Dennis Garbor described poetry as “plucking at the heartstrings, and making music with them.” For T.S. Eliot, this was no different. Originally titled Prufrock among the Women, The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock is a testament to poetry as music. The stanzas and lines remind the reader of an Of Montreal song–or some other weird, emotionally charged indie band. Like most songs from these groups, Prufrock examines the contemporary world. It offers criticism, praise, or indifference to the reader. Of course, the reader must look through the poem’s vague lines, multiple allusions, and stream of consciousness effect to find the poem’s true meaning. T.S. Eliot’s The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock is a poem, or song, whose meaning is determined through its comments on modern society.
The poem begins with a passage from Dante’s Inferno, which is written in Italian. That literary work describes a walk through Hell. This passage foreshadows the rest of the poem, and one interpretation is a comparison between Hell and what Prufrock thinks. A reader might go as far as to say Prufrock thinks the society he lives in is like Hell. So how exactly does Prufrock come to this conclusion? The first stanza is thought to be the action of the poem, followed by a two-line verse that transitions into Prufrock’s mental setting, which are from the third stanza forward.
In the first stanza, Prufrock describes to the reader his physical setting. He is walking through an area of a town that is probably impoverished and desolate since “cheap hotels” (6) and “sawdust restaurants” (7) clutter the streets. It is in the evening so the streets are “half-deserted” (4). Prufrock mentions another person in the first line, but the reader never receives a clear definition of who this person is. From the way Prufrock describes himself in the rest of the poem, it might be himself–kind of like how sometimes people refer to themselves as “me, myself, and I.” Prufrock is essentially doing the same thing. Or he is with a woman, which fits in nicely with the poem’s title. The first stanza is the meeting place where the reader gets a glimpse of the “overwhelming question” (10) Prufrock obsesses over. Before the stanza concludes, Prufrock says “Let us go and make our visit” (12). This foreshadows the third stanza. It is like he is telling the reader to visit him in his mental state.
In the third stanza, Prufrock goes into a stream of consciousness state. He imagines an October evening at a tea party with women all around him. He mentions “yellow fog” (15) and “yellow smoke” (16) in the stanza. What does the yellow represent? Colors are usually associated with emotion, and it is not different here. Typically, yellow represents illness or cowardice. In Prufrock’s case, it could mean both. He might have the so-called illness that comes with being in love, or he might be talking about his cowardice to talk to women since he believes he has a lot of time to do so.
In line 26, Eliot writes: “There will be time, there will be time”. Prufrock’s thoughts continue, as he demonstrates there is a time for everything, literally. Almost as if he blames his indecisiveness on having too much time to decide. But what is he trying to decide? Is is that question he mentioned earlier? Is it dealing with his cowardice toward women? Prufrock is saying his procrastination is a tiny, irrelevant thought in the universe. Eliot references Work and Days with: “And time for all the works and days of hands” (29). Farmers reap what they sow, which means they plant what they want to grow. Prufrock is doing the same thing; he is planting and sowing all the thoughts he wants since he has all the time to do so. He has all the time to make “hundred of visions and revisions” (33).
As the poem progresses, the reader learns more about Prufrock. He is bald (40) and routine (51). He is insecure about women. “I have heard the mermaids singing, each to each. / I do not think that they will sing to me” (124-125). The average person labels mermaids as females; they are beautiful creatures, who are graceful and elegant. They sing lovely songs, but Prufrock feels they will never sing to him. Since all mermaids are female, then ordinary women will view him the same way. They will ignore him, like they always have. Like he always has done, he looks at the mermaids from a distance. Prufrock says: “I have seen them riding seaward on the waves” (126). Mermaids are not the only symbolism used in the poem.
Eliot uses other symbols, and many allusions, as well. For instance, he writes: “In the room the women come and go / Talking of Michelangelo” (13-14, 35-36). Eliot writes this twice, so it is considered a repetition. Where does it fit in the context of the poem? Prufrock may be comparing himself to Michelangelo, who is one of the renowned creators of art in the world. Prufrock realizes he will never by Michelangelo; he is ordinary, and his insecurity and apprehension keeps him from being anything more. “And I have seen the eternal Footman hold my coat, and snicker, / And in short, I was afraid” (85-86). The eternal Footman is God and death, and from Prufrock’s standpoint both their permanence and grandiose keeps him from thinking he is something more than insignificant. In the line before that, he says he saw his greatness flicker (84). His greatness did not dim or stay lit, it flickered. It was a brief moment in a life of indecision. Also, it is a comment on society. While others are participating in life, he is an observer. Prufrock is anti-social, the innermost introvert, and he hesitates with participating in life, which is why he has so many doubts when making a decision.
And the indecision of them all: what is the question Prufrock refers to at the beginning of the poem? As the poem progresses, he imagines himself lying next to a woman (77). The reader knows this is a woman because in the stanza before Eliot writes: “Is it perfume from a dress / That makes me so digress?” (65-66). Throughout the poem, he thinks about whether he should ask this woman to be in a relationship with him. And in Prufrock form, he revises this question many times. In lines 54, 61, 68 and 69, he struggles with not knowing how to begin anything–let alone the question. He contrasts himself to Hamlet: “I am not Prince Hamlet, nor was meant to be” (111). The last part of that line has a double meaning. He is not Hamlet; he does not ask questions to other people, especially the woman, but he ponders them instead. Once again, this fits into his observation of life. He chooses not to be. It also refers to his relationship with the woman. Since he chooses not to be, it is him saying he chooses no relationship. He would rather watch her, like he watches mermaids, than to be involved with her. It is his Hell, and it is his mind.
T.S. Eliot’s The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock is not a typical love song. It is a tragedy. He chooses against love, because he is afraid. He chooses against decision, because it would require too much action. He chooses to procrastinate and revise, because he has time. He is insecure, because he knows no on would dare sing to him. He chooses not to be, because it is easier that way. To Prufrock, it is easier to be a coward and to be yellow like the fog and smoke than to be like Hamlet and ask that overwhelming question, which so many others in society dare to ask.
