fluidity of gender and identity in eliot`s

AMERICAN RESEARCH THOUGHTS
Volume 1 │ Issue 9 │ July 2015
ISSN: 2392 – 876X
Impact Factor: 2.0178 (UIF)
Available online at: www.researchthoughts.us
http://dx.doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.1496622
FLUIDITY OF GENDER AND IDENTITY
IN ELIOT’S
THE LOVE SONG OF J. ALFRED PRUFROCK
Tanmoy Baghira
Research Scholar, Department of English, University of Kalyaniǯ
&
Assistant Professor in English, BCARE Institute of Management and Technologyǯ
‹œ›ŠŒDZȱŽ—Ž›ȱ’—ȱ‘Žȱ™˜Ž–ȱ‘Žȱ˜ŸŽȱ˜—ȱ˜ȱǯȱ•›Žȱ›ž›˜Œ”ȱ’œȱŒ˜—œ’Ž›Žȱ˜ȱ‹Žȱ˜—Žȱ˜ȱ‘Žȱ–˜œȱ
Ž‹ŠŽȱ’œœžŽœǯȱŽœŽŠ›Œ‘Ž›œȱ‘ŠŸŽȱ›’Žȱ›ŽŠȱ‘Žȱ™Ž›œ˜—Šȱ˜ȱ›ž›˜Œ”ȱ‘›˜ž‘ȱ‘Žȱȁ™Ž›˜›–Š—ŒŽȂȱ˜ȱ
Ž—Ž›ȱ›˜•Žǰȱ‹žȱ‘Ž’›ȱ›ŽšžŽ—ȱŒŠŽ˜›’£Š’˜—ȱ’—ȱŽŽ›–’—’—ȱ‘Žȱ’Ž—’¢ȱ˜ȱ‘ŽȱŒ‘Š›ŠŒŽ›ȱ‘ŠŸŽȱ•Žȱ
‘Ž–ȱ ’œŒ›’–’—Š’—ȱ ’ȱ ˜›ȱ ȁ’¡’—Ȃȱ ’ȱ ’—ȱ ™Š›’Œž•Š›ȱ Ž—Ž›ȱ ’Ž—’¢ȱ ›Š‘Ž›ȱ ŠŒŒŽ™’—ȱ ’œȱ •ž’’¢ǯȱ
•ž’’¢ȱ’—ȱ‘Žȱ™Ž›˜›–Š—ŒŽȱ˜ȱŽ—Ž›ȱ›˜•ŽȱŽœŠ‹’•’£Žœȱ‘ŽȱŽ—Ž›ȱ‘’ޛЛŒ‘¢ǰȱ‘Ž›Ž˜›Žǰȱ™Š›’Š›Œ‘Š•ȱ
œ˜Œ’Ž¢ȱ Œ˜—œŠ—•¢ȱ ›’Žœȱ ˜ȱ ’¡ȱ ‘Žȱ Ž—Ž›ȱ ’Ž—’’Žœȱ ’—˜ȱ ŒŠŽ˜›’Žœǰȱ ˜ȱ œŽ™Š›ŠŽȱ ‘Ž–ȱ ‹¢ȱ ‘Žȱ
ȃ—Šž›Š•’œ’ŒȱŠ‹•ŽȄȱ˜ȱȃœŽ¡ȬŽ—Ž›ȬŽœ’›ŽȄǯȱžȱ’ȱœŽ¡ȱ’œȱ—Šž›Š•ȱŠ—ȱŽ—Ž›ȱŠ›’’Œ’Š•ǰȱ‘Ž—ȱ‘Žȱž—’¢ȱ
˜ȱ ȬȬȱ ’œȱ Š•›ŽŠ¢ȱ ›ŠŒž›Žǯȱ ‘Ž›Ž˜›Žǰȱ ™’—™˜’—’—ȱ ˜—ŽȂœȱ œŽ¡žŠ•’¢ȱ ’œȱ —˜‘’—ȱ ‹žȱ Š—ȱ ŠŒȱ ˜ȱ
’œŽ–™˜ Ž›’—ȱ ‘Žȱ ’—’Ÿ’žŠ•ǰȱ ŽŸŽ—ȱ Œ˜•˜—’£’—ȱ ’ǯȱ ˜ǰȱ Šœȱ ž•Ž›ȱ ™žœǰȱ ™Ž›‘Š™œȱ œŽ¡ȱ ’œȱ Œž•ž›Š••¢ȱ
Œ˜—œ›žŒŽȱ˜˜ȱ’ǯŽǯȱœŽ¡ȱ’œȱȃŠ• Š¢œȱŠ•›ŽŠ¢ȱŽ—Ž›Ȅǯȱ‘žœǰȱ‘ŽȱŒ˜—ŒŽ™ȱ˜ȱȃ—Šž›Š•ȱœŽ¡Ȉȱ’œȱ–А’ŒŠ••¢ȱ
ȃ™›Ž’œŒž›œ’ŸŽȄǯȱ ˜ǰȱ ’—ȱ –¢ȱ ˜™’—’˜—ǰȱ ‘Žȱ Šœœž–™’˜—ȱ ˜ȱ ‘Žȱ ’Ž—’¢ȱ ˜ȱ ›ž›˜Œ”ȱ Šœȱ ‘ŽŽ›˜œŽ¡žŠ•ȱ
