of existence through the trivialising
effect of ‘coffee spoons,’ the confronting idea that the sum of a man’s existence is of asinine,
routine performances, coffee spoons mark the passing of each morning, he is merely existing
while time passes
“How should I begin/ To spit out all the butt-ends of my days and ways?” – Prufrock likens
existence to cigarette butts – dispensable, meaningless, refuse
“I should have been a pair of ragged claws/ Scuttling across the floors of silent seas.” –
‘scuttling’ – connotation of shame/fear & ‘floors’ – the depths, lowly, detritus
Likens himself to a pair of ragged claws – detached from the whole (the crab)
“I am no prophet – and here’s no great matter,” – preceded by allusion to John the Baptist
who died a martyr – Prufrock feels worthless, he has no meaning/purpose, no worthwhile
cause to fight for
“I have seen the eternal Footman hold my coat, and snicker,” – allusion to Prufrock’s fears of
mortality, that the sum of his existence will be perceived as a joke by God
“And in short, I was afraid,” rare moment of honesty within the poem, unembellished
language indicates the authenticity of P’s fear
Likens himself to Polonius rather than Prince Hamlet – he does not choose whether he lives
or dies, merely is the living dead (“Nor was meant to be,” a reference to “To be, or not to
be?”)
Subsequently portrays himself as obsequious, subservient: “Deferential, glad to be of use”