Dan Mayer

T.S. Eliot

The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock

The Fear to Socialize

The poem is nothing more than showing the fears and thoughts that go through everyones head before they try to meet someone new that interest them at a party. The nervousness and the questioning, the doubting of ones capabilities. This is less of a love song and more of the dream of finding love. Those moments before you meet someone that you actually imagine how perfect it could be if it works out.

Alfred Prufrock is the speaker of the poem. From the use of certain words it makes the poem read as if it was being spoken by Prufrock. Sometimes to another character sometimes as if he is talking to himself. Lines that show Alfred talking to others can be illustrated by, “Let us go then, you and I,” referring to others as “you.” The beginning of the poem has Alfred leaving to go to some social event, perhaps a party.

The party is doesn’t seem to be business or overly formal. T.S. Eliot gives this impression by having all the guests at the party running around talking about popular culture of the time. “In the room the women come and go Talking of Michelangelo.” Michelangelo was a famous artist of the time. At the time of this poems writing he was part of fashionable conversation.

Alfred is looking for a time of opportunity through out the poem. He is wondering if he can go through with talking to a certain woman. It is simple to see the waiting and questioning going through Alfred's mind. “And indeed there will be a time To wonder, 'Do I dare?',” is stated many times. Alfred then is worried about what he would say and the impression that he will give off. This is still certainly relevant to our times. Standing looking at a beautiful girl wondering what to say, what to presume, how to start the conversation. “And should i then presume? And how should I begin?” Alfred is questioning himself. You can almost feel the nervousness just reading the words from the page.

I don't read deeply into any allusions or anything other form of deeper meaning. I take the this poem is only the story of a man trying to meet and date a women. It is a simple enough story that is relevant to almost everyones lives. That is why this poem is extraordinary It isn't something so complex. Something that assumes no one has ever had these feeling before, unlike many other poems the power in this poem comes for the fact that everyone has been through the process of doubting themselves.