–Š•Žǰȱ’œȱ’—ȱŠȱœŽ—œŽǰȱœ’–’•Š›ȱ˜ȱ‘Šȱ˜ȱ’Ž—’¢’—ȱ’ȱ ’‘ȱ’Ž—’’Žœȱ•’”Žȱ‘˜–˜œŽ¡žŠ•ȱ˜›ȱ›Š—œŽ—Ž›Žȱ
‹ŽŒŠžœŽǰȱ ’—ȱ ŽŠŒ‘ȱ ŒŠœŽǰȱ ™’—™˜’—’—ȱ ‘’œȱ œŽ¡žŠ•ȱ ’Ž—’’Žœȱ Œ›ŽŠŽœȱ Šȱ Ž—Ž›ȱ ‹’—Š›¢ȱ Š—ȱ ŒŠŽ˜›’£Žœȱ
›ž›˜Œ”ȱ ’—ȱ ™Š›’Œž•Š›ȱ ’Ž—’’Žœȱ Š—ȱ ’œž›‹œȱ ’œȱ •ž’’¢ǯȱ ‘Žȱ Œ˜—œŠ—ȱ ’œŒ›’–’—Š’˜—ȱ Š—ȱ
ŒŠŽ˜›’£Š’˜—ȱ ˜ȱ Ž—Ž›ȱ œŠ‹’•’£Žœȱ ‘Žȱ ™˜ Ž›ȱ œ›žŒž›Žǰȱ Ž—œž›’—ȱ ‘Žȱ ž—Œ’˜—’—ȱ ˜ȱ ™Š›’Š›Œ‘Š•ȱ
‘ސޖ˜—¢ǯȱ‘Ž›Ž˜›Žǰȱ’ȱ’œȱ‹ŽŽ›ȱ˜ȱ’Ž—’¢ȱ›ž›˜Œ”ȱ˜ȱ‹ŽȱȃšžŽŽ›ȄȱŠœȱ’ȱ‹›’—œȱ˜›‘ȱœ˜Œ’Š•ȱŽšžŠ•’¢ȱ
‘›˜ž‘ȱ‘Žȱȃ•ž’’¢Ȅȱ˜ȱŽ—Ž›ȱ™Ž›˜›–Š—ŒŽœǯȱ
KeyȱWords:ȱȱerformance,ȱgenderȱrole,ȱfluidity,ȱsex-gender-desire,ȱtransgendered, hegemonyǯ
The identity of Prufrock in the poem The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock has long
been seen through the lens of split personality of modern men, but haœ hardly been
attempted to find out the cause of it. Recent development in the queer theories and
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gender studies has widened the scope of interpretation in the ‘performance of gender
roles’ and ‘identities’ in Eliot’s works. It is hard to believe that Eliot’s The Love Song
which is considered as one of the groundbreaking works in modern poetry has hardly
been read through the fluidity of the character’s identity. Researchers haŸŽ read theȱ
character of Prufrock through the construction of gender role, but their constant
categorization in determining ‘Žȱidentity of the character haŸŽ led them discriminating
itȱor ‘fixing’ it in particular gender identity rather accepting its fluidity.
Ž—Ž›ȱ ’—ȱ •’˜Ȃœȱ ˜›”œȱ ‘Šȱ ‹ŽŽ—ȱ œŽŽ—ȱ ž—™›˜‹•Ž–Š’Œȱ ž—’•ȱ ‘Žȱ ™ž‹•’ŒŠ’˜—ȱ ˜ȱ
˜‘—ȱŽŽ›ȂœȱŽœœŠ¢ȱȱŽ ȱ—Ž›™›ŽŠ’˜—ȱ˜ȱ‘ŽȱŠœŽȱŠ—ȱ’—ȱŗşśŘǯȱIn this essay, Peter tries
to give an alternative reading of The Waste Land considering it an elegy for a dead male
lover. Though Peter has never mentioned the word “homosexual” in his essay, Eliot
actively suppressed the public discussion of this issue legally and demanded the
destruction of the issues that appeared in Essays in Criticism. But four years after Eliot’s
death peter reprinted his article along with a postscript which identifies the ‘male
friend’ or ‘dead male lover’ ˜ȱ ‹Ž Jean Verdenalȱ and tries to defend his Š›ž–Ž— by
citing Eliot’s poems and plays. In the postscript,ȱPeter’s assertion becomes more explicit
while commenting on the friendship between the poet and his friend Jean Verdenal:
—ŽȱŒŠ—ȱ‘Š›•¢ȱŠŸ˜’ȱ‘ŽȱŒ˜—Œ•žœ’˜—ȱ‘Šȱ’—ȱ‘’œȱ¢˜ž‘ȱǻ•’˜Ǽȱ‘ŠȱŠȱŒ•˜œŽȱ›˜–Š—’Œȱ
ŠŠŒ‘–Ž—ȱ ˜ȱ Š—˜‘Ž›ȱ ¢˜ž—ȱ –Š—ǰȱ Š—ȱ ‘Šȱ ‘’œȱ Š›ȱ ›˜–ȱ ž—Œ˜––˜—ȱ ¢™Žȱ ˜ȱ
›’Ž—œ‘’™ȱ Šœȱ›žŽ•¢ȱŒžȱœ‘˜›ȱ ‘Ž—ȱ‘Žȱ˜‘Ž›ȱ Šœȱ›˜ —Žǯȱ(Peter’s Postscript)
It is this Jean Verdenal to whom Eliot dedicates his first volume of poetry Prufrock and
Other Observations in 1917. But it is not my intention to deal with the sexuality or sexual
orientation of the poet; on the contrary, this paper tries to focus on those neglected
identities of the subject of the poem The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock that had hardly
been done before.
It is quite evident from the thematic elements of th’œ poem that the poem in
question is unlike a traditional love song. The language of the poem has been structured
in such a way that it raises a series of questions rather giving answer to any; it seems
that the subject of this poem is deliberately attempting to use vague or evasive language
to dismiss the readers from the “overwhelming question”. The very first line of this
poem introduces two personal pronouns “you” and “I”; if we assume that the pronoun
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“I” stands for Prufrock then the other pronoun might denote a series of identities.
Considering the poem as a dramatic monologue ‘you’ can perhaps be identified
as the silent listener or the reader of the poem; but interestingly “you” does not
constitute any second person in this poem, it seems that Prufrock is speaking to him
than to anyone else. Looking from this perspective it would be better to look into the
poem as an ‘interior monologue’ because rather than focusing on a particular dramatic
situation, there is an emphasis on what Alan Sinfield identifies as ‘intense
apprehension’. Sinfield in his book Dramatic Monologue elucidates modernist
monologue thus:
˜Ž›—’œȱ ›Š–Š’Œȱ –˜—˜•˜žŽȱ Ž•’‹Ž›ŠŽ•¢ȱ ž—Ž›–’—Žœȱ ‘Žȱ —Šž›Š•’œ’Œȱ Œ˜—ŒŽ™’˜—ȱ ˜ȱ
Œ‘Š›ŠŒŽ›ǯȱ ‘Žȱ œ™ŽŠ”Ž›ȱ Š—ȱ ‘’œȱ œ’žŠ’˜—ȱ ‘Š—ȱ ’—ȱ Š—ȱ ’—œž‹œŠ—’Š•ȱ Ÿ˜’ǯȱ Ž—’˜—ȱ ’œȱ
Œ˜—ŒŽ—›ŠŽȱ ž™˜—ȱ –˜–Ž—œȱ ˜ȱ ’—Ž—œŽȱ Š™™›Ž‘Ž—œ’˜—ȱ ‘’Œ‘ȱ ›Š—œŒŽ—ȱ Œ’›Œž–œŠ—ŒŽœȱ Š—ȱ
™Ž›‘Š™œȱ™Ž›œ˜—Š•’¢DzȱŠ••ȱŽ•œŽȱ’œȱœ‘ŽŠ›ŽȱРТdzȱ‘Žȱž••Žœȱ’—œŠ—ŒŽȱ’œȱ•’˜ȇœȱȇ‘Žȱ˜ŸŽȱ˜—ȱ
˜ȱǯȱ•›Žȱ›ž›˜Œ”ȇȱǻŗşŗŝǼǯȱ‘Žȱœ™ŽŠ”Ž›ȱ’œȱ—˜ȱ•˜ŒŠŽȱ’›–•¢ȱ’—ȱ’–ŽȱŠ—ȱœ™ŠŒŽȱ‘Žȱ–Š¢ȱ˜›ȱ
–Š¢ȱ —˜ȱ ˜ȱ ˜žȱ ˜ȱ ȇ–Š”Žȱ ˜ž›ȱ Ÿ’œ’ȇǰȱ Š—ȱ Šȱ ’–Žœȱ ‘Žȱ œŽŽ–œȱ ˜ȱ ‹Žȱ ’—ȱ ‘Žȱ ›˜˜–ȱ ‘Ž›Žȱ ȇ‘Žȱ
˜–Ž—ȱŒ˜–ŽȱŠ—ȱ˜ȦȱŠ•”’—ȱ˜ȱ’Œ‘ޕЗŽ•˜ȇdzǯȱœȱ›ž›˜Œ”ȱœ™ŽŠ”’—ȱ˜ȱ‘’œȱ–Ž—Š•ȱ’–АŽȱ
˜ȱ ‘Žȱ •Š¢ȱ •ŠŽ›ȱ ›ŽŽ››Žȱ ˜ǵȱ ˜ȱ ‘Žȱ ›ŽŠŽ›ǵȱ ˜ȱ ‘Žȱ ™˜Žǵȱ ˜ȱ Š—˜‘Ž›ȱ ™Š›ȱ ˜ȱ ‘’–œŽ•ǵȱ ˜œȱ
›ŽŠŽ›œȱ ’—Œ•’—Žȱ ˜ȱ ‘Žȱ •Šœȱ Š—œ Ž›ȱ ‹žȱ ’—ȱ Š—¢ȱ ŽŸŽ—ȱ ˜ž›ȱ ™›ŽŒ˜—ŒŽ™’˜—œȱ Š‹˜žȱ ‘Žȱ ˜‹“ŽŒ’ŸŽȱ
Ž¡’œŽ—ŒŽȱ˜ȱ‘Žȱœ™ŽŠ”Ž›ȱŠ›Žȱ˜™Ž—•¢ȱŒ‘Š••Ž—Žǯȱ
ȱ
ȱ
ȱ
(Sinfield, 65-66)
Now, as I have already mentioned before, Prufrock, in this poem, is trying to have a
conversationǰ either with his other self or with the reader but the cardinal meaning of
the message is somehow left unanswered, leaving the language of the poem
superfluous and periphrastic. But why the persona of Prufrock is acting in such a way?
Whyȱ‘’œ characterȱ’œ being constituted in ‘’œȱfear and inaction?
It is interesting to note that very few of Eliot’s characters are stereotypically
masculine. In this poem, we find Prufrock caught in conflict between the social demand
and his internalized feeling about his own identity. We found hi– reluctancŽ in
performing certain stereotypical gender roles set by the society and this inability in his
‘performance’ casts him outside the society. Prufrock hardly ever begins any
conversation in the whole poem, and if there is any probability or possibility to start Šȱ
conversation, he is delaying it furtherDZ “There will be time, there will be time / To prepare aȱ
faceȱ toȱ meetȱ the ȱfaces thatȱ you meet;”(Love Song ȱLines- 26-27) ȱhe ȱis ȱalso ȱsufferingȱ ›˜–ȱ
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indecisions before any social or private gathering: Time for you and time for me, / And time
yet for a hundred indecisions, / And for a hundred visions and revisions, / Before the taking of a
toast and tea. (Lines- 31-34) It is worth noticing that Prufrock is very self-conscious of his
physical appearance:
With a bald spot in the middle of my hair
(They will say: "How his hair is growing thin!")
My morning coat, my collar mounting firmly to the chin,
My necktie rich and modest, but asserted by a simple pin
(They will say: "But how his arms and legs are thin!")
(Love song, Lines- 40-44)
and is suffering from a certain type of inferiority concerning his age and ‘thwarted
masculinity’ or perhaps he dislikes the societal stereotyping of gender roles. He is too
much concerned about fashion and the social trends but himself is very indecisive
whether he should accept ‘Ž– or not:
I grow old . . . I grow old…
I shall wear the bottoms of my trowsers rolled.
Shall I part my hair behind? Do I dare to eat a peach?
I shall wear white flannel trowsers and walk upon the beach.
(Love song, L- 118-122)
It is often very obvious to understand that the character of Prufrock is caught between
identities; one which he is obliged by the society to perform; other ‘Š he wishes to
perform, and these conflicting ideas are making him paralyzed. As pointed out by
Suzanne Churchill in her essay Outing T.S. Eliot “Eliot emerges in his letters as a
psychosexually conflicted man, torn and tormented by conventional demands of
masculinity...” therefore it is ˜›‘ȱ Œ˜—œ’Ž›’—ȱ ‘Š in his writings his characters areȱ
failing to perform conventional needs/demands of masculinity.
It is also observed ’— Eliot’s writings that he is extremely interested in the
interaction and intersection of male and female, even the blurring between them; the
identity of Tiresias, the blind prophet in The Waste Land is thus caught between both
masculine and feminine identity, even in this poem The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock the
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pronoun “you” can also be read as a ‘queer’ identity of Prufrock and the
“overwhelming question” that Prufrock is trying to dismiss is none but the question of
his gender and identity. Throughout the whole poem it is quite evident that Prufrock is
afraid of all the ‘eyes’ of the society;
The eyes that fix you in a formulated phrase
And when I am formulated, sprawling on a pin,
When I am pinned and wriggling on the wall,
Then how should I begin
(Love song, Lines- 56-59)
the society that always tries to determine one’s sexuality, society that tries to ‘fix’ one’s
identity from the gender roles they performǰ and —ŽŸŽ› tolerate any ‘fluidity’ inȱ
gendered performances. It seems that the character wants to enjoy fluidity in his gender
and rejects to pinpoint his sexuality. Throughout the whole poem it might seem to the
readers that Prufrock is inclined towards women and desires them sexually but it has
never been implicitly or explicitly expressed anywhere in the poem.
On the contrary, on looking Prufrock as a transgendered identity, it can be
ascertained that Prufrock on mentioning the women in “Arms that are braceleted and
white and bare” and “…the mermaids singing each to each” is not desiring them sexually;
perhaps he, to a certain extent is desiring their sexuality. Therefore, the pronoun “you”
and “I” might mean two gender identities within him, the female and the male. This
argument can further be stretched by referring to the line: “There will be time to murder
and create,” because it is observed that the transgendered individuals are often found
torn between two identities and the individual has to suppress or “murder” one
identity to subscribe or to “create” another. Likewise, transgendered individuals have
to go through tremendous social pressure to ‘come out’ and perform their desired
sexuality because the normative society hardly allows any fluidity in the performance
of gender role; it tries to link the ‘gender performances’ with ‘sexed body’. In respect of
‘sexed body’ and ‘gendered performances’ Judith Butler in her book Gender Trouble:
Feminism and the Subversion of Identity has observed:
‘Žȱ™Ž›˜›–Š—ŒŽȱ˜ȱ›Šȱ™•Š¢œȱž™˜—ȱ‘Žȱ’œ’—Œ’˜—ȱ‹Ž ŽŽ—ȱ‘ŽȱŠ—Š˜–¢ȱ˜ȱ‘Žȱ™Ž›˜›–Ž›ȱ
Š—ȱ ‘Žȱ Ž—Ž›ȱ ‘Šȱ ’œȱ ‹Ž’—ȱ ™Ž›˜›–Žǯȱ žȱ Žȱ Š›Žȱ ŠŒžŠ••¢ȱ ’—ȱ ‘Žȱ ™›ŽœŽ—ŒŽȱ ˜ȱ ‘›ŽŽȱ
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Œ˜—’—Ž—ȱ ’–Ž—œ’˜—œȱ ˜ȱ œ’—’’ŒŠ—ȱ Œ˜›™˜›ŽŠ•’¢DZȱ Š—Š˜–’ŒŠ•ȱ œŽ¡ǰȱ Ž—Ž›ȱ ’Ž—’¢ǰȱ Š—ȱ
Ž—Ž›ȱ™Ž›˜›–Š—ŒŽǯȱȱ‘ŽȱŠ—Š˜–¢ȱ˜ȱ‘Žȱ™Ž›˜›–Ž›ȱ’œȱŠ•›ŽŠ¢ȱ’œ’—Œȱ›˜–ȱ‘ŽȱŽ—Ž›ȱ
˜ȱ‘Žȱ™Ž›˜›–Ž›ǰȱŠ—ȱ‹˜‘ȱ˜ȱ‘˜œŽȱŠ›Žȱ’œ’—Œȱ›˜–ȱ‘ŽȱŽ—Ž›ȱ˜ȱ‘Žȱ™Ž›˜›–Š—ŒŽǰȱ‘Ž—ȱ
‘Žȱ ™Ž›˜›–Š—ŒŽȱ œžŽœœȱ Šȱ ’œœ˜—Š—ŒŽȱ —˜ȱ ˜—•¢ȱ ‹Ž ŽŽ—ȱ œŽ¡ȱ Š—ȱ ™Ž›˜›–Š—ŒŽǰȱ ‹žȱ œŽ¡ȱ
Š—ȱ Ž—Ž›ǰȱ Š—ȱ Ž—Ž›ȱ Š—ȱ ™Ž›˜›–Š—ŒŽǯȱ œȱ –žŒ‘ȱ Šœȱ ›Šȱ Œ›ŽŠŽœȱ Šȱ ž—’’Žȱ ™’Œž›Žȱ ˜ȱ
ȃ ˜–Š—Ȅȱǻ ‘Šȱ’œȱŒ›’’Œœȱ˜Ž—ȱ˜™™˜œŽǼǰȱ’ȱŠ•œ˜ȱ›ŽŸŽŠ•œȱ‘Žȱ’œ’—Œ—Žœœȱ˜ȱ‘˜œŽȱŠœ™ŽŒœȱ˜ȱ
Ž—Ž›Žȱ Ž¡™Ž›’Ž—ŒŽȱ ‘’Œ‘ȱ Š›Žȱ Š•œŽ•¢ȱ —Šž›Š•’£Žȱ Šœȱ Šȱ ž—’¢ȱ ‘›˜ž‘ȱ ‘Žȱ ›Žž•Š˜›¢ȱ
’Œ’˜—ȱ ˜ȱ ‘ŽŽ›˜œŽ¡žŠ•ȱ Œ˜‘ޛޗŒŽdzǯǯ Žȱ œŽŽȱ œŽ¡ȱ Š—ȱ Ž—Ž›ȱ Ž—Šž›Š•’£Žȱ ‹¢ȱ –ŽŠ—œȱ ˜ȱ Šȱ
™Ž›˜›–Š—ŒŽȱ ‘’Œ‘ȱ ŠŸ˜ œȱ ‘Ž’›ȱ ’œ’—Œ—Žœœȱ Š—ȱ ›Š–Š’£Žœȱ ‘Žȱ Œž•ž›Š•ȱ –ŽŒ‘Š—’œ–ȱ ˜ȱ
‘Ž’›ȱŠ‹›’ŒŠŽȱž—’¢ǯȱȱ
ȱ
ȱ
ȱ
ȱ
ȱ
ǻž•Ž›ǰȱŗŞŝȬŗŞŞǼȱ
Another recurrent characteristic which makes the character of Prufrock worth noticing
is its fear from the society. The phrases like “"Do I dare?" and, "Do I dare?"”, “(They will
say: "How his hair is growing thin!")”, “(They will say: "But how his arms and legs are
thin!")”, “Do I dare / Disturb the universe?”, “Have the strength to force the moment to its
crisis?” makes it clear that he is afraid of society. But what is the cause of this fear? Is it
because Prufrock is certain that he cannot carry forward the stereotyped gendered role
that he is supposed to perform? And society is becoming harsher and punitive because
it will not allow any individual to break this ‘naturalized’ ‘fundamentalist fable’ of
gender performances with sex. œȱButler ™žœ in hŽ› book:
dzŠœȱ Šȱ œ›ŠŽ¢ȱ ˜ȱ œž›Ÿ’ŸŠ•ȱ ’‘’—ȱ Œ˜–™ž•œ˜›¢ȱ œ¢œŽ–œǰȱ Ž—Ž›ȱ ’œȱ Šȱ ™Ž›˜›–Š—ŒŽȱ ’‘
Œ•ŽŠ›•¢ȱ™ž—’’ŸŽȱŒ˜—œŽšžŽ—ŒŽœǯȱ’œŒ›ŽŽȱŽ—Ž›œȱŠ›Žȱ™Š›ȱ˜ȱ ‘Šȱȃ‘ž–Š—’£ŽœȄȱ’—’Ÿ’žŠ•œȱ
’‘’—ȱ Œ˜—Ž–™˜›Š›¢ȱ Œž•ž›ŽDzȱ ’—ŽŽǰȱ Žȱ ›Žž•Š›•¢ȱ ™ž—’œ‘ȱ ‘˜œŽȱ ‘˜ȱ Š’•ȱ ˜ȱ ˜ȱ ‘Ž’›ȱ
Ž—Ž›ȱ›’‘ǯȱŽŒŠžœŽȱ‘Ž›Žȱ’œȱ—Ž’‘Ž›ȱŠ—ȱȃŽœœŽ—ŒŽȄȱ‘ŠȱŽ—Ž›ȱŽ¡™›ŽœœŽœȱ˜›ȱŽ¡Ž›—Š•’£Žœȱ
—˜›ȱ Š—ȱ ˜‹“ŽŒ’ŸŽȱ ’ŽŠ•ȱ ˜ȱ ‘’Œ‘ȱ Ž—Ž›ȱ Šœ™’›Žœǰȱ Š—ȱ ‹ŽŒŠžœŽȱ Ž—Ž›ȱ ’œȱ —˜ȱ Šȱ ŠŒǰȱ ‘Žȱ
ŸŠ›’˜žœȱŠŒœȱ˜ȱŽ—Ž›ȱŒ›ŽŠŽȱ‘Žȱ’ŽŠȱ˜ȱŽ—Ž›ǰȱŠ—ȱ ’‘˜žȱ‘˜œŽȱŠŒœǰȱ‘Ž›Žȱ ˜ž•ȱ‹Žȱ—˜ȱ
Ž—Ž›ȱ Šȱ Š••ǯȱ Ž—Ž›ȱ ’œǰȱ ‘žœǰȱ Šȱ Œ˜—œ›žŒ’˜—ȱ ‘Šȱ ›Žž•Š›•¢ȱ Œ˜—ŒŽŠ•œȱ ’œȱ Ž—Žœ’œDzȱ ‘Žȱ ŠŒ’ȱ
Œ˜••ŽŒ’ŸŽȱ А›ŽŽ–Ž—ȱ ˜ȱ ™Ž›˜›–ǰȱ ™›˜žŒŽǰȱ Š—ȱ œžœŠ’—ȱ ’œŒ›ŽŽȱ Š—ȱ ™˜•Š›ȱ Ž—Ž›œȱ Šœȱ
Œž•ž›Š•ȱ’Œ’˜—œȱ’œȱ˜‹œŒž›Žȱ‹¢ȱ‘ŽȱŒ›Ž’‹’•’¢ȱ˜ȱ‘˜œŽȱ™›˜žŒ’˜—œȯȱŠ—ȱ‘Žȱ™ž—’œ‘–Ž—œȱ
‘Šȱ ŠŽ—ȱ —˜ȱ А›ŽŽ’—ȱ ˜ȱ ‹Ž•’ŽŸŽȱ ’—ȱ ‘Ž–Dzȱ ‘Žȱ Œ˜—œ›žŒ’˜—ȱ ȃŒ˜–™Ž•œȄȱ ˜ž›ȱ ‹Ž•’Žȱ ’—ȱ ’œȱ
—ŽŒŽœœ’¢ȱŠ—ȱ—Šž›Š•—Žœœǯȱȱ
ȱ
ǻž•Ž›ǰȱŗşŖǼ
Cyrena Pondrom in her article Ȉǯȱ ǯȱ •’˜DZȱ ‘Žȱ Ž›˜›–Š’Ÿ’¢ȱ ˜ȱ Ž—Ž›ȱ ’—ȱ ‘Žȱ
ŠœŽȱŠ—Ȉȱputs forth the social construction of gender thus: ȃ—Žȱ˜ȱ‘Žȱ–˜œȱ’—•žŽ—’Š•
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’ŽŠœȱŽŸŽ•˜™ŽȱŠœȱ–Ž›’ŒŠ—ȱŽ–’—’œȱ‘Ž˜›¢ȱŠ—ȱ ˜–Ž—ȇœȱœž’Žœȱ›Ž ȱ’—˜ȱ’œŒ’™•’—Žœȱ
’œȱ‘ŽȱŠœœŽ›’˜—ȱ‘ŠȱŽ—Ž›ȱ’œȱœ˜Œ’Š••¢ȱŒ˜—œ›žŒŽȄǯȱ
An alternative interpretation of Prufrock’s identity might be the fact that perhaps
his sexual orientation is the cause of his discomfort as society is not going to accept his
sexuality if he come out to be a homosexual. As Colleen Lamos in hŽ› article Ȉ‘Žȱ˜ŸŽȱ
˜—ȱ ˜ȱ ǯȱ ǯȱ •’˜DZȱ •ސ’ŠŒȱ ˜–˜Ž›˜’Œ’œ–ȱ ’—ȱ ‘Žȱ Š›•¢ȱ ˜Ž›¢Ȉ has observed: ȃ•’˜Ȃœȱ
™˜Ž›¢ȱ ޡޖ™•’’Žœȱ ‘Šȱ ž’‘ȱ ž•Ž›ȱ ‘Šœȱ ŽœŒ›’‹Žȱ Šœȱ Šȱ Ž—ޛЕȱ ȃ‘ŽŽ›˜œŽ¡žŠ•ȱ
–ޕЗŒ‘˜•’ŠȄȱ Œ˜––˜—ȱ ˜ȱ –˜Ž›—ȱ ŽœŽ›—ȱ Œž•ž›Žǰȱ ’—ȱ ‘’Œ‘ȱ —˜›–Š’ŸŽȱ Ž—Ž›ȱ Š—ȱ
œŽ¡žŠ•ȱ ’Ž—’’Žœȱ Š›Žȱ ‘Žȱ ™›˜žŒœȱ ˜ȱ ‘Žȱ ’œŠŸ˜ Š•ȱ ˜ȱ ‘˜–˜œŽ¡žŠ•ȱ ŠŠŒ‘–Ž—œǯȄȱ
Therefore, thisȱpoem undeniably possesses a homo-elegiac tone in it. Though Eliot ‘Šȱ
tried to suppress the homoerotic interpretation of the poem and he debates concerningȱ
it; a sort of homophobia is noticeable in him. This fear is something that Sedgwick calls
“homosexual panic” and with the increasing division between heterosexuality and
homosexualityǰ love becomeœ a pathological question. Therefore, this homophobia orȱ
“homosexual panic” made Eliot to suppress Peter’s essay. But after Eliot’s death, a burst
of homoerotic interpretation of Eliot’s poetry comes into public. Thus, reading Prufrock
as a homosexual in the poem Love Song has nothing unusual or absurd in it.
It is evident from the very beginning of the poem that language is used in the
poem to hide the emotions rather to show them. The fear of society and the fear of
reputation becomes the key in reading this poem. Even the epigraph of the poem suffers
from the fear of losing reputations. The epigraph of this poem has been taken from
Dante’s Inferno XXVII 61-66 which can be translated thus: “If l thought my answer were to
one who could ever return to the world, this flame should shake no more; but since, if what I hear
be true, none did ever return above from this depth, without fear of infamy I answer thee.” These
are the words of Guido da Montefeltro, spoken to Dante. Montefeltro who was trapped
for fraudulent counsel is now in hellǰ captured within a living flame that trembles when
he speaks. Similarly, Prufrock through his evasive and vague language tries to dismiss
every possibility of interpretation and thus we find him utter: “That is not what I meant at
all; / That is not it, at all.
There are a number of references in this poem where the “homosexual panic” can
be identified. The repetition of the phrase “In the room the women come and go / Talking of
Michelangelo” isȱ veryȱsymbolicȱȱin thisȱȱregard; notȱbecause ofȱ itsȱ referenceȱ to ‘women’
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but for ‘Ž reference to ‘Michelangelo’. The phrase “Talking ofȱ Michelangelo” is
metonymic and can be analyzed in several ways. The phrase might mean the sculptures
of Michelangelo or even his sexuality. As it has been observed by Rictor Norton in his
essay The Passions of Michelangelo that his sculptures are primarily “human rather than
divine or demonic: for the most part they are naked.” He further added that “His twenty
nude youths — or ignudi — in the Sistine Chapel outraged several pontiffs, for they were clearly
more Greek than Christian and played no role in the Church's narrative.” According to Rictor:
“Michelangelo had a reputation for homosexuality among his contemporaries.” Thus the phrase
“Talking of Michelangelo” might also mean his sexuality and Prufrock is suffering from
the panic of him being identified by the society as a person who desires same sex love.
Even the reference to the lonely man in the poem depicts a fear of Prufrock: Shall
I say, I have gone at dusk through narrow streets, / And watched the smoke that rises from the
pipes / Of lonely men in shirtsleeves, leaning out of windows? (Love song, Lines- 70-72) Either
he likes those ‘men in shirtsleeves’ and desires to have them physically or is afraid of the
fact that if he tells anyone about this then his identity will be determined accordingly,
that he does not want.
Then the question remains, what is the real identity of Prufrock? Is he a straight?
A gay? Or a transgendered individual? Or does he even have to have any of such
identities at all? The society tries to ‘naturalize’ the gender role and thus it stabilizes the
identity of individuals. By differentiating the gender of individuals, it tries to create a
binary through which the hegemony can function. Thus, it becomes a matter of life and
death for the society to assign such identities to the individual because fluidity of
gender is a continuous threat to the power structure. Therefore, to maintain the social
equality we should not try to stabilize the identity of Prufrock by fixing it “in a
formulated phrase” or any particular identity and should accept it as a ‘queer’ so that it
can destabilize the Ž—Ž› politics and brings forth social equality through its fluidity ofȱ
gender performances.
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BILIOGRAPHYDZ
1. Ackerley, Chris. T.S. Eliot The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock and The Waste Land.
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3. Butler, Judith. Bodies that Matter on the Discursive Limits of Sex. Abingdon, Oxon
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16. Rictor Norton, "The Passions of Michelangelo", Gay History and Literature,
updated 14 June 2008 <http://rictornorton.co.uk/michela.htm>.
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17. Sedgwick Eve Kosofsky, Epistemology of the Closet: Updated with a New Preface
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